Specifications Compared
| Spec | RTX-3060 | RTX-4080 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 170W | 320W |
| VRAM | 12 GB | 16 GB |
| CUDA Cores | 3,584 | 9,728 |
| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR6X |
| Architecture | Ampere | Ada Lovelace |
| Form Factors | PCIe | PCIe |
| Interconnect | ||
| Tensor Cores | 112 | 304 |
| FP16 Performance | 12.7 TFLOPS | 48.7 TFLOPS |
| FP32 Performance | 12.7 TFLOPS | 48.7 TFLOPS |
| Memory Bandwidth | 360 GB/s | 717 GB/s |
Performance Analysis
The RTX 4080 outperforms the RTX 3060 by a factor of nearly 4x in compute: 48.7 TFLOPS versus 12.7 TFLOPS in both FP16 and FP32. This delta translates to faster model training and inference times, where FP16 acceleration benefits deep learning pipelines and FP32 ensures precision in scientific simulations. For training large language models, the RTX 4080 processes iterations quicker due to its superior throughput. Memory bandwidth doubles from 360 GB/s to 717 GB/s on the RTX 4080, enabling larger batch sizes without bottlenecks: users can handle datasets that saturate the RTX 3060's limits. The 16 GB GDDR6X VRAM versus 12 GB GDDR6 supports bigger models or higher resolutions in generative tasks. Higher TDP of 320W on the RTX 4080 demands more power but yields efficiency gains per watt in intensive workloads. These specs position the RTX 4080 for production-scale AI, while the RTX 3060 suits prototyping.
Live Cloud Pricing
Real-time prices from 25+ providers. Updated every 60 seconds.
RTX 3060
| Provider | GPU Model | VRAM | Host Specs | Region | Price | Status | Action | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Vast.ai | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 12GB VRAM | 12GB | 36 vCPU 31GB RAM 862GB Storage | Texas | $0.23/GPU/hr | Available | ||
Vast.ai | 4×NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 12GB VRAM | 12GB | 24 vCPU 110GB RAM 3881GB Storage | Texas | $0.23/GPU/hr $0.90/hr total (4×) | Available | ||
Vast.ai | 2×NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 12GB VRAM | 12GB | 128 vCPU 168GB RAM 715GB Storage | Texas | $0.23/GPU/hr $0.45/hr total (2×) | Available | ||
Vast.ai | 2×NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 12GB VRAM | 12GB | 64 vCPU 126GB RAM 3050GB Storage | Texas | $0.23/GPU/hr $0.45/hr total (2×) | Available |
RTX 4080
| Provider | GPU Model | VRAM | Host Specs | Region | Price | Status | Action | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 RunPod | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER 16GB VRAM | 16GB | 6 vCPU 35GB RAM | 🌍global | $0.50/GPU/hr | |||
RunPod | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 16GB VRAM | 16GB | 6 vCPU 35GB RAM | 🌍global | $0.50/GPU/hr |
When to Choose the RTX 3060
The RTX 3060 excels in cost-sensitive scenarios with its pricing from $0.03 per hour averaging $0.07 per hour across 12 offers. It fits lightweight inference, small-scale fine-tuning, or development where 12 GB VRAM and 12.7 TFLOPS suffice without overprovisioning. Lower 170W TDP reduces cloud costs in prolonged low-intensity runs, ideal for hobbyists or startups testing prototypes.
When to Choose the RTX 4080
Opt for the RTX 4080 when high throughput is essential, leveraging 48.7 TFLOPS and 717 GB/s bandwidth for rapid training or large-batch inference. Its 16 GB VRAM handles complex models that exceed the RTX 3060's capacity, justifying $0.11 per hour starting price averaging $0.28 per hour across 8 offers. Demanding production workloads benefit from Ada Lovelace efficiencies despite 320W TDP.
Use Cases
The RTX 4080's 48.7 TFLOPS FP16 performance accelerates training iterations 3.8x faster than the RTX 3060's 12.7 TFLOPS. Its 717 GB/s bandwidth supports larger batches for efficient convergence.
RTX 4080 handles high-throughput inference with 16 GB VRAM for bigger models, versus RTX 3060's 12 GB limit. 48.7 TFLOPS ensures lower latency under load.
Superior 717 GB/s bandwidth on RTX 4080 enables larger batch sizes during fine-tuning, reducing epochs compared to 360 GB/s on RTX 3060.
RTX 4080's 16 GB GDDR6X and 48.7 TFLOPS generate higher-resolution images faster than RTX 3060's 12 GB setup.
RTX 3060's 12.7 TFLOPS FP32 and low $0.03 per hour pricing suffice for modest simulations. It avoids overkill for tasks not saturating 170W TDP.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which GPU has more VRAM?▾
The RTX 4080 provides 16 GB GDDR6X VRAM, exceeding the RTX 3060's 12 GB GDDR6. This allows the RTX 4080 to load larger models without swapping. Bandwidth also doubles to 717 GB/s from 360 GB/s.
How do their compute performances compare?▾
RTX 4080 delivers 48.7 TFLOPS in FP16 and FP32, 3.8x higher than RTX 3060's 12.7 TFLOPS. This boosts training and inference speeds significantly. Real-world tasks see proportional gains.
What are the cloud rental prices?▾
RTX 3060 rents from $0.03 per hour averaging $0.07 per hour across 12 offers. RTX 4080 starts at $0.11 per hour averaging $0.28 per hour across 8 offers. Pricing reflects performance disparity.
Which has lower power consumption?▾
RTX 3060 uses 170W TDP, half of RTX 4080's 320W. Lower TDP suits budget clouds with power limits. It keeps operational costs down for light workloads.
Is RTX 4080 worth the extra cost?▾
RTX 4080 justifies higher pricing with 4x compute and double bandwidth for intensive AI tasks. RTX 3060 fits casual use at lower rates. Choose based on workload scale.
What architectures do they use?▾
RTX 3060 employs Ampere from 2021, while RTX 4080 uses Ada Lovelace from 2022. Ada offers tensor core improvements for ML. Both support PCIe form factors.
Which is cheaper to rent, the RTX 3060 or the RTX 4080?▾
Cloud rental prices for both the RTX 3060 and RTX 4080 vary by provider, configuration, and availability. This page shows live pricing from 25+ providers updated every 60 seconds. Scroll to the Live Cloud Pricing section to compare current rates.
How much VRAM does the RTX 3060 have compared to the RTX 4080?▾
The RTX 3060 has 12 GB of GDDR6 memory. The RTX 4080 has 16 GB of GDDR6X memory.
Can I find RTX 3060 and RTX 4080 GPUs available to rent right now?▾
Yes. This page shows real-time availability across 25+ cloud GPU providers. The Live Cloud Pricing section displays only in-stock offers with current pricing.
What is the main difference between the RTX 3060 and the RTX 4080?▾
The RTX 3060 uses the Ampere architecture (2021) while the RTX 4080 uses Ada Lovelace (2022). The RTX 4080 delivers 3.8x the FP16 throughput and 2.0x the memory bandwidth of the RTX 3060.