RTX 2060 vs RTX 3060 for Blender
Compare RTX 2060 and RTX 3060 12 GB for Blender Cycles. See benchmark performance, VRAM, power ratings and checked prices side by side. RTX 3060 12 GB leads the Blender benchmark score by 80.1%.
Fastest in Cycles
RTX 3060 12 GB
80% faster than RTX 2060
Most VRAM
RTX 3060 12 GB
100% more VRAM than RTX 2060
Lowest power draw
RTX 2060
6% lower rating than RTX 3060 12 GB
Cheapest
RTX 2060
41% cheaper than RTX 3060 12 GB
Best value for money
RTX 3060 12 GB
6% better value than RTX 2060
GPU comparison
Key specifications for Blender rendering.
| Spec | RTX 2060 | RTX 3060 12 GB |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest price | $263.72 Checked Oct 19, 2026 | $449.82 Checked Oct 19, 2026 |
| Value for money | 4.19 | 4.42 +6% |
| Blender benchmark score | 1,104.6 | 1,989.05 +80% |
| VRAM | 6 GB Below Blender’s recommended VRAM | 12 GB Meets Blender’s recommended VRAM+100% |
| System PSU | N/A | N/A |
| Performance | ||
| CUDA cores | 1,920 | 3,584 +87% |
| Boost clock | 1680 MHz | 1.78 GHz +6% |
| RT cores | 30 +7% | 28 |
| Tensor cores | 240 +114% | 112 |
| Memory | ||
| Memory bandwidth | 336 GB/s | 360 GB/s +7% |
| Memory type | GDDR6 | GDDR6 |
| Memory bus | 192-bit | 192-bit |
| Memory speed | N/A | 15 Gbps |
| Platform | ||
| Architecture | Turing | Ampere |
| Render support | OptiX, CUDA | OptiX, CUDA |
| TDP | 160 W −6% | 170 W |
| Release year | 2019 | 2021 |
Blender Cycles benchmarks
Estimated seconds / frame Lower is faster
RTX 2060
Blender 4.0.0 · CUDA · 6 runs
RTX 3060 12 GB
Blender 5.2.0 · OptiX · 101 runs
Junkshop
Monster
Classroom
Which GPU should you choose for Blender?
RTX 2060 (6 GB) meets Blender’s 2 GB VRAM minimum but is below its 8 GB recommendation. Check scene memory needs and GPU compatibility.
Cycles rendering performance
RTX 3060 12 GB leads by 80.1% in the Renderjuice Blender benchmark model (1,989 vs 1,105). RTX 2060 (6 GB) meets Blender’s 2 GB VRAM minimum but is below its 8 GB recommendation. Check scene memory needs and GPU compatibility.
VRAM and scene capacity
RTX 2060 (6 GB) meets Blender’s 2 GB VRAM minimum but is below its 8 GB recommendation. Check scene memory needs and GPU compatibility.
Power ratings and cooling
RTX 2060 is the lower-power option at 160 W TDP, compared with 170 W for RTX 3060 12 GB. If render speed is close, that can make RTX 2060 easier to cool and run quietly.
Is the upgrade worthwhile?
RTX 2060 (6 GB) meets Blender’s 2 GB VRAM minimum but is below its 8 GB recommendation. Check scene memory needs and GPU compatibility.
Comparison summary
RTX 3060 12 GB leads the Blender benchmark score by 80.1%.
Fastest in Cycles: RTX 3060 12 GB 80% faster than RTX 2060.
Most VRAM: RTX 3060 12 GB 100% more VRAM than RTX 2060.
Lowest power draw: RTX 2060 6% lower rating than RTX 3060 12 GB.
Cheapest: RTX 2060 41% cheaper than RTX 3060 12 GB.
Best value for money: RTX 3060 12 GB 6% better value than RTX 2060.
RTX 2060 (6 GB) meets Blender’s 2 GB VRAM minimum but is below its 8 GB recommendation. Check scene memory needs and GPU compatibility.
If you are deciding between these cards for Blender, focus first on Blender benchmark score, VRAM capacity, memory bandwidth, and whether your scenes are likely to benefit more from raw speed or extra memory headroom. The comparison table above keeps those tradeoffs in one place.