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

✅+185.4% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅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).
✅200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 4 GB).
✅More future proof: Ampere on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation (2023).
❌100% higher power demand at 170W vs 85W.

Radeon RX 5500M

2019

Why buy it

✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation (2023).
✅Draws 85W instead of 170W, a 85W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (5,954 vs 16,995).
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
❌Weaker long-term outlook: GeForce RTX 3060 is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 51.7 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3060

2021

Radeon RX 5500M

2019

Why buy it

✅+185.4% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅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).
✅200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 4 GB).
✅More future proof: Ampere on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Why buy it

✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation (2023).
✅Draws 85W instead of 170W, a 85W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation (2023).
❌100% higher power demand at 170W vs 85W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (5,954 vs 16,995).
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
❌Weaker long-term outlook: GeForce RTX 3060 is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.
❌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 RX 5500M?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 16,995 vs 5,954 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3060 is a 2021 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Radeon RX 5500M is a 2019 model from an older generation with FSR upscaling + limited Frame Generation. 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 2019, 185.4% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 12 GB instead of 4 GB, and the stronger feature stack with DLSS Super Resolution instead of FSR upscaling + limited Frame Generation. 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 185.4% 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 RX 5500M still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. Radeon RX 5500M is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. 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 RX 5500M Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon RX 5500M
1080p
low	149 FPS	117 FPS
medium	131 FPS	105 FPS
high	118 FPS	85 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	63 FPS
1440p
low	126 FPS	109 FPS
medium	104 FPS	94 FPS
high	92 FPS	73 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	55 FPS
4K
low	67 FPS	46 FPS
medium	58 FPS	43 FPS
high	39 FPS	30 FPS
ultra	32 FPS	26 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Radeon RX 5500M

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon RX 5500M
1080p
low	354 FPS	132 FPS
medium	310 FPS	98 FPS
high	249 FPS	70 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	46 FPS
1440p
low	222 FPS	86 FPS
medium	196 FPS	58 FPS
high	160 FPS	43 FPS
ultra	128 FPS	32 FPS
4K
low	110 FPS	39 FPS
medium	94 FPS	28 FPS
high	77 FPS	23 FPS
ultra	60 FPS	17 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Radeon RX 5500M

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon RX 5500M
1080p
low	765 FPS	268 FPS
medium	612 FPS	214 FPS
high	510 FPS	179 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	134 FPS
1440p
low	535 FPS	201 FPS
medium	432 FPS	161 FPS
high	366 FPS	134 FPS
ultra	287 FPS	100 FPS
4K
low	367 FPS	134 FPS
medium	298 FPS	107 FPS
high	221 FPS	89 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	67 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Radeon RX 5500M

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon RX 5500M
1080p
low	523 FPS	268 FPS
medium	452 FPS	214 FPS
high	383 FPS	179 FPS
ultra	319 FPS	134 FPS
1440p
low	428 FPS	201 FPS
medium	371 FPS	161 FPS
high	298 FPS	134 FPS
ultra	245 FPS	100 FPS
4K
low	279 FPS	103 FPS
medium	259 FPS	80 FPS
high	225 FPS	70 FPS
ultra	186 FPS	56 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Radeon RX 5500M

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 and Radeon RX 5500M

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 5500M

The Radeon RX 5500M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in October 7 2019. It features the RDNA 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1375 MHz to 1645 MHz. It has 1408 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 85W. Manufactured using 7 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,954 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the Radeon RX 5500M's 5,954 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 185.4%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the Radeon RX 5500M uses RDNA 1.0, both on 8 nm vs 7 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 1,408 (Radeon RX 5500M). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 4.632 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 5500M). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 1645 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon RX 5500M
G3D Mark Score	16,995+185%	5,954
Architecture	Ampere	RDNA 1.0
Process Node	8 nm	7 nm
Shading Units	3584+155%	1408
Compute (TFLOPS)	12.74 TFLOPS+175%	4.632 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1777 MHz+8%	1645 MHz
ROPs	48+50%	32
TMUs	112+27%	88
L2 Cache	3 MB+50%	2 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the Radeon RX 5500M is support for FSR Frame Generation. 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.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 RX 5500M relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon RX 5500M
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 2 Super Resolution	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	FSR Frame Generation
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 RX 5500M has 4 GB. The GeForce RTX 3060 offers 200% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 360 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 224 GB/s (Radeon RX 5500M) — a 60.7% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3060. Bus width: 192-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 2 MB (Radeon RX 5500M) — the GeForce RTX 3060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon RX 5500M
VRAM Capacity	12 GB+200%	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	360 GB/s+61%	224 GB/s
Bus Width	192-bit+50%	128-bit
L2 Cache	3 MB+50%	2 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 12 (Radeon RX 5500M). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 3.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon RX 5500M
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12
Vulkan	1.3+8%	1.2
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4+33%	3

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060) vs VCN 2.0 (Radeon RX 5500M). Decoder: NVDEC 5th Gen vs VCN 2.0. Supported codecs: AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP9 (Radeon RX 5500M).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon RX 5500M
Encoder	NVENC 7th Gen	VCN 2.0
Decoder	NVDEC 5th Gen	VCN 2.0
Codecs	AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9	H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the Radeon RX 5500M's 85W — a 66.7% difference. The Radeon RX 5500M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 350W (Radeon RX 5500M). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 242mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 75°C.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon RX 5500M
TDP	170W	85W-50%
Recommended PSU	550W	350W-36%
Power Connector	8-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	242mm	0mm
Height	112mm	—
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	75	75°C
Perf/Watt	100.0+43%	70.0