GeForce RTX 3050 6GB vs Radeon R9 260

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

✅+252.7% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 190.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 63.6 vs 21.9 G3D/$ ($169 MSRP vs $139 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 R9 260

2013

Why buy it

✅Costs $30 less on MSRP ($139 MSRP vs $169 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (3,048 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: 2013-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 21.9 vs 63.6 G3D/$ ($139 MSRP vs $169 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

2024

Radeon R9 260

2013

Why buy it

✅+252.7% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 190.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 63.6 vs 21.9 G3D/$ ($169 MSRP vs $139 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.

Why buy it

✅Costs $30 less on MSRP ($139 MSRP vs $169 MSRP).

Trade-offs

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

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (3,048 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: 2013-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 21.9 vs 63.6 G3D/$ ($139 MSRP vs $169 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3050 6GB better than Radeon R9 260?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 10,749 vs 3,048 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is a 2024 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Radeon R9 260 is a 2013 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 2013, 252.7% 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 by a wide margin. GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is about 21.6% more expensive on MSRP at $169 MSRP versus $139 MSRP, and you are getting 252.7% higher G3D Mark. Radeon R9 260 really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

Is Radeon R9 260 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

No, not for a fresh gaming build. Radeon R9 260 is 2013 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM, 3,048 in G3D Mark, and FSR upscaling. That is simply too far behind to be an easy modern recommendation.

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.

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Benchmark Check

Radeon R9 260 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	Radeon R9 260
1080p
low	109 FPS	82 FPS
medium	92 FPS	67 FPS
high	77 FPS	54 FPS
ultra	45 FPS	35 FPS
1440p
low	95 FPS	68 FPS
medium	81 FPS	57 FPS
high	59 FPS	41 FPS
ultra	34 FPS	26 FPS
4K
low	30 FPS	25 FPS
medium	28 FPS	24 FPS
high	19 FPS	16 FPS
ultra	16 FPS	13 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Open Radeon R9 260

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	Radeon R9 260
1080p
low	174 FPS	137 FPS
medium	149 FPS	110 FPS
high	118 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	87 FPS	69 FPS
1440p
low	129 FPS	103 FPS
medium	106 FPS	82 FPS
high	83 FPS	69 FPS
ultra	62 FPS	51 FPS
4K
low	74 FPS	58 FPS
medium	62 FPS	46 FPS
high	48 FPS	43 FPS
ultra	34 FPS	34 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Open Radeon R9 260

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	Radeon R9 260
1080p
low	484 FPS	137 FPS
medium	387 FPS	110 FPS
high	322 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	242 FPS	69 FPS
1440p
low	363 FPS	103 FPS
medium	290 FPS	82 FPS
high	242 FPS	69 FPS
ultra	181 FPS	51 FPS
4K
low	242 FPS	69 FPS
medium	193 FPS	55 FPS
high	161 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	121 FPS	34 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Open Radeon R9 260

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	Radeon R9 260
1080p
low	243 FPS	137 FPS
medium	210 FPS	110 FPS
high	171 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	144 FPS	69 FPS
1440p
low	185 FPS	103 FPS
medium	166 FPS	82 FPS
high	131 FPS	69 FPS
ultra	109 FPS	51 FPS
4K
low	104 FPS	69 FPS
medium	87 FPS	55 FPS
high	69 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	55 FPS	33 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Open Radeon R9 260

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3050 6GB and Radeon R9 260

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 R9 260

The Radeon R9 260 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 5 2013. It features the GCN 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 947 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 275W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,048 points. Launch price was $399.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB scores 10,749 versus the Radeon R9 260's 3,048 — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB leads by 252.7%. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is built on Ampere while the Radeon R9 260 uses GCN 2.0, both on 8 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 2,304 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 2,560 (Radeon R9 260). Raw compute: 6.774 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 4.849 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 260).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	Radeon R9 260
G3D Mark Score	10,749+253%	3,048
Architecture	Ampere	GCN 2.0
Process Node	8 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	2304	2560+11%
Compute (TFLOPS)	6.774 TFLOPS+40%	4.849 TFLOPS
ROPs	32	64+100%
TMUs	72	160+122%
L1 Cache	2.3 MB+265%	0.63 MB
L2 Cache	2 MB+100%	1 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 R9 260 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	Radeon R9 260
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 R9 260 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 128-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 1 MB (Radeon R9 260) — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	Radeon R9 260
VRAM Capacity	6 GB+200%	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	168 GB/s	Unknown
Bus Width	96-bit	128-bit+33%
L2 Cache	2 MB+100%	1 MB

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB draws 70W versus the Radeon R9 260's 275W — a 118.8% difference. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 450W (Radeon R9 260). Power connectors: None vs 1x 6-pin.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	Radeon R9 260
TDP	70W-75%	275W
Recommended PSU	300W-33%	450W
Power Connector	None	1x 6-pin
Length	160mm	—
Slots	2	—
Temp (Load)	75°C	—
Perf/Watt	153.6+1284%	11.1

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB launched at $169 MSRP, while the Radeon R9 260 launched at $139. The Radeon R9 260 costs 17.8% less ($30 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 63.6 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 21.9 (Radeon R9 260) — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB offers 190.4% better value. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is the newer GPU (2024 vs 2013).