GeForce RTX 3050 6GB vs Radeon HD 6990M

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

2024Core: 1042 MHzBoost: 1470 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

Radeon HD 6990M

2011Core: 715 MHz

Popular choices:

Performance Spectrum - GPU

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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

2024

Why buy it

  • +229.3% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 63.6 vs 0 G3D/$ ($169 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • 200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 2 GB).
  • More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

Radeon HD 6990M

2011

Why buy it

  • Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (3,264 vs 10,749).
  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
  • Very weak future-proofing: 2011-era hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 63.6 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $169 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3050 6GB better than Radeon HD 6990M?
Yes. GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 10,749 vs 3,264 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is a 2024 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Radeon HD 6990M is a 2011 model from an older generation with FSR upscaling. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2024 generation instead of 2011, 229.3% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 6 GB instead of 2 GB, and the stronger feature stack with DLSS Super Resolution instead of FSR upscaling. That leaves it with more room for heavier textures, tougher ray tracing loads, and higher-end 1440p or 4K gaming over the next few years.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?
GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is priced in an unclear MSRP range at $169 MSRP versus an unclear MSRP, and you are getting 229.3% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 100+%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.
Is Radeon HD 6990M still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
Yes. Radeon HD 6990M is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around an unclear MSRP, even if GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is still the cleaner recommendation on overall value today.

Games Benchmarks

Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 9800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.

Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon HD 6990M
1080p
low85 FPS62 FPS
medium72 FPS49 FPS
high60 FPS33 FPS
ultra40 FPS19 FPS
1440p
low74 FPS37 FPS
medium64 FPS27 FPS
high47 FPS17 FPS
ultra30 FPS9 FPS
4K
low27 FPS12 FPS
medium25 FPS10 FPS
high17 FPS6 FPS
ultra15 FPS6 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon HD 6990M
1080p
low174 FPS90 FPS
medium149 FPS63 FPS
high118 FPS44 FPS
ultra87 FPS31 FPS
1440p
low129 FPS62 FPS
medium106 FPS40 FPS
high83 FPS29 FPS
ultra62 FPS21 FPS
4K
low74 FPS31 FPS
medium62 FPS21 FPS
high48 FPS16 FPS
ultra34 FPS11 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon HD 6990M
1080p
low484 FPS147 FPS
medium387 FPS118 FPS
high322 FPS98 FPS
ultra242 FPS73 FPS
1440p
low363 FPS110 FPS
medium290 FPS88 FPS
high242 FPS73 FPS
ultra181 FPS55 FPS
4K
low242 FPS73 FPS
medium193 FPS59 FPS
high161 FPS49 FPS
ultra121 FPS37 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon HD 6990M
1080p
low243 FPS139 FPS
medium210 FPS106 FPS
high171 FPS86 FPS
ultra144 FPS69 FPS
1440p
low185 FPS100 FPS
medium166 FPS79 FPS
high131 FPS65 FPS
ultra109 FPS48 FPS
4K
low104 FPS59 FPS
medium87 FPS43 FPS
high69 FPS33 FPS
ultra55 FPS23 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3050 6GB and Radeon HD 6990M

NVIDIA

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.

AMD

Radeon HD 6990M

The Radeon HD 6990M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in July 12 2011. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 715 MHz. It has 1120 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,264 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB scores 10,749 versus the Radeon HD 6990M's 3,264 — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB leads by 229.3%. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is built on Ampere while the Radeon HD 6990M uses TeraScale 2, both on 8 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 2,304 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 1,120 (Radeon HD 6990M). Raw compute: 6.774 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 1.602 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 6990M).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon HD 6990M
G3D Mark Score
10,749+229%
3,264
Architecture
Ampere
TeraScale 2
Process Node
8 nm
40 nm
Shading Units
2304+106%
1120
Compute (TFLOPS)
6.774 TFLOPS+323%
1.602 TFLOPS
ROPs
32
32
TMUs
72+29%
56
L1 Cache
2.3 MB+945%
0.22 MB
L2 Cache
2 MB+300%
0.5 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Radeon HD 6990M relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon HD 6990M
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 comes with 6 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 6990M has 2 GB. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB offers 200% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 96-bit vs System. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon HD 6990M) — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon HD 6990M
VRAM Capacity
6 GB+200%
2 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
Shared
Memory Bandwidth
168 GB/s
System
Bus Width
96-bit
System
L2 Cache
2 MB+300%
0.5 MB
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB draws 70W versus the Radeon HD 6990M's 100W — a 35.3% difference. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 350W (Radeon HD 6990M). Power connectors: None vs 1x 6-pin.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon HD 6990M
TDP
70W-30%
100W
Recommended PSU
300W-14%
350W
Power Connector
None
1x 6-pin
Length
160mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
75°C
Perf/Watt
153.6+371%
32.6
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is the newer GPU (2024 vs 2011).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon HD 6990M
MSRP
$169
Codename
GA107
Blackcomb
Release
February 2 2024
July 12 2011
Ranking
#252
#691