GeForce RTX 3060
Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB
GeForce RTX 3060 vs Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB 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 9060 XT 16GB 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
Counter-Strike 2
League of Legends
Valorant
Among Us
Apex Legends
ARC Raiders
Baldur's Gate 3
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
GeForce RTX 3060 vs Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB: 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
2021Why buy it
- ✅72.7% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
- ✅Costs $20 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $349 MSRP).
- ✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (16,995 vs 20,024).
- ❌Less VRAM, with 12 GB vs 16 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
- ❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation + AFMF 2.1 (2025).
- ❌Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB is the safer long-term pick here because the hardware is newer and the feature stack is stronger.
- ❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 51.7 vs 57.4 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $349 MSRP).
Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB
2025Why buy it
- ✅+17.8% higher PassMark G3D performance.
- ✅Delivers 11.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 57.4 vs 51.7 G3D/$ ($349 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
- ✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF 2.1 (2025).
- ✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (16 GB vs 12 GB).
- ✅Better long-term bet: RDNA 4 (2025) on 4nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
- ❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
Quick Answers
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GeForce RTX 3060 vs Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB 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 9060 XT 16GB
The Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 2 2025. It features the RDNA 4 architecture. The boost clock speed is 2530 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 4 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 20,024 points.
Graphics Performance
In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB's 20,024 — the Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB leads by 17.8%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB uses RDNA 4, both on 8 nm vs 4 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 2,048 (Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 2530 MHz.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 | Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 16,995 | 20,024+18% |
| Architecture | Ampere | RDNA 4 |
| Process Node | 8 nm | 4 nm |
| Shading Units | 3584+75% | 2048 |
| Boost Clock | 1777 MHz | 2530 MHz+42% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
The clearest feature edge for the Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB is support for FSR Frame Generation + AFMF 2.1. 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 9060 XT 16GB leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 | Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | DLSS 2 Super Resolution | FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | FSR Frame Generation + AFMF 2.1 |
| 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 9060 XT 16GB carries 16 GB. Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB gives you 33.3% 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 320 GB/s (Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB) — a 12.5% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3060. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 3060 and 128-bit on the Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 | Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 12 GB | 16 GB+33% |
| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR6 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 360 GB/s+13% | 320 GB/s |
| Bus Width | 192-bit+50% | 128-bit |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 12.2 (Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 | Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 Ultimate | 12.2+2% |
| Vulkan | 1.3 | 1.4+8% |
| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Max Displays | 4 | 4 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060) vs VCN 5.0 (Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB). Decoder: NVDEC 5th Gen vs VCN 5.0. Supported codecs: AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB).
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 | Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | NVENC 7th Gen | VCN 5.0 |
| Decoder | NVDEC 5th Gen | VCN 5.0 |
| Codecs | AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 | MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB's 75W — a 77.6% difference. The Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 550W (Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 242mm vs 240mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 75°C.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 | Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 170W | 75W-56% |
| Recommended PSU | 550W | 550W |
| Power Connector | 8-pin | 8-pin |
| Length | 242mm | 240mm |
| Height | 112mm | 111mm |
| Slots | 2 | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | 75 | 75°C |
| Perf/Watt | 100.0 | 267.0+167% |
Value Analysis
At launch, the GeForce RTX 3060 came in at $329, while the Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB launched at $349. On MSRP, GeForce RTX 3060 was 5.7% cheaper ($20 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 57.4 (Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB) — the Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB offers 11% better value. The newer card here is Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB (2025 vs 2021).
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 | Radeon RX 9060 XT 16GB |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $329-6% | $349 |
| Performance per Dollar | 51.7 | 57.4+11% |
| Codename | GA106 | — |
| Release | January 12 2021 | January 2 2025 |
| Ranking | #114 | #45 |
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