Radeon RX 6500M vs GeForce RTX 3060
Radeon RX 6500M
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GeForce RTX 3060
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Performance Spectrum - GPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. The Radeon RX 6500M is positioned at rank #73 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Balanced cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Radeon RX 6500M
Performance Per Dollar GeForce RTX 3060
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce RTX 3060 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 128.3% higher G3D Mark score and 200% more VRAM (12 GB vs 4 GB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon RX 6500M.
| Insight | Radeon RX 6500M | GeForce RTX 3060 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-128.3%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+128.3%) |
| Longevity | RDNA 2.0 (2020−2025) (6nm) | 🔮Strong Longevity (Ampere / 8nm) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | ✨ DLSS 2 Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | 🎮 High Capacity (12 GB) |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | — | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
While current pricing data is unavailable, the GeForce RTX 3060 remains the clear technical winner. Check real-time availability to determine if the performance gap justifies the market price.
Performance Check
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 7800X3D 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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Radeon RX 6500M and GeForce RTX 3060
Radeon RX 6500M
The Radeon RX 6500M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 4 2022. It features the RDNA 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 2000 MHz to 2400 MHz. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 6 nm process technology. It features 16 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 7,443 points.
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.
Graphics Performance
In G3D Mark, the Radeon RX 6500M scores 7,443 versus the GeForce RTX 3060's 16,995 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 128.3%. The Radeon RX 6500M is built on RDNA 2.0 while the GeForce RTX 3060 uses Ampere, both on 6 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 1,024 (Radeon RX 6500M) vs 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060). Raw compute: 4.915 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 6500M) vs 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060). Boost clocks: 2400 MHz vs 1777 MHz. Ray tracing: 16 RT cores (Radeon RX 6500M) vs 28 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 112.
| Feature | Radeon RX 6500M | GeForce RTX 3060 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 7,443 | 16,995+128% |
| Architecture | RDNA 2.0 | Ampere |
| Process Node | 6 nm | 8 nm |
| Shading Units | 1024 | 3584+250% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 4.915 TFLOPS | 12.74 TFLOPS+159% |
| Boost Clock | 2400 MHz+35% | 1777 MHz |
| ROPs | 32 | 48+50% |
| TMUs | 64 | 112+75% |
| L1 Cache | 0.25 MB | 3.5 MB+1300% |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB | 3 MB+200% |
| Ray Tracing Cores | 16 | 28+75% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
A critical advantage for the Radeon RX 6500M is support for FSR 3 / AFMF. This allows it to generate entire frames using AI/Algorithms, essentially doubling the frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios or heavy ray-tracing titles. The GeForce RTX 3060 lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.
| Feature | Radeon RX 6500M | GeForce RTX 3060 |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 3 (Native) | DLSS 2.0 |
| Frame Generation | FSR 3 / AFMF (Driver) | FSR 3 / AFMF (Compatible) |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | AMD Anti-Lag | NVIDIA Reflex |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The Radeon RX 6500M comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3060 has 12 GB. The GeForce RTX 3060 offers 200% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 144 GB/s (Radeon RX 6500M) vs 360 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060) — a 150% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3060. Bus width: 64-bit vs 192-bit. L2 Cache: 1 MB (Radeon RX 6500M) vs 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) — the GeForce RTX 3060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon RX 6500M | GeForce RTX 3060 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 4 GB | 12 GB+200% |
| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR6 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 144 GB/s | 360 GB/s+150% |
| Bus Width | 64-bit | 192-bit+200% |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB | 3 MB+200% |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 (12_2) (Radeon RX 6500M) vs 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 3 vs 4.
| Feature | Radeon RX 6500M | GeForce RTX 3060 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 (12_2) | 12 Ultimate |
| Vulkan | 1.4+8% | 1.3 |
| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Max Displays | 3 | 4+33% |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: VCN 3.0 (Radeon RX 6500M) vs NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060). Decoder: VCN 3.0 vs NVDEC 5th Gen. Supported codecs: H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Decode Only) (Radeon RX 6500M) vs AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060).
| Feature | Radeon RX 6500M | GeForce RTX 3060 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | VCN 3.0 | NVENC 7th Gen |
| Decoder | VCN 3.0 | NVDEC 5th Gen |
| Codecs | H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Decode Only) | AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon RX 6500M draws 50W versus the GeForce RTX 3060's 170W — a 109.1% difference. The Radeon RX 6500M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon RX 6500M) vs 550W (GeForce RTX 3060). Power connectors: Mobile vs 8-pin. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 75.
| Feature | Radeon RX 6500M | GeForce RTX 3060 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 50W-71% | 170W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W-36% | 550W |
| Power Connector | Mobile | 8-pin |
| Length | — | 242mm |
| Height | — | 112mm |
| Slots | 0-100% | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | 85°C | 75-12% |
| Perf/Watt | 148.9+49% | 100.0 |
Value Analysis
The Radeon RX 6500M is the newer GPU (2022 vs 2021).
| Feature | Radeon RX 6500M | GeForce RTX 3060 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | — | $329 |
| Avg Price (30d) | — | $289 |
| Codename | Navi 24 | GA106 |
| Release | January 4 2022 | January 12 2021 |
| Ranking | #341 | #114 |
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