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What just happened? The RTX 3060, a graphics card so popular with gamers that it has topped the Steam survey charts since September 2023, is no more. Just over three years after it launched, Nvidia is preparing to distribute the final batches of GA106 graphics processors that power the mid-range Ampere model.
Launched in February 2021, we liked the RTX 3060, but a performance that didn't match the $329 MSRP, especially compared to the RTX 3060 Ti, meant we didn't love it at the time. As such, we awarded the card a good if not great score of 75.
Most-popular GPUs among Steam survey participants during July 2024
But Nvidia's mid-range xx60 series has always been popular, and the RTX 3060 has been finding its way into more gamers PCs as the years passed and the prices fell. In September 2023, it unseated the GTX 1650 at the top of the Steam Hardware and Software survey. It's still there today, found in 5.88% of participants' machines. It's not showing signs of slowing down, either – the RTX 3060's user share increased 0.22% last month, making it the fourth-best performer during July.
Best-performing GPUs among Steam survey participants during July 2024
Unfortunately, the RTX 3060 might not experience many more months where its Steam user share increases significantly. According to reports from Board Channels (via VideoCardz), Nvidia has announced the discontinuation of the card's production and notified all AIC brands to plan the final supply order. The last remaining batches of GA106 GPUs will be the final ones.
The 3060's successor, the RTX 4060, did have the advantage of launching with an MSRP $30 lower than its predecessor, but cutting the VRAM down from 12GB to 8GB, along with the reduced bus width and memory bandwidth, didn't win the card many fans at launch. It still outperforms the 3060, of course, especially at 1080p and in terms of Cost per Frame. We awarded it a score of 70, five points lower than the RTX 3060 managed two years earlier.
Despite having less VRAM, the RTX 4060 could eventually prove just as popular as the RTX 3060. It was the best-performing card among Steam survey participants last month, up 0.45%, and currently sits in fifth position overall with a 3.47% total share. Killing off the RTX 3060 will likely give the RTX 4060 a sales boost, too.