NVIDIA Reportedly Plans RTX 3060 Return in Q1 2026 to Cushion GPU Supply and Memory Shortages
NVIDIA may be preparing an unusual but highly pragmatic move for mainstream PC gamers in 2026: bringing the GeForce RTX 3060 back to retail shelves in Q1 2026. The RTX 3060 first launched in 2021 and remains the most widely used GPU on Steam, which makes it a strategic safety net when the broader market is dealing with tight inventory, volatile component availability, and cost pressure tied to memory supply.
The report comes from hongxing2020 on X, who states that as of 2026 01 05 NVIDIA has updated its board partners that RTX 3060 production is planned to resume in Q1 2026. At this stage, the report does not specify whether NVIDIA will revive both the 12 GB and 8 GB variants or focus on a single configuration, but the key message is clear: the RTX 3060 is reportedly coming back to support partner supply plans and replenish mainstream channel availability.
01.05update
— hongxing2020 (@hongxing2020) January 5, 2026
rtx3060 Q1 come back… 🥲
From a market strategy standpoint, this makes sense. The RTX 60 class products are designed for mass adoption, and any disruption in memory procurement can ripple directly into availability and street pricing for the cards that the largest number of gamers actually buy. With newer mainstream GPUs increasingly leaning on next generation memory like GDDR7, the supply chain is exposed to both availability constraints and cost inflation that can flow down into finished GPU pricing. If NVIDIA is facing a scenario where RTX 5060 class supply is pressured by memory sourcing challenges, reviving a proven, high volume SKU like RTX 3060 becomes a practical continuity play for the channel.
It also helps explain why the RTX 3060 continues to dominate mindshare. Steam survey snapshots have shown the RTX 3060 climbing to 6.53% usage with a 2.20% increase in the referenced period, reinforcing that it remains the default workhorse for a massive portion of the PC gaming base. When the market is overheating, companies often fall back on stable platforms with predictable yields and mature partner ecosystems, and RTX 3060 is exactly that kind of product.
The biggest open question for gamers is pricing and positioning. The RTX 3060 shipped in two notably different forms, the 12 GB 192 bit model and the 8 GB 128 bit model, with the 8 GB variant drawing criticism due to its narrower memory interface and overall value perception. If NVIDIA truly wants this return to function as a relief valve for a stressed market, it needs to land at a price that is meaningfully accessible. For this card to feel like a genuine shortage countermeasure rather than a stopgap at inflated margins, many gamers will argue it should target below {United States 200 dollars: 200$} in real world pricing, especially given how competitive the mainstream segment has become over the last few years.
If this report holds, the RTX 3060 comeback would be a rare example of a prior generation GPU being reactivated not for nostalgia, but as a supply chain instrument. In a cycle where memory constraints are increasingly dictating what consumers can actually buy, the return of a mature, widely adopted GPU could be exactly the kind of operational reset the market needs.
Engagement
If the RTX 3060 returns in Q1 2026, would you buy it at a strong value price, or would you rather wait for newer RTX 50 class options even if stock remains tight?
