GeForce RTX 3050 6GB
Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire
GeForce RTX 3050 6GB vs Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire 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 6970M Crossfire 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 6970M Crossfire: 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
- ✅117.9% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
- ✅Delivers 69.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 63.6 vs 37.6 G3D/$ ($169 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
- ✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
- ✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).
- ✅Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
Trade-offs
- ❌40% higher power demand at 70W vs 50W.
- ❌15900% longer card at 160mm vs 1mm.
Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire
2011Why buy it
- ✅Costs $19 less on MSRP ($150 MSRP vs $169 MSRP).
- ✅Draws 50W instead of 70W, a 20W reduction.
- ✅Measures 1mm instead of 160mm, a 159mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3050 6GB across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
- ❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
- ❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
- ❌2011 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
- ❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 37.6 vs 63.6 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs $169 MSRP).
Quick Answers
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GeForce RTX 3050 6GB vs Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire 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 6970M Crossfire
The Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 6 2011. It features the Terascale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 680 MHz. It has 1920 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,637 points.
Graphics Performance
In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB scores 10,749 versus the Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire's 5,637 — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB leads by 90.7%. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is built on Ampere while the Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire uses Terascale 2, both on 8 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 2,304 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 1,920 (Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire).
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3050 6GB | Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 10,749+91% | 5,637 |
| Architecture | Ampere | Terascale 2 |
| Process Node | 8 nm | 40 nm |
| Shading Units | 2304+20% | 1920 |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire 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 6970M Crossfire |
|---|---|---|
| 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 6970M Crossfire 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 115.2 GB/s x2 (Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire) — a 45.8% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB. Memory bus width is 96-bit on the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB and 256-bit x2 on the Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3050 6GB | Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 6 GB+50% | 4 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 168 GB/s+46% | 115.2 GB/s x2 |
| Bus Width | 96-bit | 256-bit x2+167% |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 11_0 (Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire). Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 0.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3050 6GB | Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 Ultimate+9% | 11_0 |
| Max Displays | 4 | 0 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: NVENC (5th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs UVD 3 (Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire). Decoder: NVDEC (7th Gen) vs UVD 3.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3050 6GB | Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | NVENC (5th Gen) | UVD 3 |
| Decoder | NVDEC (7th Gen) | UVD 3 |
| Codecs | H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode Only) | — |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB draws 70W versus the Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire's 50W — a 33.3% difference. The Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 350W (Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire). Power connectors: None vs 1x 6-pin. Card length: 160mm vs 1mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3050 6GB | Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 70W | 50W-29% |
| Recommended PSU | 300W-14% | 350W |
| Power Connector | None | 1x 6-pin |
| Length | 160mm | 1mm |
| Slots | 2 | 0-100% |
| Temp (Load) | 75°C | — |
| Perf/Watt | 153.6+36% | 112.7 |
Value Analysis
At launch, the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB came in at $169, while the Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire launched at $150. On MSRP, Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire was 11.2% cheaper ($19 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 63.6 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 37.6 (Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire) — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB offers 69.1% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3050 6GB (2024 vs 2011).
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3050 6GB | Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $169 | $150-11% |
| Performance per Dollar | 63.6+69% | 37.6 |
| Codename | GA107 | Blackcomb XT |
| Release | February 2 2024 | January 6 2011 |
| Ranking | #252 | #537 |
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