GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU vs Radeon R9 380X

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

2022Core: 1320 MHzBoost: 1777 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

Radeon R9 380X

2015Boost: 970 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

  • +114.8% 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.
  • Draws 170W instead of 250W, a 80W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 26.8 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $229 MSRP).

Radeon R9 380X

2015

Why buy it

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 26.8 vs 0 G3D/$ ($229 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (6,131 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: 2015-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
  • 47.1% higher power demand at 250W vs 170W.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU better than Radeon R9 380X?
Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 13,170 vs 6,131 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is a 2022 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Radeon R9 380X is a 2015 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 2015, 114.8% 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 $229 MSRP, and you are getting 114.8% higher G3D Mark. Radeon R9 380X really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.
Is Radeon R9 380X still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
No, not for a fresh gaming build. Radeon R9 380X is 2015 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM, 6,131 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 380X
1080p
low109 FPS78 FPS
medium98 FPS67 FPS
high84 FPS54 FPS
ultra70 FPS35 FPS
1440p
low95 FPS68 FPS
medium83 FPS60 FPS
high70 FPS43 FPS
ultra59 FPS27 FPS
4K
low48 FPS25 FPS
medium43 FPS23 FPS
high30 FPS15 FPS
ultra26 FPS13 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 380X
1080p
low357 FPS133 FPS
medium310 FPS105 FPS
high248 FPS86 FPS
ultra195 FPS61 FPS
1440p
low221 FPS78 FPS
medium190 FPS58 FPS
high154 FPS44 FPS
ultra123 FPS31 FPS
4K
low108 FPS31 FPS
medium89 FPS23 FPS
high72 FPS18 FPS
ultra55 FPS13 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 380X
1080p
low593 FPS276 FPS
medium474 FPS221 FPS
high395 FPS184 FPS
ultra296 FPS138 FPS
1440p
low444 FPS207 FPS
medium356 FPS166 FPS
high296 FPS138 FPS
ultra222 FPS103 FPS
4K
low296 FPS138 FPS
medium237 FPS110 FPS
high198 FPS92 FPS
ultra148 FPS69 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 380X
1080p
low565 FPS135 FPS
medium474 FPS112 FPS
high395 FPS97 FPS
ultra296 FPS83 FPS
1440p
low444 FPS100 FPS
medium356 FPS83 FPS
high296 FPS72 FPS
ultra222 FPS58 FPS
4K
low296 FPS60 FPS
medium237 FPS47 FPS
high198 FPS37 FPS
ultra148 FPS26 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU and Radeon R9 380X

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 380X

The Radeon R9 380X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 19 2015. It features the GCN 3.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 970 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 250W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 6,131 points. Launch price was $229.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU scores 13,170 versus the Radeon R9 380X's 6,131 — the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU leads by 114.8%. The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is built on Ampere while the Radeon R9 380X uses GCN 3.0, both on 8 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 2,048 (Radeon R9 380X). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 3.973 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 380X). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 970 MHz.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 380X
G3D Mark Score
13,170+115%
6,131
Architecture
Ampere
GCN 3.0
Process Node
8 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
3584+75%
2048
Compute (TFLOPS)
12.74 TFLOPS+221%
3.973 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1777 MHz+83%
970 MHz
ROPs
48+50%
32
TMUs
112
128+14%
L1 Cache
3.5 MB+600%
0.5 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 380X relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 380X
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 380X 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 106 GB/s (Radeon R9 380X) — a 217% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU. Bus width: 192-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon R9 380X) — the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 380X
VRAM Capacity
6 GB+50%
4 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
336 GB/s+217%
106 GB/s
Bus Width
192-bit+50%
128-bit
L2 Cache
3 MB+500%
0.5 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 12 (12_0) (Radeon R9 380X). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 380X
DirectX
12 Ultimate
12 (12_0)
Vulkan
1.4+8%
1.3
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (7th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs VCE 3.0 (Radeon R9 380X). Decoder: NVDEC (5th Gen) vs UVD 6.0. Supported codecs: H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs H.264,H.265,MPEG-2,MPEG-4,VC-1 (Radeon R9 380X).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 380X
Encoder
NVENC (7th Gen)
VCE 3.0
Decoder
NVDEC (5th Gen)
UVD 6.0
Codecs
H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9
H.264,H.265,MPEG-2,MPEG-4,VC-1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU draws 170W versus the Radeon R9 380X's 250W — a 38.1% difference. The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 500W (Radeon R9 380X). Power connectors: Mobile vs 2x 6-pin. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 75.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 380X
TDP
170W-32%
250W
Recommended PSU
500W
500W
Power Connector
Mobile
2x 6-pin
Length
221mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
75°C
75
Perf/Watt
77.5+216%
24.5
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is the newer GPU (2022 vs 2015).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 380X
MSRP
$229
Codename
GA106
Antigua
Release
October 12 2022
November 19 2015
Ranking
#147
#394