GeForce RTX 3060 vs Radeon RX 6550M

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3060

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

Radeon RX 6550M

2023Core: 2000 MHzBoost: 2840 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce RTX 3060 vs Radeon RX 6550M Performance Spectrum

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 6550M 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 6550M: 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

  • 112.5% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 0 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • 200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 4 GB).

Trade-offs

  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
  • 112.5% higher power demand at 170W vs 80W.

Radeon RX 6550M

2023

Why buy it

  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
  • Draws 80W instead of 170W, a 90W reduction.
  • More future proof: RDNA 2.0 (2020−2025) on 6nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

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.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 51.7 G3D/$ (Unknown 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 112.5% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 75.1% in PassMark G3D (16,995 vs 9,705), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
Radeon RX 6550M is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: the newer feature stack, with FSR 3 (2023) and FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023), while GeForce RTX 3060 is limited to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) and no comparable frame-generation support, a 6nm process instead of 8nm, and a newer 2023 generation instead of 2021. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce RTX 3060 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and lighter 1440p, GeForce RTX 3060 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Radeon RX 6550M has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce RTX 3060 vs Radeon RX 6550M 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 6550M

The Radeon RX 6550M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 4 2023. It features the RDNA 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 2000 MHz to 2840 MHz. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 80W. Manufactured using 6 nm process technology. It features 16 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,705 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the Radeon RX 6550M's 9,705 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 75.1%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the Radeon RX 6550M uses RDNA 2.0, both on 8 nm vs 6 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 1,024 (Radeon RX 6550M). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 5.816 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 6550M). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 2840 MHz. Ray tracing: 28 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 16 (Radeon RX 6550M) with 112 Tensor cores.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Radeon RX 6550M
G3D Mark Score
16,995+75%
9,705
Architecture
Ampere
RDNA 2.0
Process Node
8 nm
6 nm
Shading Units
3584+250%
1024
Compute (TFLOPS)
12.74 TFLOPS+119%
5.816 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1777 MHz
2840 MHz+60%
ROPs
48+50%
32
TMUs
112+75%
64
L1 Cache
3.5 MB+1300%
0.25 MB
L2 Cache
3 MB+200%
1 MB
Ray Tracing Cores
28+75%
16

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the Radeon RX 6550M 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 6550M leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Radeon RX 6550M
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 6550M 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 6550M) — 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 6550M. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 1 MB (Radeon RX 6550M) — the GeForce RTX 3060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Radeon RX 6550M
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
L2 Cache
3 MB+200%
1 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 12.2 (Radeon RX 6550M). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Radeon RX 6550M
DirectX
12 Ultimate
12.2+2%
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 VCN 3.0 (Radeon RX 6550M). 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,AV1 (Decode) (Radeon RX 6550M).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Radeon RX 6550M
Encoder
NVENC 7th Gen
VCN 3.0
Decoder
NVDEC 5th Gen
VCN 3.0
Codecs
AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Decode)
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the Radeon RX 6550M's 80W — a 72% difference. The Radeon RX 6550M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 500W (Radeon RX 6550M). Power connectors: 8-pin vs Mobile. Card length: 242mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 80°C.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Radeon RX 6550M
TDP
170W
80W-53%
Recommended PSU
550W
500W-9%
Power Connector
8-pin
Mobile
Length
242mm
0mm
Height
112mm
0mm
Slots
2
0-100%
Temp (Load)
75-6%
80°C
Perf/Watt
100.0
121.3+21%
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is Radeon RX 6550M (2023 vs 2021).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3060Radeon RX 6550M
MSRP
$329
Codename
GA106
Navi 24
Release
January 12 2021
January 4 2023
Ranking
#114
#267

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