GeForce RTX 3060 vs RADEON 9000

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3060

2021Core: 1320 MHzBoost: 1777 MHz
RTX family
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VS
AMD

RADEON 9000

2024Core: 400 MHzBoost: 2900 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce RTX 3060 vs RADEON 9000 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 vs RADEON 9000 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 vs RADEON 9000: 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

2021

Why buy it

  • 14548.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 50523.4% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 0.1 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $49 MSRP).
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • 9500% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 128 MB).
  • Better long-term bet: Ampere on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 1033.3% higher power demand at 170W vs 15W.

RADEON 9000

2024

Why buy it

  • Costs $280 less on MSRP ($49 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
  • Draws 15W instead of 170W, a 155W reduction.
  • More future proof: RDNA 3.5 (2024−2025) on 4nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 128 MB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
  • GeForce RTX 3060 is the safer long-term pick here because the hardware is newer and the feature stack is stronger.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.1 vs 51.7 G3D/$ ($49 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce RTX 3060 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 14548.0% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 339800% in PassMark G3D (16,995 vs 5), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 3060 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 12 GB vs 128 MB of VRAM and 28 vs 16 ray-tracing units. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce RTX 3060 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $280 more expensive on MSRP at $329 vs $49, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 50523.4% (51.7 vs 0.1), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce RTX 3060 vs RADEON 9000 Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

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.

AMD

RADEON 9000

The RADEON 9000 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in July 15 2024. It features the RDNA 3.5 architecture. The core clock ranges from 400 MHz to 2900 MHz. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 15W. Manufactured using 4 nm process technology. It features 16 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the RADEON 9000's 5 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 339800%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the RADEON 9000 uses RDNA 3.5, both on 8 nm vs 4 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 1,024 (RADEON 9000). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 5.939 TFLOPS (RADEON 9000). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 2900 MHz. Ray tracing: 28 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 16 (RADEON 9000) with 112 Tensor cores.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060RADEON 9000
G3D Mark Score
16,995+339800%
5
Architecture
Ampere
RDNA 3.5
Process Node
8 nm
4 nm
Shading Units
3584+250%
1024
Compute (TFLOPS)
12.74 TFLOPS+115%
5.939 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1777 MHz
2900 MHz+63%
ROPs
48+50%
32
TMUs
112+75%
64
L1 Cache
3.5 MB+1300%
0.25 MB
L2 Cache
3 MB+50%
2 MB
Ray Tracing Cores
28+75%
16

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The RADEON 9000 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060RADEON 9000
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 has 12 GB of VRAM, while the RADEON 9000 carries 128 MB. GeForce RTX 3060 gives you 9500% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 3060 and 64-bit on the RADEON 9000. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 2 MB (RADEON 9000) — the GeForce RTX 3060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060RADEON 9000
VRAM Capacity
12 GB+9500%
0.125 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR5
Bus Width
192-bit+200%
64-bit
L2 Cache
3 MB+50%
2 MB
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the RADEON 9000's 15W — a 167.6% difference. The RADEON 9000 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 350W (RADEON 9000). Power connectors: 8-pin vs Legacy.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060RADEON 9000
TDP
170W
15W-91%
Recommended PSU
550W
350W-36%
Power Connector
8-pin
Legacy
Length
242mm
Height
112mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
75
Perf/Watt
100.0+33233%
0.3
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce RTX 3060 came in at $329, while the RADEON 9000 launched at $49. On MSRP, RADEON 9000 was 85.1% cheaper ($280 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 0.1 (RADEON 9000) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 51600% better value. The newer card here is RADEON 9000 (2024 vs 2021).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060RADEON 9000
MSRP
$329
$49-85%
Performance per Dollar
51.7+51600%
0.1
Codename
GA106
Strix Point
Release
January 12 2021
July 15 2024
Ranking
#114
#312

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