GeForce RTX 3060 vs Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U

Performance Spectrum - GPU

GeForce RTX 3060

12 GB 170

16,995

+1150.6%

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 Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U

Shared System RAM 15

1,359

0.0%

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

✅475.7% more average FPS across 39 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).
✅100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs Unknown).
✅More future proof: Ampere on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌1033.3% higher power demand at 170W vs 15W.

Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U

2020

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 170W, a 155W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 across 39 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2020-era hardware with Unknown of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 51.7 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3060

2021

Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U

2020

Why buy it

✅475.7% more average FPS across 39 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).
✅100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs Unknown).
✅More future proof: Ampere on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 170W, a 155W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌1033.3% higher power demand at 170W vs 15W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 across 39 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2020-era hardware with Unknown of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 51.7 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3060 better than Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. GeForce RTX 3060 averages 475.7% more FPS across 39 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 16,995 vs 1,359 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3060 is a 2021 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U is a 2020 model from an older generation with FSR upscaling. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.

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, 1150.6% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 12 GB instead of Unknown, and the stronger feature stack with DLSS Super Resolution instead of FSR upscaling. 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 priced in an unclear MSRP range at $329 MSRP versus an unclear MSRP, and you are getting 475.7% more estimated average FPS across 39 tracked games in our benchmark data and 1150.6% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 100+%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

Is Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is still fine for 1080p, but 1440p and especially 4K require more compromise. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around an unclear 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.

GeForce RTX 3060 Benchmark Check

Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U
1080p
low	149 FPS	61 FPS
medium	131 FPS	49 FPS
high	118 FPS	41 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	31 FPS
1440p
low	126 FPS	46 FPS
medium	104 FPS	37 FPS
high	92 FPS	31 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	23 FPS
4K
low	67 FPS	30 FPS
medium	58 FPS	24 FPS
high	39 FPS	19 FPS
ultra	32 FPS	15 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U
1080p
low	354 FPS	61 FPS
medium	310 FPS	49 FPS
high	249 FPS	41 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	31 FPS
1440p
low	222 FPS	46 FPS
medium	196 FPS	37 FPS
high	160 FPS	31 FPS
ultra	128 FPS	23 FPS
4K
low	110 FPS	31 FPS
medium	94 FPS	24 FPS
high	77 FPS	19 FPS
ultra	60 FPS	14 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U
1080p
low	765 FPS	61 FPS
medium	612 FPS	49 FPS
high	510 FPS	41 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	31 FPS
1440p
low	535 FPS	46 FPS
medium	432 FPS	37 FPS
high	366 FPS	31 FPS
ultra	287 FPS	23 FPS
4K
low	367 FPS	31 FPS
medium	298 FPS	24 FPS
high	221 FPS	20 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	15 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U
1080p
low	523 FPS	61 FPS
medium	452 FPS	49 FPS
high	383 FPS	41 FPS
ultra	319 FPS	31 FPS
1440p
low	428 FPS	46 FPS
medium	371 FPS	37 FPS
high	298 FPS	31 FPS
ultra	245 FPS	23 FPS
4K
low	279 FPS	31 FPS
medium	259 FPS	24 FPS
high	225 FPS	20 FPS
ultra	186 FPS	15 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 and Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U

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 Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U

The Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 7 2020. It features the Vega architecture. The boost clock speed is 2100 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 15W. Manufactured using 7 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,359 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U's 1,359 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 1150.6%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U uses Vega, both on 8 nm vs 7 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 512 (Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 2100 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U
G3D Mark Score	16,995+1151%	1,359
Architecture	Ampere	Vega
Process Node	8 nm	7 nm
Shading Units	3584+600%	512
Boost Clock	1777 MHz	2100 MHz+18%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

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 Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 2 Super Resolution	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
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 Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U has 0 MB. The GeForce RTX 3060 offers 100+% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 192-bit vs System.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U
VRAM Capacity	12 GB	Shared System RAM
Memory Type	GDDR6	Shared
Memory Bandwidth	360 GB/s	System
Bus Width	192-bit	System

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U's 15W — a 167.6% difference. The Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 1W (Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U). Power connectors: 8-pin vs Integrated.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U
TDP	170W	15W-91%
Recommended PSU	550W	1W-100%
Power Connector	8-pin	Integrated
Length	242mm	—
Height	112mm	—
Slots	2	—
Temp (Load)	75	—
Perf/Watt	100.0+10%	90.6

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3060 launched at $329 MSRP, while the Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U launched at $0. The Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U costs 100+% less ($329 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs Infinity (Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U) — the Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U offers Infinity% better value. The GeForce RTX 3060 is the newer GPU (2021 vs 2020).