GeForce RTX 3060 vs RADEON 9800 SE

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 9800 SE 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 9800 SE: 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 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).
✅4700% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 256 MB).
✅Better long-term bet: Ampere on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌209.1% higher power demand at 170W vs 55W.

RADEON 9800 SE

2025

Why buy it

✅Draws 55W instead of 170W, a 115W 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 256 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 vs 51.7 G3D/$ (Unknown 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 70712.5% in PassMark G3D (16,995 vs 24), 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 256 MB of VRAM. 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 today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce RTX 3060 vs RADEON 9800 SE Technical Specifications

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

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 9800 SE

The RADEON 9800 SE is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 6 2025. It features the RDNA 3.5 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1295 MHz to 2900 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 55W. Manufactured using 4 nm process technology. It features 40 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 24 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the RADEON 9800 SE's 24 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 70712.5%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the RADEON 9800 SE uses RDNA 3.5, both on 8 nm vs 4 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 2,560 (RADEON 9800 SE). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 14.85 TFLOPS (RADEON 9800 SE). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 2900 MHz. Ray tracing: 28 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 40 (RADEON 9800 SE) with 112 Tensor cores.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	RADEON 9800 SE
G3D Mark Score	16,995+70713%	24
Architecture	Ampere	RDNA 3.5
Process Node	8 nm	4 nm
Shading Units	3584+40%	2560
Compute (TFLOPS)	12.74 TFLOPS	14.85 TFLOPS+17%
Boost Clock	1777 MHz	2900 MHz+63%
ROPs	48	64+33%
TMUs	112	160+43%
L2 Cache	3 MB	8 MB+167%
Ray Tracing Cores	28	40+43%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The RADEON 9800 SE leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	RADEON 9800 SE
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 9800 SE carries 256 MB. GeForce RTX 3060 gives you 4700% 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 9800 SE. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 8 MB (RADEON 9800 SE) — the RADEON 9800 SE has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	RADEON 9800 SE
VRAM Capacity	12 GB+4700%	0.25 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR5
Bus Width	192-bit+200%	64-bit
L2 Cache	3 MB	8 MB+167%

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the RADEON 9800 SE's 55W — a 102.2% difference. The RADEON 9800 SE is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 350W (RADEON 9800 SE). Power connectors: 8-pin vs Legacy.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	RADEON 9800 SE
TDP	170W	55W-68%
Recommended PSU	550W	350W-36%
Power Connector	8-pin	Legacy
Length	242mm	—
Height	112mm	—
Slots	2	—
Temp (Load)	75	—
Perf/Watt	100.0+24900%	0.4

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce RTX 3060 came in at $329, while the RADEON 9800 SE launched at $0. On MSRP, RADEON 9800 SE was 100+% cheaper ($329 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs Infinity (RADEON 9800 SE) — the RADEON 9800 SE offers Infinity% better value. The newer card here is RADEON 9800 SE (2025 vs 2021).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	RADEON 9800 SE
MSRP	$329	$0-100%
Performance per Dollar	51.7	Infinity
Codename	GA106	Strix Halo
Release	January 12 2021	January 6 2025
Ranking	#114	#98

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