GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU vs Radeon R9 285

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

2022Core: 1320 MHzBoost: 1777 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

Radeon R9 285

2014Core: 918 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 3060 Laptop GPU

2022

Why buy it

  • +97.2% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • 50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).
  • More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 26.8 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

Radeon R9 285

2014

Why buy it

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 26.8 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (6,680 vs 13,170).
  • 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.
  • Poor future-proofing: 2014-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU better than Radeon R9 285?
Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 13,170 vs 6,680 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is a 2022 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Radeon R9 285 is a 2014 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 3060 Laptop GPU is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2022 generation instead of 2014, 97.2% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 6 GB instead of 4 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 3060 Laptop GPU is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is priced in an unclear MSRP range at an unclear MSRP versus $249 MSRP, and you are getting 97.2% higher G3D Mark. Radeon R9 285 really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.
Is Radeon R9 285 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
No, not for a fresh gaming build. Radeon R9 285 is 2014 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM, 6,680 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 285
1080p
low109 FPS81 FPS
medium98 FPS69 FPS
high84 FPS57 FPS
ultra70 FPS37 FPS
1440p
low95 FPS71 FPS
medium83 FPS62 FPS
high70 FPS45 FPS
ultra59 FPS29 FPS
4K
low48 FPS26 FPS
medium43 FPS24 FPS
high30 FPS16 FPS
ultra26 FPS14 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 285
1080p
low357 FPS129 FPS
medium310 FPS98 FPS
high248 FPS78 FPS
ultra195 FPS52 FPS
1440p
low221 FPS73 FPS
medium190 FPS53 FPS
high154 FPS39 FPS
ultra123 FPS27 FPS
4K
low108 FPS27 FPS
medium89 FPS19 FPS
high72 FPS15 FPS
ultra55 FPS11 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 285
1080p
low593 FPS301 FPS
medium474 FPS240 FPS
high395 FPS200 FPS
ultra296 FPS150 FPS
1440p
low444 FPS225 FPS
medium356 FPS180 FPS
high296 FPS150 FPS
ultra222 FPS113 FPS
4K
low296 FPS150 FPS
medium237 FPS120 FPS
high198 FPS100 FPS
ultra148 FPS75 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 285
1080p
low565 FPS173 FPS
medium474 FPS142 FPS
high395 FPS125 FPS
ultra296 FPS98 FPS
1440p
low444 FPS123 FPS
medium356 FPS103 FPS
high296 FPS91 FPS
ultra222 FPS67 FPS
4K
low296 FPS72 FPS
medium237 FPS56 FPS
high198 FPS45 FPS
ultra148 FPS31 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU and Radeon R9 285

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in October 12 2022. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1320 MHz to 1777 MHz. It has 3584 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 170W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 28 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 13,170 points.

AMD

Radeon R9 285

The Radeon R9 285 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in September 2 2014. It features the GCN 3.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 918 MHz. It has 1792 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 190W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 6,680 points. Launch price was $249.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU scores 13,170 versus the Radeon R9 285's 6,680 — the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU leads by 97.2%. The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is built on Ampere while the Radeon R9 285 uses GCN 3.0, both on 8 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 1,792 (Radeon R9 285). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 3.29 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 285).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 285
G3D Mark Score
13,170+97%
6,680
Architecture
Ampere
GCN 3.0
Process Node
8 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
3584+100%
1792
Compute (TFLOPS)
12.74 TFLOPS+287%
3.29 TFLOPS
ROPs
48+50%
32
TMUs
112
112
L1 Cache
3.5 MB+695%
0.44 MB
L2 Cache
3 MB+500%
0.5 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Radeon R9 285 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 285
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 3060 Laptop GPU comes with 6 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 285 has 4 GB. The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 336 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 176 GB/s (Radeon R9 285) — a 90.9% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU. Bus width: 192-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon R9 285) — the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 285
VRAM Capacity
6 GB+50%
4 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
336 GB/s+91%
176 GB/s
Bus Width
192-bit
256-bit+33%
L2 Cache
3 MB+500%
0.5 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 12.0 (Radeon R9 285). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.4. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 285
DirectX
12 Ultimate
12.0
Vulkan
1.4+17%
1.2
OpenGL
4.6+5%
4.4
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (7th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs VCE 3.0 (Radeon R9 285). Decoder: NVDEC (5th Gen) vs UVD 5.0. Supported codecs: H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs MPEG-2,H.264 (Radeon R9 285).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 285
Encoder
NVENC (7th Gen)
VCE 3.0
Decoder
NVDEC (5th Gen)
UVD 5.0
Codecs
H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9
MPEG-2,H.264
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU draws 170W versus the Radeon R9 285's 190W — a 11.1% difference. The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 500W (Radeon R9 285). Power connectors: Mobile vs 2x 6-pin. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 65°C.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 285
TDP
170W-11%
190W
Recommended PSU
500W
500W
Power Connector
Mobile
2x 6-pin
Length
221mm
Height
109mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
75°C
65°C-13%
Perf/Watt
77.5+120%
35.2
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is the newer GPU (2022 vs 2014).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 285
MSRP
$249
Codename
GA106
Tonga
Release
October 12 2022
September 2 2014
Ranking
#147
#365