GeForce RTX 3070 vs Radeon RX 6500

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3070

2020Core: 1500 MHzBoost: 1725 MHz
RTX family
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VS
AMD

Radeon RX 6500

RX family
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GeForce RTX 3070 vs Radeon RX 6500 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 3070 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.

GeForce RTX 3070 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 3070

2020

Why buy it

  • 271.8% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 16.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.4 vs 38.2 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).
  • Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
  • 193.3% higher power demand at 220W vs 75W.
  • 40.7% longer card at 242mm vs 172mm.

Radeon RX 6500

Why buy it

  • Costs $300 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
  • Draws 75W instead of 220W, a 145W reduction.
  • Measures 172mm instead of 242mm, a 70mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3070 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No DLSS support; it relies on FSR 3 (2023) instead.
  • GeForce RTX 3070 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 44.4 G3D/$ ($199 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce RTX 3070 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 271.8% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 191.4% in PassMark G3D (22,172 vs 7,610), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 3070 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 8 GB vs 4 GB of VRAM, a 8nm process instead of Unknown node, 46 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2020 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 3070 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $300 more expensive on MSRP at $499 vs $199, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 16.2% (44.4 vs 38.2), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce RTX 3070 vs Radeon RX 6500 Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3070

The GeForce RTX 3070 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1500 MHz to 1725 MHz. It has 5888 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 220W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 46 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 22,172 points. Launch price was $499.

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 3070 scores 22,172 versus the Radeon RX 6500's 7,610 — the GeForce RTX 3070 leads by 191.4%.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Radeon RX 6500
G3D Mark Score
22,172+191%
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 3070 does not have comparable native support in the same tier.The GeForce RTX 3070 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 3070Radeon 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 3070 has 8 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon RX 6500 carries 4 GB. GeForce RTX 3070 gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 448 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 144 GB/s (Radeon RX 6500) — a 211.1% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3070. Memory bus width is 256-bit on the GeForce RTX 3070 and 64-bit on the Radeon RX 6500.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Radeon RX 6500
VRAM Capacity
8 GB+100%
4 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth
448 GB/s+211%
144 GB/s
Bus Width
256-bit+300%
64-bit
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 12.2 (Radeon RX 6500). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 2.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Radeon RX 6500
DirectX
12 Ultimate
12.2+2%
Vulkan
1.4+8%
1.3
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4+100%
2
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th gen (GeForce RTX 3070) vs None (Radeon RX 6500). Decoder: NVDEC 5th gen vs VCN 3.0. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Radeon RX 6500).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Radeon RX 6500
Encoder
NVENC 7th gen
None
Decoder
NVDEC 5th gen
VCN 3.0
Codecs
H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3070 draws 220W versus the Radeon RX 6500's 75W — a 98.3% difference. The Radeon RX 6500 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 3070) 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°C vs 85°C.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Radeon RX 6500
TDP
220W
75W-66%
Recommended PSU
650W
400W-38%
Power Connector
8-pin
1x 6-pin
Length
242mm
172mm
Height
112mm
112mm
Slots
2
2
Temp (Load)
75°C-12%
85°C
Perf/Watt
100.8
101.5
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce RTX 3070 came in at $499, while the Radeon RX 6500 launched at $199. On MSRP, Radeon RX 6500 was 60.1% cheaper ($300 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 44.4 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 38.2 (Radeon RX 6500) — the GeForce RTX 3070 offers 16.2% better value.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Radeon RX 6500
MSRP
$499
$199-60%
Performance per Dollar
44.4+16%
38.2
Codename
GA104
Release
September 1 2020
sem dados
Ranking
#63
#335

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