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GeForce RTX 3060 vs Radeon RX 6500

CPUCPUGPUGPU
NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3060

2021Core: 1320 MHzBoost: 1777 MHz
RTX family
·······
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VS
AMD

Radeon RX 6500

RX family
·······
Buy on Amazon

GeForce RTX 3060 vs Radeon RX 6500 Performance Spectrum

GeForce RTX 3060
12 GB 170
16,995
+123.3%
brand logoGeForce RTX 3050 4GB Mobile
brand logoGeForce RTX 2060 (Mobile)
brand logoGeForce RTX 3060 Laptop GPU
brand logoRTX 2000 Ada Generation Embedded GPU
brand logoTITAN V
brand logoGeForce RTX 4060 Ti 16GB
brand logoGeForce RTX 5070 Ti Mobile
brand logoGeForce RTX 5070
Radeon RX 6500
4 GB 75
7,610
0.0%
brand logoRadeon R9 270 / R7 370
brand logoRadeon RX 5300M
brand logoRadeon HD 6970M Crossfire
brand logoRadeon R9 285
brand logoRadeon RX 7400
brand logoRadeon RX 7700S
brand logoRadeon RX 6700 XT
brand logoRadeon RX 7800 XT

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 6500 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

1080P
GeForce RTX 3060
low149 FPS
medium131 FPS
high118 FPS
ultra99 FPS
1080P
Radeon RX 6500
low78 FPS
medium68 FPS
high54 FPS
ultra35 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

1080P
GeForce RTX 3060
low354 FPS
medium310 FPS
high249 FPS
ultra195 FPS
1080P
Radeon RX 6500
low106 FPS
medium73 FPS
high49 FPS
ultra33 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

1080P
GeForce RTX 3060
low765 FPS
medium612 FPS
high510 FPS
ultra382 FPS
1080P
Radeon RX 6500
low299 FPS
medium258 FPS
high196 FPS
ultra160 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

1080P
GeForce RTX 3060
low523 FPS
medium452 FPS
high383 FPS
ultra319 FPS
1080P
Radeon RX 6500
low131 FPS
medium107 FPS
high91 FPS
ultra77 FPS
Among Us

Among Us

1080P
GeForce RTX 3060
low60 FPS
medium60 FPS
high60 FPS
ultra60 FPS
1080P
Radeon RX 6500
low60 FPS
medium60 FPS
high60 FPS
ultra60 FPS
Apex Legends

Apex Legends

1080P
GeForce RTX 3060
low294 FPS
medium262 FPS
high235 FPS
ultra214 FPS
1080P
Radeon RX 6500
low59 FPS
medium40 FPS
high26 FPS
ultra15 FPS
ARC Raiders

ARC Raiders

1080P
GeForce RTX 3060
low150 FPS
medium126 FPS
high103 FPS
ultra77 FPS
1080P
Radeon RX 6500
low60 FPS
medium45 FPS
high37 FPS
ultra21 FPS
Baldur's Gate 3

Baldur's Gate 3

1080P
GeForce RTX 3060
low162 FPS
medium141 FPS
high124 FPS
ultra100 FPS
1080P
Radeon RX 6500
low51 FPS
medium36 FPS
high27 FPS
ultra20 FPS
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

1080P
GeForce RTX 3060
low119 FPS
medium107 FPS
high82 FPS
ultra72 FPS
1080P
Radeon RX 6500
low77 FPS
medium60 FPS
high48 FPS
ultra33 FPS
Call of Duty: Warzone

Call of Duty: Warzone

1080P
GeForce RTX 3060
low126 FPS
medium108 FPS
high95 FPS
ultra82 FPS
1080P
Radeon RX 6500
low70 FPS
medium54 FPS
high42 FPS
ultra32 FPS
Check FPS with Custom Builds

GeForce RTX 3060 vs Radeon RX 6500: 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

  • ✅197.2% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • ✅Delivers 35.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 38.2 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $199 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

  • ❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
  • ❌126.7% higher power demand at 170W vs 75W.
  • ❌40.7% longer card at 242mm vs 172mm.

Radeon RX 6500

Why buy it

  • ✅Costs $130 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
  • ✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
  • ✅Draws 75W instead of 170W, a 95W reduction.
  • ✅Measures 172mm instead of 242mm, a 70mm 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 4 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • ❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR 3 (2023) 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 38.2 vs 51.7 G3D/$ ($199 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 197.2% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 123.3% in PassMark G3D (16,995 vs 7,610), 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 Unknown node, 28 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2021 generation instead of 0. 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 $130 more expensive on MSRP at $329 vs $199, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 35.1% (51.7 vs 38.2), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce RTX 3060 vs Radeon RX 6500 Technical Specifications

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

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 6500

The Radeon RX 6500 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in sem dados. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. G3D Mark benchmark score: 7,610 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the Radeon RX 6500's 7,610 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 123.3%.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Radeon RX 6500
G3D Mark Score
16,995+123%
7,610
✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the Radeon RX 6500 is support for FSR Frame Generation + AFMF. 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 6500 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Radeon RX 6500
Upscaling Tech
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
FSR 3
Frame Generation
Not Supported
FSR Frame Generation + AFMF
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 6500 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 144 GB/s (Radeon RX 6500) — a 150% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3060. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 3060 and 64-bit on the Radeon RX 6500.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Radeon RX 6500
VRAM Capacity
12 GB+200%
4 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth
360 GB/s+150%
144 GB/s
Bus Width
192-bit+200%
64-bit
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 12.2 (Radeon RX 6500). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 2.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Radeon RX 6500
DirectX
12 Ultimate
12.2+2%
Vulkan
1.3
1.3
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4+100%
2
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060) vs None (Radeon RX 6500). Decoder: NVDEC 5th Gen vs VCN 3.0. Supported codecs: AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Radeon RX 6500).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Radeon RX 6500
Encoder
NVENC 7th Gen
None
Decoder
NVDEC 5th Gen
VCN 3.0
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 6500's 75W — a 77.6% difference. The Radeon RX 6500 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 400W (Radeon RX 6500). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 1x 6-pin. Card length: 242mm vs 172mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 85°C.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Radeon RX 6500
TDP
170W
75W-56%
Recommended PSU
550W
400W-27%
Power Connector
8-pin
1x 6-pin
Length
242mm
172mm
Height
112mm
112mm
Slots
2
2
Temp (Load)
75-12%
85°C
Perf/Watt
100.0
101.5+2%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce RTX 3060 came in at $329, while the Radeon RX 6500 launched at $199. On MSRP, Radeon RX 6500 was 39.5% cheaper ($130 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 38.2 (Radeon RX 6500) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 35.3% better value.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Radeon RX 6500
MSRP
$329
$199-40%
Performance per Dollar
51.7+35%
38.2
Codename
GA106
—
Release
January 12 2021
sem dados
Ranking
#114
#335
Search GeForce RTX 3060 on AmazonSearch Radeon RX 6500 on Amazon

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