GeForce RTX 3060 vs Radeon RX 580

CPU

GPU

GeForce RTX 3060

2021Core: 1320 MHzBoost: 1777 MHz

RTX family

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Radeon RX 580

2017Core: 1257 MHzBoost: 1340 MHz

Similar parts

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GeForce RTX 3060 vs Radeon RX 580 Performance Spectrum

GeForce RTX 3060

12 GB 170

16,995

+93.1%

GeForce RTX 3050 4GB Mobile

GeForce RTX 2060 (Mobile)

GeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU

RTX 2000 Ada Generation Embedded GPU

TITAN V

GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 16GB

GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Mobile

GeForce RTX 5070

Radeon RX 580

8 GB 185

8,799

0.0%

Radeon R9 270X

Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire

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 RX 580 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 RX 580: 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

✅57.3% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 34.4% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 38.4 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $229 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 8 GB).
✅Better long-term bet: Ampere on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

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

Radeon RX 580

2017

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 average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 8 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
❌2017 hardware with 8 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 38.4 vs 51.7 G3D/$ ($229 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 57.3% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 93.1% in PassMark G3D (16,995 vs 8,799), 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 8 GB of VRAM, a 8nm process instead of 14nm, 28 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2021 generation instead of 2017. 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 $100 more expensive on MSRP at $329 vs $229, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 34.4% (51.7 vs 38.4), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce RTX 3060 vs Radeon RX 580 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 RX 580

The Radeon RX 580 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 18 2017. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1257 MHz to 1340 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 185W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 8,799 points. Launch price was $229.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the Radeon RX 580's 8,799 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 93.1%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the Radeon RX 580 uses GCN 4.0, both on 8 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 2,304 (Radeon RX 580). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 6.175 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 580). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 1340 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon RX 580
G3D Mark Score	16,995+93%	8,799
Architecture	Ampere	GCN 4.0
Process Node	8 nm	14 nm
Shading Units	3584+56%	2304
Compute (TFLOPS)	12.74 TFLOPS+106%	6.175 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1777 MHz+33%	1340 MHz
ROPs	48+50%	32
TMUs	112	144+29%
L1 Cache	3.5 MB+525%	0.56 MB
L2 Cache	3 MB+50%	2 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the Radeon RX 580 is support for FSR Frame Generation. In games that support it, that can smooth out motion and lift perceived FPS. The GeForce RTX 3060 does not have comparable native support in the same tier.The GeForce RTX 3060 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon RX 580 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon RX 580
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 has 12 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon RX 580 carries 8 GB. GeForce RTX 3060 gives you 50% 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 256 GB/s (Radeon RX 580) — a 40.6% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3060. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 3060 and 256-bit on the Radeon RX 580. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 2 MB (Radeon RX 580) — the GeForce RTX 3060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon RX 580
VRAM Capacity	12 GB+50%	8 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	360 GB/s+41%	256 GB/s
Bus Width	192-bit	256-bit+33%
L2 Cache	3 MB+50%	2 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 12 (Radeon RX 580). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon RX 580
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12
Vulkan	1.3	1.3
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060) vs VCE 3.0 (Radeon RX 580). Decoder: NVDEC 5th Gen vs UVD 6.3. Supported codecs: AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP9 (Radeon RX 580).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon RX 580
Encoder	NVENC 7th Gen	VCE 3.0
Decoder	NVDEC 5th Gen	UVD 6.3
Codecs	AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9	H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the Radeon RX 580's 185W — a 8.5% difference. The GeForce RTX 3060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 500W (Radeon RX 580). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 242mm vs 241mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 75°C.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon RX 580
TDP	170W-8%	185W
Recommended PSU	550W	500W-9%
Power Connector	8-pin	8-pin
Length	242mm	241mm
Height	112mm	—
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	75	75°C
Perf/Watt	100.0+110%	47.6

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce RTX 3060 came in at $329, while the Radeon RX 580 launched at $229. On MSRP, Radeon RX 580 was 30.4% cheaper ($100 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 38.4 (Radeon RX 580) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 34.6% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3060 (2021 vs 2017).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon RX 580
MSRP	$329	$229-30%
Performance per Dollar	51.7+35%	38.4
Codename	GA106	Polaris 20
Release	January 12 2021	April 18 2017
Ranking	#114	#301

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