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.

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB vs Radeon R9 260 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 R9 260: 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

✅64.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅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).
✅Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base 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 average FPS than GeForce RTX 3050 6GB across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌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.
❌2013 hardware with 2 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 21.9 vs 63.6 G3D/$ ($139 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 64.0% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 252.7% in PassMark G3D (10,749 vs 3,048), 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 2 GB of VRAM, a 8nm process instead of 28nm, 18 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2024 generation instead of 2013. 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 to buy today. It is $30 more expensive on MSRP at $169 vs $139, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 190.1% (63.6 vs 21.9), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB vs Radeon R9 260 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 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

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon R9 260 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

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

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB has 6 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 260 carries 2 GB. GeForce RTX 3050 6GB gives you 200% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 96-bit on the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB and 128-bit on the Radeon R9 260. 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

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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

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Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB came in at $169, while the Radeon R9 260 launched at $139. On MSRP, Radeon R9 260 was 17.8% cheaper ($30 less). 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 newer card here is GeForce RTX 3050 6GB (2024 vs 2013).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	Radeon R9 260
MSRP	$169	$139-18%
Performance per Dollar	63.6+190%	21.9
Codename	GA107	Hawaii
Release	February 2 2024	November 5 2013
Ranking	#252	#316

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