nvidia
GPU
12GB VRAM
mid
NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 12GB
The community pick for 'cheapest CUDA card with serious VRAM'. The value floor for local AI in 2026.
Released 2021·~$249 street·360 GB/s memory bandwidth
Overview
The community pick for 'cheapest CUDA card with serious VRAM'. The value floor for local AI in 2026.
Where to buy
Geo-routed to your region. Approx. $249.
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Specs
| VRAM | 12 GB |
| Power draw | 170 W |
| Released | 2021 |
| MSRP | $329 |
| Backends | CUDA Vulkan |
Models that fit
Open-weight models small enough to run on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 12GB with usable context.
Compare alternatives
Hardware worth comparing
Same VRAM tier and the one step above and below — so you can frame the buying decision against real options.
Same VRAM tier
Cards in the same memory band
No verdicted peers yet in this VRAM band.
Step up
More VRAM — bigger models, more context
Step down
Less VRAM — cheaper, more constrained
No verdicted hardware in the next tier down yet.
Frequently asked
What models can NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 12GB run?
With 12GB VRAM, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 12GB runs models up to 14B in 4-bit, or 7B at higher quantizations. See the model list below for tested combinations.
Does NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 12GB support CUDA?
Yes — NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is an NVIDIA card with full CUDA support, the most mature local-AI backend. llama.cpp, Ollama, vLLM, and ExLlamaV2 all run natively.
How much does NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 12GB cost?
Current street price for NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is around $249 (MSRP $329). Prices vary by region and supply.
Reviewed by RunLocalAI Editorial. See our editorial policy for how we research and verify hardware specifications.