GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU vs Radeon R9 M280X

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 3060 Laptop GPU vs Radeon R9 M280X 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 3060 Laptop GPU vs Radeon R9 M280X: 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 3060 Laptop GPU

2022

Why buy it

✅641.2% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).
✅Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
✅Draws 170W instead of 200W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 3.3 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $250 MSRP).

Radeon R9 M280X

2013

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 3.3 vs 0 G3D/$ ($250 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU 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.
❌2013 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌17.6% higher power demand at 200W vs 170W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 641.2% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 1517.9% in PassMark G3D (13,170 vs 814), so the answer here is pretty clean.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU 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, 28 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2022 generation instead of 2013. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon R9 M280X makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon R9 M280X is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and lighter 1440p headroom, GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU vs Radeon R9 M280X Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

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.

Radeon R9 M280X

The Radeon R9 M280X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in October 8 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1000 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 814 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU scores 13,170 versus the Radeon R9 M280X's 814 — the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU leads by 1517.9%. The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is built on Ampere while the Radeon R9 M280X uses GCN 1.0, both on 8 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 2,048 (Radeon R9 M280X). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 4.096 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 M280X). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 1000 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU	Radeon R9 M280X
G3D Mark Score	13,170+1518%	814
Architecture	Ampere	GCN 1.0
Process Node	8 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	3584+75%	2048
Compute (TFLOPS)	12.74 TFLOPS+211%	4.096 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1777 MHz+78%	1000 MHz
ROPs	48+50%	32
TMUs	112	128+14%
L1 Cache	3.5 MB+600%	0.5 MB
L2 Cache	3 MB+300%	0.75 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon R9 M280X leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU	Radeon R9 M280X
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 has 6 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 M280X carries 4 GB. GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU gives you 50% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 336 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 80 GB/s (Radeon R9 M280X) — a 320% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU and 128-bit on the Radeon R9 M280X. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 0.75 MB (Radeon R9 M280X) — the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU	Radeon R9 M280X
VRAM Capacity	6 GB+50%	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	336 GB/s+320%	80 GB/s
Bus Width	192-bit+50%	128-bit
L2 Cache	3 MB+300%	0.75 MB

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU draws 170W versus the Radeon R9 M280X's 200W — a 16.2% difference. The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 350W (Radeon R9 M280X). Power connectors: Mobile vs Mobile.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU	Radeon R9 M280X
TDP	170W-15%	200W
Recommended PSU	500W	350W-30%
Power Connector	Mobile	Mobile
Temp (Load)	75°C	—
Perf/Watt	77.5+1790%	4.1

💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU (2022 vs 2013).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU	Radeon R9 M280X
MSRP	—	$250
Codename	GA106	Tahiti
Release	October 12 2022	October 8 2013
Ranking	#147	#404

Search GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU on Amazon

Search Radeon R9 M280X on Amazon

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.