RTX 5060 Ti vs RTX 3090: Specs, Price, Performance, and More Compared

This article compares the 1st-generation BFGPU RTX 3090 with Blackwell’s mid-range RTX 5060 Ti, examining efficiency and other key factors.

Considering the modern-day used price, you can find the 3090 for around $600, which is a reasonable price point for a used GPU. This means you get tremendous value for your money, aside from factors such as a mined GPU or a refurbished product out of warranty. To some gamers, a new GPU is the preferred choice, while to others, refurbished ones appeal more; this is a matter of debate, as each option has its pros and cons. For example, for the new 5060 Ti, you will have to pay the markup price, and for the 3090, you’ll have to search hard for a decent price from a gamer, rather than a miner. These aside, with the power of MFG, the 5060 Ti gets near or even beats the 3090. But in terms of efficiency and undervolting capabilities, the 3090 becomes very interesting. Let’s dig into it.

Note: This article explores the decisions a gamer makes and the consequences that follow. The data used is official and does not come from third parties.

GeForce RTX 5060 Ti vs RTX 3080 Ti

As mentioned in the beginning, the 3090 is faster in every aspect. However, it has its issues. The biggest one is that you need a big chassis with decent airflow. The second consideration is that you need a capable power supply unit (PSU), as the card is power-hungry and requires a 12V HPWR connector (mostly) and an ATX 3.0 standard. Power transients may cause the actual power draw to spike above 700W in some instances. The third issue is SFF compatibility, as the BFGPU’s size and form factor compromise small form factor compatibility. The final issue is pricing and availability from a gamer’s perspective, rather than a miner’s.

The 5060 Ti clearly wins in efficiency, but you can undervolt the 3090. Because of its flagship silicon, it undervolts much better than other cards due to its superior binning. Even with tuning, the power draw will be substantially higher than the 5060 Ti. Then comes Blackwell’s upgraded frame generation. You can use lossless scaling on the 3090, but its quality will fall far short of technology that relies on motion vectors and optical flow to produce AI-generated frames.

Regarding the performance comparison between the 3090 and the 5060 Ti, the 5060 Ti 16GB scores around 15,389 in Time Spy (graphics), while the RTX 3090 averages between 19,700 and 20,600, depending on the specific model and tuning. If the 3090 is tuned further, the numbers can clock even higher. When considering ray tracing with Port Royal, the 5060 Ti posts a respectable 10,432 points, but the 3090 pulls ahead with typical scores in the 12,000–13,000 range, and some results exceeding 14,000 when tuning is applied.

Official Specifications & Theoretical Performance

Category / Specification	RTX 5060 Ti (16GB)	RTX 3090
GPU Architecture	Blackwell (GB206)	Ampere (GA102)
Process Node	4nm (TSMC 4N)	8nm (Samsung)
CUDA Cores	4,608	10,496
Ray Tracing Cores	36 (4th Gen)	82 (2nd Gen)
Tensor Cores	144 (5th Gen)	328 (3rd Gen)
Base / Boost Clock	2407 MHz / 2572 MHz	1395 MHz / 1695 MHz
VRAM	16GB GDDR7	24GB GDDR6X
Memory Bus Width	128-bit	384-bit
Memory Bandwidth	448 GB/s	936 GB/s
TDP	180W	350W
PCIe Interface	Gen 5 x8	Gen 4 x16
Launch MSRP	$429	$1,499
Current Market Price (2025)	$500–$550 MSRP	$600–$800 (used)
Release Date	April 2025	September 2020

Theoretical Performance (Specification-Based)

Theoretical Metric	RTX 5060 Ti	RTX 3090
FP32 Compute	23.7 TFLOPS	35.6 TFLOPS
FP16 Compute	23.7 TFLOPS	35.6 TFLOPS
FP64 Compute	0.37 TFLOPS	0.56 TFLOPS
Pixel Rate	123.5 GPixel/s	192.7 GPixel/s
Texture Rate	370.4 GTexel/s	556.3 GTexel/s

Pros and Cons of RTX 5060 Ti and 3080 Ti

Card	Pros	Cons
5060 Ti	Modern Blackwell architecture with DLSS 4 and native Frame Generation Excellent power efficiency (180W TDP) PCIe 5.0 support for futureproofing Runs cool and quiet, works with mainstream PSUs Much better value for money	Narrow 128-bit bus limits memory bandwidth Weaker raw raster and compute performance vs. 3090 Not ideal for high-end 4K gaming Lacks brute-force pixel and texture rates of the Ampere flagship. The X8 bus may cause issues on systems that use PCIe Gen 3 Titles like Indiana Jones can easily fill up 16GB of VRAM.
3090	Outstanding raster and compute performance, especially at 4K Massive 24GB VRAM for creative and AI workloads Wide 384-bit bus and massive bandwidth (936 GB/s) Still competitive in raw power despite age Partially Supports DLSS 4	Extremely high power draw (350W), needs a high-end PSU Very expensive at launch and still costly to use No native Frame Generation support Falls short in AAA titles with UE 5 at max settings

The 3090 remains a raw performance powerhouse, especially at 1440p in 2025; the memory bandwidth and pixel throughput it provides are just perfect. While this may sound biased, or something else, the RDNA 2 6950 XT card gave this one a run for its money in terms of raw performance, i.e. The 5060 Ti offers modern features such as more power efficiency and better power to frame ratio, open to SFF builders, but performance wise, it falls apart. Choose whichever option you are most comfortable with, depending on your needs, availability, and budget.

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