GeForce RTX 3050 6GB vs Radeon RX 6500M

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

2024Core: 1042 MHzBoost: 1470 MHz
RTX family
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VS
AMD

Radeon RX 6500M

2022Core: 2000 MHzBoost: 2400 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce RTX 3050 6GB vs Radeon RX 6500M 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 RX 6500M 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.

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB vs Radeon RX 6500M: 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

2024

Why buy it

  • 33.1% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • 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).
  • 50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).

Trade-offs

  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
  • 40% higher power demand at 70W vs 50W.

Radeon RX 6500M

2022

Why buy it

  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
  • Draws 50W instead of 70W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3050 6GB across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No DLSS support; it relies on FSR 3 (2023) instead.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 63.6 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $169 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 33.1% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 44.4% in PassMark G3D (10,749 vs 7,443), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 6 GB vs 4 GB of VRAM, 18 vs 16 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2024 generation instead of 2022. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce RTX 3050 6GB makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB vs Radeon RX 6500M Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

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 6500M

The Radeon RX 6500M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 4 2022. It features the RDNA 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 2000 MHz to 2400 MHz. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 6 nm process technology. It features 16 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 7,443 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB scores 10,749 versus the Radeon RX 6500M's 7,443 — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB leads by 44.4%. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is built on Ampere while the Radeon RX 6500M uses RDNA 2.0, both on 8 nm vs 6 nm. Shader units: 2,304 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 1,024 (Radeon RX 6500M). Raw compute: 6.774 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 4.915 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 6500M). Boost clocks: 1470 MHz vs 2400 MHz. Ray tracing: 18 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 16 (Radeon RX 6500M) with 72 Tensor cores.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon RX 6500M
G3D Mark Score
10,749+44%
7,443
Architecture
Ampere
RDNA 2.0
Process Node
8 nm
6 nm
Shading Units
2304+125%
1024
Compute (TFLOPS)
6.774 TFLOPS+38%
4.915 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1470 MHz
2400 MHz+63%
ROPs
32
32
TMUs
72+13%
64
L1 Cache
2.3 MB+820%
0.25 MB
L2 Cache
2 MB+100%
1 MB
Ray Tracing Cores
18+13%
16

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the Radeon RX 6500M is support for FSR Frame Generation + AFMF. In games that support it, that can smooth out motion and lift perceived FPS. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB does not have comparable native support in the same tier.The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon RX 6500M leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon RX 6500M
Upscaling Tech
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
FSR 3
Frame Generation
Not Supported
FSR Frame Generation + AFMF
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 RX 6500M carries 4 GB. GeForce RTX 3050 6GB gives you 50% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 168 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 144 GB/s (Radeon RX 6500M) — a 16.7% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB. Memory bus width is 96-bit on the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB and 64-bit on the Radeon RX 6500M. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 1 MB (Radeon RX 6500M) — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon RX 6500M
VRAM Capacity
6 GB+50%
4 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth
168 GB/s+17%
144 GB/s
Bus Width
96-bit+50%
64-bit
L2 Cache
2 MB+100%
1 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 12 (12_2) (Radeon RX 6500M). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 3.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon RX 6500M
DirectX
12 Ultimate
12 (12_2)
Vulkan
1.3
1.4+8%
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4+33%
3
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (5th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs VCN 3.0 (Radeon RX 6500M). Decoder: NVDEC (7th Gen) vs VCN 3.0. Supported codecs: H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Decode Only) (Radeon RX 6500M).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon RX 6500M
Encoder
NVENC (5th Gen)
VCN 3.0
Decoder
NVDEC (7th Gen)
VCN 3.0
Codecs
H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only)
H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Decode Only)
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB draws 70W versus the Radeon RX 6500M's 50W — a 33.3% difference. The Radeon RX 6500M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 350W (Radeon RX 6500M). Power connectors: None vs Mobile. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 85°C.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon RX 6500M
TDP
70W
50W-29%
Recommended PSU
300W-14%
350W
Power Connector
None
Mobile
Length
160mm
Slots
2
0-100%
Temp (Load)
75°C-12%
85°C
Perf/Watt
153.6+3%
148.9
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3050 6GB (2024 vs 2022).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon RX 6500M
MSRP
$169
Codename
GA107
Navi 24
Release
February 2 2024
January 4 2022
Ranking
#252
#341

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