GeForce RTX 3060 vs Radeon RX 5600

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3060

2021Core: 1320 MHzBoost: 1777 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

Radeon RX 5600

2020Core: 1035 MHzBoost: 1265 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

  • +44.6% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 6 GB).
  • More future proof: Ampere on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation (2023).

Radeon RX 5600

2020

Why buy it

  • Costs $100 less on MSRP ($229 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation (2023).
  • Measures 241mm instead of 242mm, a 1mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (11,753 vs 16,995).
  • Less VRAM, with 6 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.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3060 better than Radeon RX 5600?
Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 44.6% higher PassMark G3D performance, DLSS 2 Super Resolution, and 12 GB vs 6 GB of VRAM. It also comes from 2021 instead of 2020, which helps its case as the more complete modern gaming card.
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 2020, 44.6% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 12 GB instead of 6 GB, and the stronger feature stack with DLSS Super Resolution instead of FSR upscaling + limited Frame Generation. 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 about 43.7% more expensive on MSRP at $329 MSRP versus $229 MSRP, and you are getting 44.6% higher G3D Mark. It only holds a slight 0.6% edge in G3D-per-dollar, so the value lead is real but narrow. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.
Is Radeon RX 5600 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
Yes. Radeon RX 5600 is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around $229 MSRP, even if GeForce RTX 3060 is still the cleaner recommendation on overall value today.

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 RX 5600
1080p
low149 FPS80 FPS
medium131 FPS70 FPS
high118 FPS58 FPS
ultra99 FPS38 FPS
1440p
low126 FPS72 FPS
medium104 FPS63 FPS
high92 FPS47 FPS
ultra80 FPS30 FPS
4K
low67 FPS27 FPS
medium58 FPS25 FPS
high39 FPS17 FPS
ultra32 FPS15 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3060Radeon RX 5600
1080p
low354 FPS223 FPS
medium310 FPS188 FPS
high249 FPS136 FPS
ultra195 FPS100 FPS
1440p
low222 FPS149 FPS
medium196 FPS122 FPS
high160 FPS90 FPS
ultra128 FPS64 FPS
4K
low110 FPS80 FPS
medium94 FPS65 FPS
high77 FPS51 FPS
ultra60 FPS35 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce RTX 3060Radeon RX 5600
1080p
low765 FPS529 FPS
medium612 FPS423 FPS
high510 FPS353 FPS
ultra382 FPS264 FPS
1440p
low535 FPS397 FPS
medium432 FPS317 FPS
high366 FPS264 FPS
ultra287 FPS198 FPS
4K
low367 FPS264 FPS
medium298 FPS212 FPS
high221 FPS176 FPS
ultra176 FPS132 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce RTX 3060Radeon RX 5600
1080p
low523 FPS289 FPS
medium452 FPS247 FPS
high383 FPS208 FPS
ultra319 FPS163 FPS
1440p
low428 FPS216 FPS
medium371 FPS195 FPS
high298 FPS159 FPS
ultra245 FPS122 FPS
4K
low279 FPS120 FPS
medium259 FPS102 FPS
high225 FPS86 FPS
ultra186 FPS65 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 and Radeon RX 5600

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 RX 5600

The Radeon RX 5600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in July 7 2020. It features the RDNA 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1035 MHz to 1265 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 7 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 11,753 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the Radeon RX 5600's 11,753 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 44.6%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the Radeon RX 5600 uses RDNA 1.0, both on 8 nm vs 7 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 2,304 (Radeon RX 5600). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 5.829 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 5600). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 1265 MHz.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Radeon RX 5600
G3D Mark Score
16,995+45%
11,753
Architecture
Ampere
RDNA 1.0
Process Node
8 nm
7 nm
Shading Units
3584+56%
2304
Compute (TFLOPS)
12.74 TFLOPS+119%
5.829 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1777 MHz+40%
1265 MHz
ROPs
48
64+33%
TMUs
112
144+29%
L2 Cache
3 MB
3 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the Radeon RX 5600 is support for FSR Frame Generation. This allows it to generate entire frames using AI/Algorithms, essentially doubling the frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios or heavy ray-tracing titles. The GeForce RTX 3060 lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.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 RX 5600 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Radeon RX 5600
Upscaling Tech
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
Not Supported
FSR Frame Generation
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 RX 5600 has 6 GB. The GeForce RTX 3060 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 360 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 288 GB/s (Radeon RX 5600) — a 25% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3060. Bus width: 192-bit vs 192-bit.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Radeon RX 5600
VRAM Capacity
12 GB+100%
6 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth
360 GB/s+25%
288 GB/s
Bus Width
192-bit
192-bit
L2 Cache
3 MB
3 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 12.1 (Radeon RX 5600). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Radeon RX 5600
DirectX
12 Ultimate
12.1
Vulkan
1.3+8%
1.2
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060) vs VCN 2.0 (Radeon RX 5600). Decoder: NVDEC 5th Gen vs VCN 2.0. Supported codecs: AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Radeon RX 5600).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Radeon RX 5600
Encoder
NVENC 7th Gen
VCN 2.0
Decoder
NVDEC 5th Gen
VCN 2.0
Codecs
AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the Radeon RX 5600's 150W — a 12.5% difference. The Radeon RX 5600 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 500W (Radeon RX 5600). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 242mm vs 241mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 80°C.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Radeon RX 5600
TDP
170W
150W-12%
Recommended PSU
550W
500W-9%
Power Connector
8-pin
PCIe-powered
Length
242mm
241mm
Height
112mm
111mm
Slots
2
2
Temp (Load)
75-6%
80°C
Perf/Watt
100.0+28%
78.4
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3060 launched at $329 MSRP, while the Radeon RX 5600 launched at $229. The Radeon RX 5600 costs 30.4% less ($100 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 51.3 (Radeon RX 5600) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 0.8% better value. The GeForce RTX 3060 is the newer GPU (2021 vs 2020).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Radeon RX 5600
MSRP
$329
$229-30%
Performance per Dollar
51.7
51.3
Codename
GA106
Navi 10
Release
January 12 2021
July 7 2020
Ranking
#114
#295