GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
Radeon HD 3870 X2
GeForce RTX 3050 6GB vs Radeon HD 3870 X2 Performance Spectrum
About G3D Mark
G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.
GeForce RTX 3050 6GB vs Radeon HD 3870 X2 FPS Benchmarks
Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.
Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.
Path of Exile 2
Counter-Strike 2
League of Legends
Valorant
Among Us
Apex Legends
ARC Raiders
Baldur's Gate 3
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
GeForce RTX 3050 6GB vs Radeon HD 3870 X2: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict
See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.
GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
2024Why buy it
- ✅928.4% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
- ✅Costs $280 less on MSRP ($169 MSRP vs $449 MSRP).
- ✅Delivers 4765.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 63.6 vs 1.3 G3D/$ ($169 MSRP vs $449 MSRP).
- ✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
- ✅1100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 512 MB).
Trade-offs
- ❌Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.
Radeon HD 3870 X2
2008Why buy it
- ✅Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3050 6GB across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
- ❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
- ❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
- ❌2008 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
- ❌165.7% HIGHER MSRP$449 MSRPvs$169 MSRP
Quick Answers
Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce RTX 3050 6GB vs Radeon HD 3870 X2 Technical Specifications
Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.
GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 2 2024. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1042 MHz to 1470 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 70W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 18 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 10,749 points. Launch price was $179.
Radeon HD 3870 X2
The Radeon HD 3870 X2 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in August 12 2008. It features the TeraScale architecture. The core clock speed is 700 MHz. It has 800 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 286W. Manufactured using 55 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 587 points. Launch price was $550.
Graphics Performance
In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB scores 10,749 versus the Radeon HD 3870 X2's 587 — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB leads by 1731.2%. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is built on Ampere while the Radeon HD 3870 X2 uses TeraScale, both on 8 nm vs 55 nm. Shader units: 2,304 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 800 (Radeon HD 3870 X2). Raw compute: 6.774 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 1.12 TFLOPS ×2 (Radeon HD 3870 X2).
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3050 6GB | Radeon HD 3870 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 10,749+1731% | 587 |
| Architecture | Ampere | TeraScale |
| Process Node | 8 nm | 55 nm |
| Shading Units | 2304+188% | 800 ×2 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 6.774 TFLOPS+505% | 1.12 TFLOPS ×2 |
| ROPs | 32+100% | 16 ×2 |
| TMUs | 72+80% | 40 ×2 |
| L1 Cache | 2.3 MB+1337% | 0.16 MB |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB+700% | 0.25 MB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon HD 3870 X2 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3050 6GB | Radeon HD 3870 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | DLSS 2 Super Resolution | FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | NVIDIA Reflex | AMD Anti-Lag |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB has 6 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 3870 X2 carries 512 MB. GeForce RTX 3050 6GB gives you 1100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 96-bit on the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB and 64-bit on the Radeon HD 3870 X2. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 0.25 MB (Radeon HD 3870 X2) — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3050 6GB | Radeon HD 3870 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 6 GB+1100% | 0.5 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 168 GB/s | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 96-bit+50% | 64-bit |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB+700% | 0.25 MB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 10.1 (Radeon HD 3870 X2). Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 2.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3050 6GB | Radeon HD 3870 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 Ultimate+19% | 10.1 |
| Max Displays | 4+100% | 2 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: NVENC (5th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs UVD+ (Radeon HD 3870 X2). Decoder: NVDEC (7th Gen) vs UVD+.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3050 6GB | Radeon HD 3870 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | NVENC (5th Gen) | UVD+ |
| Decoder | NVDEC (7th Gen) | UVD+ |
| Codecs | H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only) | — |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB draws 70W versus the Radeon HD 3870 X2's 286W — a 121.3% difference. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 550W (Radeon HD 3870 X2). Power connectors: None vs 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin. Card length: 160mm vs 267mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3050 6GB | Radeon HD 3870 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 70W-76% | 286W |
| Recommended PSU | 300W-45% | 550W |
| Power Connector | None | 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin |
| Length | 160mm | 267mm |
| Slots | 2 | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | 75°C | — |
| Perf/Watt | 153.6+7214% | 2.1 |
Value Analysis
At launch, the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB came in at $169, while the Radeon HD 3870 X2 launched at $449. On MSRP, GeForce RTX 3050 6GB was 62.4% cheaper ($280 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 63.6 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 1.3 (Radeon HD 3870 X2) — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB offers 4792.3% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3050 6GB (2024 vs 2008).
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3050 6GB | Radeon HD 3870 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $169-62% | $449 |
| Performance per Dollar | 63.6+4792% | 1.3 |
| Codename | GA107 | R700 |
| Release | February 2 2024 | August 12 2008 |
| Ranking | #252 | #796 |
Affiliate Disclosure
ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.
Top Performing GPUs
The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
You May Also Compare
Similar GPU comparisons based on GeForce RTX 3050 6GB and Radeon HD 3870 X2
