GeForce RTX 3060 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 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 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

2021

Why buy it

✅728.5% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 1486.5% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 3.3 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $250 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 4 GB).
✅Better long-term bet: Ampere on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

Radeon R9 M280X

2013

Why buy it

✅Costs $79 less on MSRP ($250 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 12 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.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 3.3 vs 51.7 G3D/$ ($250 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 728.5% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 1987.8% in PassMark G3D (16,995 vs 814), 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 4 GB of VRAM, a 8nm process instead of 28nm, 28 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2021 generation instead of 2013. 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 $79 more expensive on MSRP at $329 vs $250, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 1486.5% (51.7 vs 3.3), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce RTX 3060 vs Radeon R9 M280X 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 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.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the Radeon R9 M280X's 814 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 1987.8%. The GeForce RTX 3060 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) vs 2,048 (Radeon R9 M280X). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 4.096 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 M280X). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 1000 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon R9 M280X
G3D Mark Score	16,995+1988%	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 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	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

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3060 has 12 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 M280X carries 4 GB. GeForce RTX 3060 gives you 200% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 360 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 80 GB/s (Radeon R9 M280X) — a 350% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3060. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 3060 and 128-bit on the Radeon R9 M280X. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 0.75 MB (Radeon R9 M280X) — the GeForce RTX 3060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon R9 M280X
VRAM Capacity	12 GB+200%	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	360 GB/s+350%	80 GB/s
Bus Width	192-bit+50%	128-bit
L2 Cache	3 MB+300%	0.75 MB

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the Radeon R9 M280X's 200W — a 16.2% difference. The GeForce RTX 3060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 350W (Radeon R9 M280X). Power connectors: 8-pin vs Mobile.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon R9 M280X
TDP	170W-15%	200W
Recommended PSU	550W	350W-36%
Power Connector	8-pin	Mobile
Length	242mm	—
Height	112mm	—
Slots	2	—
Temp (Load)	75	—
Perf/Watt	100.0+2339%	4.1

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Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce RTX 3060 came in at $329, while the Radeon R9 M280X launched at $250. On MSRP, Radeon R9 M280X was 24% cheaper ($79 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 3.3 (Radeon R9 M280X) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 1466.7% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3060 (2021 vs 2013).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon R9 M280X
MSRP	$329	$250-24%
Performance per Dollar	51.7+1467%	3.3
Codename	GA106	Tahiti
Release	January 12 2021	October 8 2013
Ranking	#114	#404

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