GeForce RTX 3060 vs RADEON X550

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 X550 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 X550: 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

✅14548.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 5977.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 0.8 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $60 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅4700% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 256 MB).
✅Better long-term bet: Ampere on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌240% higher power demand at 170W vs 50W.

RADEON X550

2017

Why buy it

✅Costs $269 less on MSRP ($60 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Draws 50W instead of 170W, a 120W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 256 MB 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 256 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.8 vs 51.7 G3D/$ ($60 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 14548.0% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 33223.5% in PassMark G3D (16,995 vs 51), 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 256 MB 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 $269 more expensive on MSRP at $329 vs $60, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 5977.2% (51.7 vs 0.8), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce RTX 3060 vs RADEON X550 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 X550

The RADEON X550 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 20 2017. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1100 MHz to 1183 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 51 points. Launch price was $79.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the RADEON X550's 51 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 33223.5%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the RADEON X550 uses GCN 4.0, both on 8 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 512 (RADEON X550). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 1.211 TFLOPS (RADEON X550). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 1183 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	RADEON X550
G3D Mark Score	16,995+33224%	51
Architecture	Ampere	GCN 4.0
Process Node	8 nm	14 nm
Shading Units	3584+600%	512
Compute (TFLOPS)	12.74 TFLOPS+952%	1.211 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1777 MHz+50%	1183 MHz
ROPs	48+200%	16
TMUs	112+250%	32
L1 Cache	3.5 MB+2592%	0.13 MB
L2 Cache	3 MB+1100%	0.25 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The RADEON X550 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	RADEON X550
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 has 12 GB of VRAM, while the RADEON X550 carries 256 MB. GeForce RTX 3060 gives you 4700% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 3060 and 64-bit on the RADEON X550. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 0.25 MB (RADEON X550) — the GeForce RTX 3060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	RADEON X550
VRAM Capacity	12 GB+4700%	0.25 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR5
Bus Width	192-bit+200%	64-bit
L2 Cache	3 MB+1100%	0.25 MB

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the RADEON X550's 50W — a 109.1% difference. The RADEON X550 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 350W (RADEON X550). Power connectors: 8-pin vs Legacy.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	RADEON X550
TDP	170W	50W-71%
Recommended PSU	550W	350W-36%
Power Connector	8-pin	Legacy
Length	242mm	—
Height	112mm	—
Slots	2	—
Temp (Load)	75	—
Perf/Watt	100.0+9900%	1.0

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce RTX 3060 came in at $329, while the RADEON X550 launched at $60. On MSRP, RADEON X550 was 81.8% cheaper ($269 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 0.8 (RADEON X550) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 6362.5% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3060 (2021 vs 2017).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	RADEON X550
MSRP	$329	$60-82%
Performance per Dollar	51.7+6363%	0.8
Codename	GA106	Lexa
Release	January 12 2021	April 20 2017
Ranking	#114	#668

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