Looks like the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 is properly back in production after all, as Palit just released a brand new model. By that, I mean it has actually created a sequel to its Infinity graphics card from 2021 that boasts all the same specs as five years ago, so I can only assume they've accidentally travelled back in time.

The Palit GeForce RTX 3060 Infinity 2 is by all means a best graphics card contender from 2021. It's packing an Ampere GPU with 12GB VRAM, and that means you'll be boosting fps to the same entry-level as two generations ago. Keep in mind that back then, you could get a 60-class card with more than 8GB memory, though, and that's sort of the excuse for resurrecting Nvidia's old architecture.

It's all a bit silly, but if you really need 12GB VRAM, then the RTX 3060 is theoretically an affordable option. An extra 4GB isn't really going to help you when it comes to new releases, however, as we're talking about a GPU that's now two generations old. Palit does use the fact that it's the "reigning champion" on the Steam Hardware Survey, but that doesn't really fly as a reason to buy one today (I'll forgive them if they bring back their Frobot mecha frog mascot).

Palit hasn't revealed pricing for the GeForce RTX 3060 Infinity 2 yet, but that's the very thing that could justify its existence. I highly doubt it'll be any cheaper than cards like the RTX 5060, or even an RTX 4060 if one showed up in stock. But if it were able to show up for a chunk less, it'd be worth considering for 1080p gaming PC builds. Essentially, I'd class picking up the Ampere card as grabbing old stock to save some cash, but again, this is a newly created model for 2026.

That in itself probably means we're looking at the same price as entry-level Nvidia and AMD cards. It's effectively a switcharoo where you can decide between a better GPU or more VRAM, and I worry the latter is being platformed with armature AI enthusiasts in mind since they'll make use of it. I have no qualms with gatekeeping graphics cards made for gaming away from people not using them for their intended purpose, as that's sort of why we're in this mess in the first place.

By that, I mean the PC gaming scene was a driving force in the component industry, but RAM manufacturers have seemingly dropped consumers for AI datacentres. A similar thing is happening with graphics cards, and I don't think it's unreasonable to turn your nose up at being served old GPUs when we should have solid current-gen options.

Swing by the best CPUs for gaming and best RAM if you're trying to wrangle a rig.