GeForce RTX 3060 vs Radeon 820M

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

2021

Why buy it

✅+693% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 0 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅500% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 2 GB).
✅More future proof: Ampere on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌466.7% higher power demand at 170W vs 30W.

Radeon 820M

2024

Why buy it

✅Draws 30W instead of 170W, a 140W reduction.
✅More future proof: RDNA 3+ (2024) on 4nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (2,143 vs 16,995).
❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
❌Weaker long-term outlook: GeForce RTX 3060 is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 51.7 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3060

2021

Radeon 820M

2024

Why buy it

✅+693% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 0 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅500% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 2 GB).
✅More future proof: Ampere on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Why buy it

✅Draws 30W instead of 170W, a 140W reduction.
✅More future proof: RDNA 3+ (2024) on 4nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌466.7% higher power demand at 170W vs 30W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (2,143 vs 16,995).
❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
❌Weaker long-term outlook: GeForce RTX 3060 is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 51.7 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3060 better than Radeon 820M?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 16,995 vs 2,143 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3060 is a 2021 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Radeon 820M is a 2024 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 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 693.0% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 12 GB instead of 2 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 is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 3060 is priced in an unclear MSRP range at $329 MSRP versus an unclear MSRP, and you are getting 693.0% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 100+%. Radeon 820M is the newer 2024 card, so it still has a real case if you care more about newer architecture and lower power draw (30W vs 170W) than about squeezing out the strongest gaming value today.

When does Radeon 820M make more sense than GeForce RTX 3060?

Yes. Radeon 820M is still an excellent gaming GPU in 2026: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It makes more sense if your priority is newer architecture, lower power draw (30W vs 170W), and staying closer to an unclear MSRP more than squeezing out the extra headroom of GeForce RTX 3060. The trade-off is that GeForce RTX 3060 currently gives you 693.0% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 100+%.

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.

GeForce RTX 3060 Benchmark Check

Radeon 820M Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon 820M
1080p
low	149 FPS	68 FPS
medium	131 FPS	56 FPS
high	118 FPS	41 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	28 FPS
1440p
low	126 FPS	53 FPS
medium	104 FPS	44 FPS
high	92 FPS	29 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	20 FPS
4K
low	67 FPS	23 FPS
medium	58 FPS	22 FPS
high	39 FPS	13 FPS
ultra	32 FPS	12 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Radeon 820M

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon 820M
1080p
low	354 FPS	96 FPS
medium	310 FPS	77 FPS
high	249 FPS	61 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	41 FPS
1440p
low	222 FPS	72 FPS
medium	196 FPS	51 FPS
high	160 FPS	38 FPS
ultra	128 FPS	27 FPS
4K
low	110 FPS	39 FPS
medium	94 FPS	26 FPS
high	77 FPS	21 FPS
ultra	60 FPS	15 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Radeon 820M

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon 820M
1080p
low	765 FPS	96 FPS
medium	612 FPS	77 FPS
high	510 FPS	64 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	48 FPS
1440p
low	535 FPS	72 FPS
medium	432 FPS	58 FPS
high	366 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	287 FPS	36 FPS
4K
low	367 FPS	48 FPS
medium	298 FPS	39 FPS
high	221 FPS	32 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	24 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Radeon 820M

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon 820M
1080p
low	523 FPS	96 FPS
medium	452 FPS	77 FPS
high	383 FPS	64 FPS
ultra	319 FPS	48 FPS
1440p
low	428 FPS	72 FPS
medium	371 FPS	58 FPS
high	298 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	245 FPS	36 FPS
4K
low	279 FPS	48 FPS
medium	259 FPS	39 FPS
high	225 FPS	32 FPS
ultra	186 FPS	24 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Radeon 820M

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 and Radeon 820M

GeForce RTX 3060

The GeForce RTX 3060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 12 2021. 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: 16,995 points. Launch price was $329.

Radeon 820M

The Radeon 820M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in June 2 2024. It features the RDNA 3+ architecture. The boost clock speed is 2900 MHz. It has 128 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 30W. Manufactured using 4 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,143 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the Radeon 820M's 2,143 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 693%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the Radeon 820M uses RDNA 3+, both on 8 nm vs 4 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 128 (Radeon 820M). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 2900 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon 820M
G3D Mark Score	16,995+693%	2,143
Architecture	Ampere	RDNA 3+
Process Node	8 nm	4 nm
Shading Units	3584+2700%	128
Boost Clock	1777 MHz	2900 MHz+63%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Radeon 820M relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon 820M
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 comes with 12 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon 820M has 2 GB. The GeForce RTX 3060 offers 500% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 192-bit vs System.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon 820M
VRAM Capacity	12 GB+500%	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	Shared
Memory Bandwidth	360 GB/s	System
Bus Width	192-bit	System

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 12 Ultimate (Radeon 820M). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon 820M
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12 Ultimate
Vulkan	1.3	1.3
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060) vs VCN 4.0 (Radeon 820M). Decoder: NVDEC 5th Gen vs VCN 4.0. Supported codecs: AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs H.264,H.265,AV1,VP9 (Radeon 820M).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon 820M
Encoder	NVENC 7th Gen	VCN 4.0
Decoder	NVDEC 5th Gen	VCN 4.0
Codecs	AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9	H.264,H.265,AV1,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the Radeon 820M's 30W — a 140% difference. The Radeon 820M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 350W (Radeon 820M). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 242mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 80.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon 820M
TDP	170W	30W-82%
Recommended PSU	550W	350W-36%
Power Connector	8-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	242mm	0mm
Height	112mm	0mm
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	75-6%	80
Perf/Watt	100.0+40%	71.4