GeForce RTX 3060 vs Radeon R9 M395

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3060

2021Core: 1320 MHzBoost: 1777 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

Radeon R9 M395

2015Core: 834 MHz

Popular choices:

RTX 3060

Performance Spectrum - GPU

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.

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

  • +244.4% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Delivers 214.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 16.4 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $300 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

  • 126.7% higher power demand at 170W vs 75W.

Radeon R9 M395

2015

Why buy it

  • Costs $29 less on MSRP ($300 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
  • Draws 75W instead of 170W, a 95W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (4,934 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.
  • Very weak future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 16.4 vs 51.7 G3D/$ ($300 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3060 better than Radeon R9 M395?
Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 16,995 vs 4,934 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3060 is a 2021 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Radeon R9 M395 is a 2015 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 a newer 2021 generation instead of 2015, 244.4% 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 by a wide margin. GeForce RTX 3060 is about 9.7% more expensive on MSRP at $329 MSRP versus $300 MSRP, and you are getting 244.4% higher G3D Mark. Radeon R9 M395 really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.
Is Radeon R9 M395 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
No, not for a fresh gaming build. Radeon R9 M395 is 2015 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM, 4,934 in G3D Mark, and FSR upscaling. That is simply too far behind to be an easy modern recommendation.

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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3060Radeon R9 M395
1080p
low149 FPS98 FPS
medium131 FPS81 FPS
high118 FPS62 FPS
ultra99 FPS37 FPS
1440p
low126 FPS84 FPS
medium104 FPS69 FPS
high92 FPS48 FPS
ultra80 FPS27 FPS
4K
low67 FPS27 FPS
medium58 FPS26 FPS
high39 FPS17 FPS
ultra32 FPS14 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3060Radeon R9 M395
1080p
low354 FPS89 FPS
medium310 FPS61 FPS
high249 FPS45 FPS
ultra195 FPS29 FPS
1440p
low222 FPS51 FPS
medium196 FPS29 FPS
high160 FPS21 FPS
ultra128 FPS15 FPS
4K
low110 FPS17 FPS
medium94 FPS11 FPS
high77 FPS8 FPS
ultra60 FPS6 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce RTX 3060Radeon R9 M395
1080p
low765 FPS222 FPS
medium612 FPS178 FPS
high510 FPS148 FPS
ultra382 FPS111 FPS
1440p
low535 FPS167 FPS
medium432 FPS133 FPS
high366 FPS111 FPS
ultra287 FPS83 FPS
4K
low367 FPS111 FPS
medium298 FPS89 FPS
high221 FPS74 FPS
ultra176 FPS56 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce RTX 3060Radeon R9 M395
1080p
low523 FPS129 FPS
medium452 FPS105 FPS
high383 FPS90 FPS
ultra319 FPS73 FPS
1440p
low428 FPS97 FPS
medium371 FPS80 FPS
high298 FPS69 FPS
ultra245 FPS55 FPS
4K
low279 FPS57 FPS
medium259 FPS44 FPS
high225 FPS35 FPS
ultra186 FPS26 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 and Radeon R9 M395

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 R9 M395

The Radeon R9 M395 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in June 9 2015. It features the GCN architecture. The core clock speed is 834 MHz. It has 1792 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,934 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the Radeon R9 M395's 4,934 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 244.4%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the Radeon R9 M395 uses GCN, both on 8 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 1,792 (Radeon R9 M395).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Radeon R9 M395
G3D Mark Score
16,995+244%
4,934
Architecture
Ampere
GCN
Process Node
8 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
3584+100%
1792

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 R9 M395 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Radeon R9 M395
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 R9 M395 has 2 GB. The GeForce RTX 3060 offers 500% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 360 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 176 GB/s (Radeon R9 M395) — a 104.5% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3060. Bus width: 192-bit vs 256-bit.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Radeon R9 M395
VRAM Capacity
12 GB+500%
2 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
360 GB/s+105%
176 GB/s
Bus Width
192-bit
256-bit+33%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 12 (FL12_0) (Radeon R9 M395). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 3.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Radeon R9 M395
DirectX
12 Ultimate
12 (FL12_0)
Vulkan
1.3+8%
1.2
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4+33%
3
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060) vs UVD (Radeon R9 M395). Decoder: NVDEC 5th Gen vs VCE. Supported codecs: AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,MPEG-4 (Radeon R9 M395).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Radeon R9 M395
Encoder
NVENC 7th Gen
UVD
Decoder
NVDEC 5th Gen
VCE
Codecs
AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9
H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,MPEG-4
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the Radeon R9 M395's 75W — a 77.6% difference. The Radeon R9 M395 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 350W (Radeon R9 M395). Power connectors: 8-pin vs Mobile. Card length: 242mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 75°C.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Radeon R9 M395
TDP
170W
75W-56%
Recommended PSU
550W
350W-36%
Power Connector
8-pin
Mobile
Length
242mm
0mm
Height
112mm
0mm
Slots
2
0-100%
Temp (Load)
75
75°C
Perf/Watt
100.0+52%
65.8
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3060 launched at $329 MSRP, while the Radeon R9 M395 launched at $300. The Radeon R9 M395 costs 8.8% less ($29 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 16.4 (Radeon R9 M395) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 215.2% better value. The GeForce RTX 3060 is the newer GPU (2021 vs 2015).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Radeon R9 M395
MSRP
$329
$300-9%
Performance per Dollar
51.7+215%
16.4
Codename
GA106
Release
January 12 2021
June 9 2015
Ranking
#114
#445