Nvidia RTX 4060 vs 3090 comparison – which graphics card is better?

This is our Nvidia RTX 4060 vs 3090 comparison as we edge closer to a release date for the Ada Lovelace graphics card.

IFollowing swiftly on from the 8GB RTX 4060 Ti, the RTX 4060’s arrival marks the most affordable graphics card to date to access Nvidia’s Ada Lovelace architecture. With desirable features like DLSS 3 and advanced ray tracing, many want to know how its performance shapes up to other Nvidia and AMD graphics cards.

On our plate today we’re comparing the upcoming graphics card to the previous gen flagship: the RTX 3090. Currently priced well over $1000, potential buyers may want to think twice about buying a 3090 in 2023. That being said, having been on the market for two years already, the 3090 has been able to settle in with Nvidia driver updates which have seriously helped its performance and efficiency.

With the upcoming 4060’s price, specs and 1440p ability in mind, let’s get stuck into our graphics card comparison.

RTX 4060 vs 3090 – specs comparison

	RTX 4060 specs	RTX 3090 specs
Architecture	Ada (TSMC 4NM)	Ampere (TSMC 8NM)
CUDA Cores	3,072	10,496
Base Clock (MHz)	1,830	1,560
Boost Clock (MHz)	2,460	1,860
Memory	8GB GDDR6	24GB GDDR6X
Memory Bus	128-bit	384 bit
Memory Bandwidth	272 GB/s	1,008 GB/s
Total Graphics Power	110W	450W

From glancing at the specs above, it’s clear we’ve got a bit of a mixed bag. The most important specs to pay attention to are CUDA Cores, clock speed and VRAM.

The RTX 3090 massively trumps the 4060’s CUDA Core count at over 7,000 more. When you combine this with its massive 24GB GDDR6X over the 4060’s 8GB GDDR6 of VRAM, it’s clear which graphics card is best suited to high fidelity gaming. If your goal is to upgrade to 4K gaming, the 4060 is not your card, and you should wait for the 16GB 4060 Ti version if you want to enjoy 4K gaming with Ada Lovelace technology.

Meanwhile, the 4060 comes out on top when it comes to power efficiency thanks to its total graphics power of 110W. This is one of the advantages of opting for a next-gen cards as they’re generally more power efficient than their predecessors, which can help keep the running costs low.

RTX 4060 vs 3090 – architecture

The difference between the 40-series and 30-series in terms of architecture is pretty sizable. With the Ada Lovelace, you’ll be getting exclusive features like Nvidia DLSS 3 which uses AI to enhance frame generation. While not all games have DLSS 3 enabled, the list is growing, and Nvidia’s focus on DLSS in their newest graphics cards is a nod towards this new AI focus. If you’re looking for one of the best graphics cards for ray tracing, the 4060 will be the superior choice thanks to its third generation ray tracing cores.

The 3090 meanwhile is based on Nvidia’s Ampere architecture and is constructed on the GA102-350-A1 GPU variant that utilised Samsung’s 8nm manufacturing process. It packs a gargantuan 28.3 billion transistors into the tiny 628mm² die size. It still has great ray tracing abilities, though only second gen cores. Overall, Ada Lovelace definitely has the edge. It’s also responsible for providing a more power-efficient graphics card.

RTX 4060 vs 3090 – performance

The sheer number CUDA cores packed into the 3090 potentially gives it the edge if you’re looking for the best graphics card for 4K gaming. The graphics card is amongst the best GPUs for 1080p instead, in part thanks to its advanced ray tracing and DLSS 3.

That being said, the 3090’s 24GB of GDDR6X VRAM is infinitely superior to the 4060’s very low 8GB of GDDR6. Though the 4060 might be more power efficient and enjoy some advanced features, the 3090 remains the card to go for if you’re after high fidelity performance in games.

RTX 4060 vs 3090 – price

The 4060 costs a relatively affordable $299 which makes it the cheapest way to access Nvidia’s precious Ada Lovelace architecture. However, those disappointed by the 4060’s VRAM offerings probably won’t be convinced, and are better off waiting for the release of the 16GB RTX 4060 Ti, or the rumoured RX 7800 XT.

Final word

It’s a tricky choice because whatever graphics card you choose, you’re missing out on something. The 3090’s expensive price tag is simply not affordable for the average gamer. Meanwhile, the average gamer will also probably be frustrated by the 4060’s 8GB VRAM. That being said, if you have no plans to play games at higher resolutions, then maybe the 4060 is a good choice after all.