RTX 3060 12 GB vs RTX 5060 8 GB for local AI
The RTX 3060 12 GB has 4 GB more memory, and that decides it for local AI: it runs a better file (or runs at all) for 39 of 49 models, and 17 run at 8-bit or better against 8. The RTX 5060 8 GB does have hardware FP8, so for models that fit on both it can be faster per step.
RTX 3060 12 GB
- VRAM
- 12 GB
- Memory
- GDDR6
- Bandwidth
- 360 GB/s
- Architecture
- Ampere
- FP8 compute
- No
- Launch price
- $329
VS
RTX 5060 8 GB
- VRAM
- 8 GB
- Memory
- GDDR7
- Bandwidth
- 448 GB/s
- Architecture
- Blackwell
- FP8 compute
- Yes
- Launch price
- $299
01Model by model
| Model | RTX 3060 12 GB | RTX 5060 8 GB | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| image models | ||||
| FLUX.1 dev | Runs Q5_K_S | Tight Q3_K_S | ||
| FLUX.1 schnell | Runs Q5_K_S | Tight Q3_K_S | ||
| FLUX.1 Kontext | Runs Q5_K_M | Tight Q3_K_M | ||
| FLUX.1 Krea | Runs Q5_K_M | Tight Q3_K_M | ||
| FLUX.1 Fill | Runs Q5_K_S | Tight Q3_K_S | ||
| FLUX.2 dev | Offload only Q4_K_M | Not practical Q2_K | ||
| FLUX.2 klein 9B | Runs well FP8 | Tight Q3_K_M | ||
| FLUX.2 klein 4B | Runs well 16-bit | Runs well FP8 | ||
| Krea 2 | Runs Q5_K_M | Tight Q2_K | ||
| Qwen-Image | Tight Q2_K | Offload only Q2_K | ||
| Qwen-Image-Edit | Tight Q2_K | Offload only Q4_K_M | ||
| Qwen-Image 2.1 | Runs well Q8_0 | Runs Q5_K_M | ||
| Z-Image Turbo | Runs well Q8_0 | Runs Q6_K | ||
| Z-Image | Runs well Q8_0 | Runs Q5_K_M | ||
| Ideogram 4 | Offload only Q4_1 | Offload only Q4_1 | ||
| Boogu-Image | Runs Q5_1 | Offload only Q4_1 | ||
| ERNIE-Image | Runs well Q8_0 | Runs Q4_K_M | ||
| HiDream-O1 | Runs well FP8 | Offload only FP8 | ||
| Mage-Flow | Runs well 16-bit | Runs well INT8 | ||
| Lumina 2.0 | Runs well 16-bit | Runs well 16-bit | ||
| HiDream-I1 Full | Tight Q3_K_M | Offload only Q2_K | ||
| HiDream-I1 | Tight Q3_K_M | Offload only Q2_K | ||
| SD 3.5 Large | Runs well Q8_0 | Runs Q4_1 | ||
| SD 3.5 Medium | Runs well 16-bit | Runs well 16-bit | ||
| Chroma1-HD | Runs well FP8 | Runs Q4_K_M | ||
| SDXL | Runs well 16-bit | Runs well 16-bit | ||
| Illustrious / Pony | Runs well 16-bit | Runs well 16-bit | ||
| SD 1.5 | Runs well 16-bit | Runs well 16-bit | ||
| HunyuanImage 2.1 | Tight Q2_K | Offload only Q4_K_M | ||
| video models | ||||
| Wan 2.1 14B | Tight Q3_K_M | Offload only Q4_K_M | ||
| Wan 2.1 1.3B | Runs well 16-bit | Runs well 16-bit | ||
| Wan 2.1 I2V 480P | Offload only Q3_K_M | Offload only Q4_K_M | ||
| Wan 2.1 I2V 720P | Offload only Q4_K_M | Offload only Q4_K_M | ||
| Wan VACE 14B | Offload only Q3_K_S | Offload only Q4_K_M | ||
| Wan 2.2 T2V | Tight Q3_K_M | Offload only Q2_K | ||
| Wan 2.2 I2V | Tight Q3_K_M | Offload only Q2_K | ||
| Wan 2.2 5B | Runs well Q8_0 | Runs Q5_K_M | ||
| Wan 2.2 Animate | Tight Q2_K | Offload only Q4_K_M | ||
| Wan Animate 2 | Tight Q2_K | Offload only Q4_K_M | ||
| Wan 2.2 S2V | Offload only Q4_K_M | Offload only Q4_K_M | ||
| SCAIL-2 | Offload only Q2_K | Offload only Q4_K_M | ||
| HunyuanVideo 13B | Tight Q3_K_M | Offload only Q4_K_M | ||
| LTX-Video 13B | Tight Q3_K_M | Offload only Q2_K | ||
| HunyuanVideo 1.5 | Runs Q6_K | Offload only Q4_K_M | ||
| LTX-2 | Offload only Q2_K | Offload only Q4_K_M | ||
| LTX-2.3 | Offload only Q2_K | Offload only Q4_K_M | ||
| LTX-2.5 | Offload only Q2_K | Offload only Q4_K_M | ||
| MiniMax H3 | Offload only Q4_K_M | Not practical Q3_K_M | ||
| MiniMax H3 Pruned | Offload only Q4_K_M | Offload only Q4_K_M | ||
Highlighted: the GPU that runs a better file for that model. Launch prices are the maker’s original list prices, not today’s street prices. Calculated from real file sizes; how the numbers work.
02Score
17run well on RTX 3060 12 GB
8run well on RTX 5060 8 GB
39better on RTX 3060 12 GB
0better on RTX 5060 8 GB