GeForce RTX 3050 6GB vs Radeon RX 580X

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

2024Core: 1042 MHzBoost: 1470 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

Radeon RX 580X

2018Core: 1257 MHzBoost: 1340 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

  • +43.4% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Costs $60 less on MSRP ($169 MSRP vs $229 MSRP).
  • Delivers 94.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 63.6 vs 32.7 G3D/$ ($169 MSRP vs $229 MSRP).
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 6 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation (2023).

Radeon RX 580X

2018

Why buy it

  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation (2023).
  • 33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 6 GB).

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (7,495 vs 10,749).
  • No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
  • Limited future-proofing: older hardware, 8 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in upcoming AAA games.
  • 35.5% HIGHER MSRP
    $229 MSRPvs$169 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 32.7 vs 63.6 G3D/$ ($229 MSRP vs $169 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3050 6GB better than Radeon RX 580X?
Yes. GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 10,749 vs 7,495 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is a 2024 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Radeon RX 580X is a 2018 model from an older generation with FSR upscaling + limited Frame Generation. 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 2018, 43.4% more raw performance headroom, the stronger feature stack with DLSS Super Resolution instead of FSR upscaling + limited Frame Generation, and a 8nm process instead of 14nm. That broader feature stack should age better as more games lean on modern upscaling and frame-generation support.
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 about $60 cheaper on MSRP at $169 MSRP versus $229 MSRP, and you are getting 43.4% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 94.3%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.
Is Radeon RX 580X still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
Yes. Radeon RX 580X 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 $229 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 RX 580X
1080p
low109 FPS146 FPS
medium92 FPS129 FPS
high77 FPS110 FPS
ultra45 FPS81 FPS
1440p
low95 FPS133 FPS
medium81 FPS111 FPS
high59 FPS86 FPS
ultra34 FPS64 FPS
4K
low30 FPS59 FPS
medium28 FPS52 FPS
high19 FPS33 FPS
ultra16 FPS29 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon RX 580X
1080p
low174 FPS151 FPS
medium149 FPS131 FPS
high118 FPS115 FPS
ultra87 FPS89 FPS
1440p
low129 FPS90 FPS
medium106 FPS73 FPS
high83 FPS58 FPS
ultra62 FPS46 FPS
4K
low74 FPS37 FPS
medium62 FPS30 FPS
high48 FPS25 FPS
ultra34 FPS20 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon RX 580X
1080p
low484 FPS337 FPS
medium387 FPS270 FPS
high322 FPS225 FPS
ultra242 FPS169 FPS
1440p
low363 FPS253 FPS
medium290 FPS202 FPS
high242 FPS169 FPS
ultra181 FPS126 FPS
4K
low242 FPS169 FPS
medium193 FPS135 FPS
high161 FPS112 FPS
ultra121 FPS84 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon RX 580X
1080p
low243 FPS317 FPS
medium210 FPS270 FPS
high171 FPS225 FPS
ultra144 FPS169 FPS
1440p
low185 FPS253 FPS
medium166 FPS202 FPS
high131 FPS164 FPS
ultra109 FPS126 FPS
4K
low104 FPS137 FPS
medium87 FPS107 FPS
high69 FPS89 FPS
ultra55 FPS75 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3050 6GB and Radeon RX 580X

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 RX 580X

The Radeon RX 580X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 11 2018. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1257 MHz to 1340 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 185W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 7,495 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB scores 10,749 versus the Radeon RX 580X's 7,495 — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB leads by 43.4%. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is built on Ampere while the Radeon RX 580X uses GCN 4.0, both on 8 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 2,304 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 2,304 (Radeon RX 580X). Raw compute: 6.774 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 6.175 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 580X). Boost clocks: 1470 MHz vs 1340 MHz.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon RX 580X
G3D Mark Score
10,749+43%
7,495
Architecture
Ampere
GCN 4.0
Process Node
8 nm
14 nm
Shading Units
2304
2304
Compute (TFLOPS)
6.774 TFLOPS+10%
6.175 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1470 MHz+10%
1340 MHz
ROPs
32
32
TMUs
72
144+100%
L1 Cache
2.3 MB+311%
0.56 MB
L2 Cache
2 MB
2 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the Radeon RX 580X is support for FSR Frame Generation. This allows it to generate entire frames using AI/Algorithms, essentially doubling the frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios or heavy ray-tracing titles. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.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 RX 580X relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon RX 580X
Upscaling Tech
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
Not Supported
FSR Frame Generation
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 RX 580X has 8 GB. The Radeon RX 580X offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 168 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 256 GB/s (Radeon RX 580X) — a 52.4% advantage for the Radeon RX 580X. Bus width: 96-bit vs 256-bit.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon RX 580X
VRAM Capacity
6 GB
8 GB+33%
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
168 GB/s
256 GB/s+52%
Bus Width
96-bit
256-bit+167%
L2 Cache
2 MB
2 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 12 (FL 12_0) (Radeon RX 580X). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon RX 580X
DirectX
12 Ultimate
12 (FL 12_0)
Vulkan
1.3
1.3
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (5th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs VCE 3.4 (Radeon RX 580X). Decoder: NVDEC (7th Gen) vs UVD 6.3. Supported codecs: H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC (Radeon RX 580X).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon RX 580X
Encoder
NVENC (5th Gen)
VCE 3.4
Decoder
NVDEC (7th Gen)
UVD 6.3
Codecs
H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only)
H.264,H.265/HEVC
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB draws 70W versus the Radeon RX 580X's 185W — a 90.2% difference. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 500W (Radeon RX 580X). Power connectors: None vs 8-pin. Card length: 160mm vs 241mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon RX 580X
TDP
70W-62%
185W
Recommended PSU
300W-40%
500W
Power Connector
None
8-pin
Length
160mm
241mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
2
Temp (Load)
75°C
Perf/Watt
153.6+279%
40.5
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB launched at $169 MSRP, while the Radeon RX 580X launched at $229. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB costs 26.2% less ($60 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 63.6 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 32.7 (Radeon RX 580X) — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB offers 94.5% better value. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is the newer GPU (2024 vs 2018).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon RX 580X
MSRP
$169-26%
$229
Performance per Dollar
63.6+94%
32.7
Codename
GA107
Polaris 20
Release
February 2 2024
April 11 2018
Ranking
#252
#337