GeForce RTX 3050 6GB vs Radeon R9 M390X

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

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

Radeon R9 M390X

2015Core: 723 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce RTX 3050 6GB vs Radeon R9 M390X 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 R9 M390X 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 M390X: 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

  • 60.7% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Costs $381 less on MSRP ($169 MSRP vs $550 MSRP).
  • Delivers 798.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 63.6 vs 7.1 G3D/$ ($169 MSRP vs $550 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

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

Radeon R9 M390X

2015

Why buy it

  • Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

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.
  • 2015 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 225.4% HIGHER MSRP
    $550 MSRPvs$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 60.7% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 176% in PassMark G3D (10,749 vs 3,895), 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, a 8nm process instead of 28nm, 18 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2024 generation instead of 2015. 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 $381 cheaper on MSRP at $169 vs $550, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 798.1% (63.6 vs 7.1), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB vs Radeon R9 M390X 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 R9 M390X

The Radeon R9 M390X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in May 5 2015. It features the GCN 3.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 723 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,895 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB scores 10,749 versus the Radeon R9 M390X's 3,895 — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB leads by 176%. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is built on Ampere while the Radeon R9 M390X uses GCN 3.0, both on 8 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 2,304 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 2,048 (Radeon R9 M390X). Raw compute: 6.774 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 2.961 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 M390X).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon R9 M390X
G3D Mark Score
10,749+176%
3,895
Architecture
Ampere
GCN 3.0
Process Node
8 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
2304+13%
2048
Compute (TFLOPS)
6.774 TFLOPS+129%
2.961 TFLOPS
ROPs
32
32
TMUs
72
128+78%
L1 Cache
2.3 MB+360%
0.5 MB
L2 Cache
2 MB+300%
0.5 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon R9 M390X leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon R9 M390X
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 R9 M390X 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 160 GB/s (Radeon R9 M390X) — a 5% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB. Memory bus width is 96-bit on the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB and 256-bit on the Radeon R9 M390X. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon R9 M390X) — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon R9 M390X
VRAM Capacity
6 GB+50%
4 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
168 GB/s+5%
160 GB/s
Bus Width
96-bit
256-bit+167%
L2 Cache
2 MB+300%
0.5 MB
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB draws 70W versus the Radeon R9 M390X's 75W — a 6.9% difference. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 350W (Radeon R9 M390X). Power connectors: None vs Mobile.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon R9 M390X
TDP
70W-7%
75W
Recommended PSU
300W-14%
350W
Power Connector
None
Mobile
Length
160mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
75°C
Perf/Watt
153.6+196%
51.9
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB came in at $169, while the Radeon R9 M390X launched at $550. On MSRP, GeForce RTX 3050 6GB was 69.3% cheaper ($381 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 63.6 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 7.1 (Radeon R9 M390X) — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB offers 795.8% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3050 6GB (2024 vs 2015).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3050 6GBRadeon R9 M390X
MSRP
$169-69%
$550
Performance per Dollar
63.6+796%
7.1
Codename
GA107
Amethyst
Release
February 2 2024
May 5 2015
Ranking
#252
#504

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