GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU vs Radeon RX 5500

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

2022Core: 1320 MHzBoost: 1777 MHz
RTX family
·······
VS
AMD

Radeon RX 5500

2019Boost: 1845 MHz
RX family
·······

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU vs Radeon RX 5500 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 3060 Laptop GPU vs Radeon RX 5500 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 RX 5500: 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

  • 134.6% 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.

Trade-offs

  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation (2023).
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 49.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $179 MSRP).
  • 54.5% higher power demand at 170W vs 110W.

Radeon RX 5500

2019

Why buy it

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 49.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($179 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation (2023).
  • Draws 110W instead of 170W, a 60W reduction.

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.
  • GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is the safer long-term pick here because the hardware is newer and the feature stack is stronger.

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 134.6% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 49% in PassMark G3D (13,170 vs 8,837), 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, 28 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2022 generation instead of 2019. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Radeon RX 5500 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 RX 5500 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 RX 5500 Technical Specifications

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

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 RX 5500

The Radeon RX 5500 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in October 7 2019. It features the RDNA 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1845 MHz. It has 1408 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 110W. Manufactured using 7 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 8,837 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU scores 13,170 versus the Radeon RX 5500's 8,837 — the GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU leads by 49%. The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU is built on Ampere while the Radeon RX 5500 uses RDNA 1.0, both on 8 nm vs 7 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 1,408 (Radeon RX 5500). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 5.196 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 5500). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 1845 MHz.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPURadeon RX 5500
G3D Mark Score
13,170+49%
8,837
Architecture
Ampere
RDNA 1.0
Process Node
8 nm
7 nm
Shading Units
3584+155%
1408
Compute (TFLOPS)
12.74 TFLOPS+145%
5.196 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1777 MHz
1845 MHz+4%
ROPs
48+50%
32
TMUs
112+27%
88

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the Radeon RX 5500 is support for FSR Frame Generation. In games that support it, that can smooth out motion and lift perceived FPS. The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU does not have comparable native support in the same tier.The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon RX 5500 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPURadeon RX 5500
Upscaling Tech
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
Not Supported
FSR Frame Generation
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 RX 5500 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 224 GB/s (Radeon RX 5500) — a 50% 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 RX 5500.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPURadeon RX 5500
VRAM Capacity
6 GB+50%
4 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth
336 GB/s+50%
224 GB/s
Bus Width
192-bit+50%
128-bit
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 12.1 (Radeon RX 5500). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPURadeon RX 5500
DirectX
12 Ultimate
12.1
Vulkan
1.4+17%
1.2
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (7th Gen) (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs VCN 2.0 (Radeon RX 5500). Decoder: NVDEC (5th Gen) vs VCN 2.0. Supported codecs: H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Radeon RX 5500).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPURadeon RX 5500
Encoder
NVENC (7th Gen)
VCN 2.0
Decoder
NVDEC (5th Gen)
VCN 2.0
Codecs
H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Decode),VP9
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU draws 170W versus the Radeon RX 5500's 110W — a 42.9% difference. The Radeon RX 5500 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU) vs 450W (Radeon RX 5500). Power connectors: Mobile vs 8-pin. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 75°C.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPURadeon RX 5500
TDP
170W
110W-35%
Recommended PSU
500W
450W-10%
Power Connector
Mobile
8-pin
Length
180mm
Height
110mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
75°C
75°C
Perf/Watt
77.5
80.3+4%
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU (2022 vs 2019).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPURadeon RX 5500
MSRP
$179
Codename
GA106
Navi 14
Release
October 12 2022
October 7 2019
Ranking
#147
#297

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