GeForce RTX 3050 6GB vs Radeon 530

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

2024Core: 1042 MHzBoost: 1470 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

Radeon 530

2017Core: 730 MHzBoost: 1024 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

  • 789.5% 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).
  • 1100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 512 MB).
  • More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 40% higher power demand at 70W vs 50W.

Radeon 530

2017

Why buy it

  • 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 512 MB 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: 2017-era hardware with 512 MB 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 530?
Yes. GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is clearly the better overall GPU here. GeForce RTX 3050 6GB averages 789.5% more FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 10,749 vs 1,037 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is a 2024 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Radeon 530 is a 2017 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 2017, 936.5% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 6 GB instead of 512 MB, 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 789.5% more estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and 936.5% 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 530 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
Yes. Radeon 530 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 530
1080p
low85 FPS13 FPS
medium72 FPS8 FPS
high60 FPS4 FPS
ultra40 FPS3 FPS
1440p
low74 FPS7 FPS
medium64 FPS4 FPS
high47 FPS2 FPS
ultra30 FPS1 FPS
4K
low27 FPS3 FPS
medium25 FPS2 FPS
high17 FPS1 FPS
ultra15 FPS1 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon 530
1080p
low174 FPS36 FPS
medium149 FPS19 FPS
high118 FPS13 FPS
ultra87 FPS9 FPS
1440p
low129 FPS11 FPS
medium106 FPS6 FPS
high83 FPS4 FPS
ultra62 FPS3 FPS
4K
low74 FPS3 FPS
medium62 FPS2 FPS
high48 FPS2 FPS
ultra34 FPS1 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon 530
1080p
low484 FPS47 FPS
medium387 FPS37 FPS
high322 FPS31 FPS
ultra242 FPS23 FPS
1440p
low363 FPS35 FPS
medium290 FPS28 FPS
high242 FPS23 FPS
ultra181 FPS17 FPS
4K
low242 FPS23 FPS
medium193 FPS19 FPS
high161 FPS16 FPS
ultra121 FPS12 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon 530
1080p
low243 FPS42 FPS
medium210 FPS33 FPS
high171 FPS24 FPS
ultra144 FPS19 FPS
1440p
low185 FPS6 FPS
medium166 FPS5 FPS
high131 FPS4 FPS
ultra109 FPS3 FPS
4K
low104 FPS4 FPS
medium87 FPS3 FPS
high69 FPS3 FPS
ultra55 FPS2 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3050 6GB and Radeon 530

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 530

The Radeon 530 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 18 2017. It features the GCN 3.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 730 MHz to 1024 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,037 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB scores 10,749 versus the Radeon 530's 1,037 — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB leads by 936.5%. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is built on Ampere while the Radeon 530 uses GCN 3.0, both on 8 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 2,304 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 384 (Radeon 530). Raw compute: 6.774 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 0.7864 TFLOPS (Radeon 530). Boost clocks: 1470 MHz vs 1024 MHz.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon 530
G3D Mark Score
10,749+937%
1,037
Architecture
Ampere
GCN 3.0
Process Node
8 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
2304+500%
384
Compute (TFLOPS)
6.774 TFLOPS+761%
0.7864 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1470 MHz+44%
1024 MHz
ROPs
32+300%
8
TMUs
72+200%
24
L1 Cache
2.3 MB+2456%
0.09 MB
L2 Cache
2 MB+1438%
0.13 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 530 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon 530
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 530 has 512 MB. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB offers 1100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 96-bit vs 64-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 0.13 MB (Radeon 530) — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon 530
VRAM Capacity
6 GB+1100%
0.5 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR5
Bus Width
96-bit+50%
64-bit
L2 Cache
2 MB+1438%
0.13 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 12 (12_0) (Radeon 530). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 3.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon 530
DirectX
12 Ultimate
12 (12_0)
Vulkan
1.3+8%
1.2
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4+33%
3
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (5th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs VCE 3.0 (Radeon 530). Decoder: NVDEC (7th Gen) vs UVD 6.0. Supported codecs: H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs H.264,H.265 (Decode),VC-1,MPEG-4 (Radeon 530).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon 530
Encoder
NVENC (5th Gen)
VCE 3.0
Decoder
NVDEC (7th Gen)
UVD 6.0
Codecs
H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only)
H.264,H.265 (Decode),VC-1,MPEG-4
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB draws 70W versus the Radeon 530's 50W — a 33.3% difference. The Radeon 530 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 350W (Radeon 530). Power connectors: None vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 160mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 75.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon 530
TDP
70W
50W-29%
Recommended PSU
300W-14%
350W
Power Connector
None
PCIe-powered
Length
160mm
0mm
Height
0mm
Slots
2
0-100%
Temp (Load)
75°C
75
Perf/Watt
153.6+642%
20.7
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB launched at $169 MSRP, while the Radeon 530 launched at $0. The Radeon 530 costs 100+% less ($169 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 63.6 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs Infinity (Radeon 530) — the Radeon 530 offers Infinity% better value. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is the newer GPU (2024 vs 2017).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon 530
MSRP
$169
$0-100%
Performance per Dollar
63.6
Infinity
Codename
GA107
Weston
Release
February 2 2024
April 18 2017
Ranking
#252
#873