Question: Buying an RTX 3060 12GB in 2025?
Question: Buying an RTX 3060 12GB in 2025?
Hey everyone!
I was thinking about assembling a gaming PC for my younger sibling and saw some of these GPUs available at local stores.
They’re priced around 450 AUD (about 300 USD) in Australia. The reason I’m asking is that the 5050, 4060, and 5060 8GB models are all similar in price, often a bit more expensive as you move up the line.
If I’m aiming for 16GB of VRAM, which was my original plan to keep things flexible, I’m already expecting a significant increase in cost—possibly double what I’m seeing.
Basic 5060 Ti models start near 800 AUD.
I’ve also read that the 3060 is a very reliable card and still handles top-tier games like Cyberpunk quite well.
I even saw it mentioned as the 1080 Ti of recent releases.
Here are the links to the two models I’m considering:
https://www.scorptec.com.au/product/grap...-2x-12g-oc
https://www.scorptec.com.au/product/grap...c-12gd-2.0
I’m leaning toward the Gigabyte version since it looks to have better overall build quality. Thanks for any advice!
I also think about the Intel Arc B580. It features 12GB VRAM and outperforms the RX 3060 in performance.
Review link: https://www.techpowerup.com/review/spark...oc/31.html
PC Part Picker price: https://au.pcpartpicker.com/products/vid...585&page=1
Same Sparkle Titan OC is available for 449 AUD.
The 9060 XT 16GB stands out as the top option for most users in the midrange when prices are reasonable locally. I heard on the latest HUB podcast it’s now available for $580 AUD. If you can adjust your budget or wait, I’d strongly recommend doing so.
If you're not concerned about RT features and focus on VRAM, I recommend choosing an AMD card such as the 9060XT, which the person above mentioned. The 3060 remains a solid GPU for gaming at 1080p only.
3060 isn’t terrible, but it’s quite outdated now. If you’re willing to take the risk, go for the 9060xt with 16gb. Steer clear of the 8gb versions. I saw a comparison today where someone pitted the 9060xt 16gb against an RX 6800. They were pretty close, but the 9060 offered superior ray tracing and better upscaling—features that games are increasingly demanding. For context, the RX 6800 matched the performance of RTX 3070/3080 cards. This should be a solid upgrade from the 3060. However, if cost is a concern, the 3060 should suffice, but you’ll need to accept compromises later. It does have DLS 4 now, and it might be possible to enable AMD frame generation, though I’m not sure.
Intel ARC is the latest addition to the lineup, but it faced some driver problems when paired with Alchemist architecture. The second generation, Battlemage architecture, seems to have resolved those issues (you can find more details in the review I mentioned).