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 3050 8GB

2022

Why buy it

✅24.7% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 53.8% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 50.3 vs 32.7 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $229 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 130W instead of 185W, a 55W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation (2023).

Radeon RX 580X

2018

Why buy it

✅Costs $20 less on MSRP ($229 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation (2023).
✅Measures 241mm instead of 242mm, a 1mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3050 8GB across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
❌Limited future-proofing: older hardware, 8 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in upcoming AAA games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 32.7 vs 50.3 G3D/$ ($229 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌42.3% higher power demand at 185W vs 130W.

GeForce RTX 3050 8GB

2022

Radeon RX 580X

2018

Why buy it

✅24.7% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 53.8% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 50.3 vs 32.7 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $229 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 130W instead of 185W, a 55W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Costs $20 less on MSRP ($229 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation (2023).
✅Measures 241mm instead of 242mm, a 1mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation (2023).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3050 8GB across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
❌Limited future-proofing: older hardware, 8 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in upcoming AAA games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 32.7 vs 50.3 G3D/$ ($229 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌42.3% higher power demand at 185W vs 130W.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3050 8GB better than Radeon RX 580X?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3050 8GB is clearly the better overall GPU here. GeForce RTX 3050 8GB averages 24.7% more FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 12,535 vs 7,495 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3050 8GB is a 2022 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Radeon RX 580X is a 2018 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 3050 8GB is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2022 generation instead of 2018, 67.2% more raw performance headroom, the stronger feature stack with DLSS Super Resolution instead of FSR upscaling + limited Frame Generation, and a 8nm process instead of 14nm. That broader feature stack should age better as more games lean on modern upscaling and frame-generation support.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

GeForce RTX 3050 8GB is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 3050 8GB is about 8.7% more expensive on MSRP at $249 MSRP versus $229 MSRP, and you are getting 24.7% more estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and 67.2% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 53.8%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

Is Radeon RX 580X still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. Radeon RX 580X 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 $229 MSRP, even if GeForce RTX 3050 8GB 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 3050 8GB Benchmark Check

Radeon RX 580X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	Radeon RX 580X
1080p
low	130 FPS	113 FPS
medium	113 FPS	100 FPS
high	99 FPS	86 FPS
ultra	83 FPS	70 FPS
1440p
low	119 FPS	105 FPS
medium	96 FPS	87 FPS
high	81 FPS	68 FPS
ultra	69 FPS	56 FPS
4K
low	64 FPS	53 FPS
medium	57 FPS	47 FPS
high	39 FPS	30 FPS
ultra	33 FPS	26 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3050 8GB Open Radeon RX 580X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	Radeon RX 580X
1080p
low	245 FPS	151 FPS
medium	211 FPS	131 FPS
high	165 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	128 FPS	89 FPS
1440p
low	163 FPS	90 FPS
medium	135 FPS	73 FPS
high	112 FPS	58 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	46 FPS
4K
low	89 FPS	37 FPS
medium	74 FPS	30 FPS
high	62 FPS	25 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	20 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3050 8GB Open Radeon RX 580X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	Radeon RX 580X
1080p
low	564 FPS	337 FPS
medium	451 FPS	270 FPS
high	376 FPS	225 FPS
ultra	282 FPS	169 FPS
1440p
low	423 FPS	253 FPS
medium	338 FPS	202 FPS
high	282 FPS	169 FPS
ultra	212 FPS	126 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	169 FPS
medium	226 FPS	135 FPS
high	188 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	141 FPS	84 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3050 8GB Open Radeon RX 580X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	Radeon RX 580X
1080p
low	469 FPS	317 FPS
medium	415 FPS	270 FPS
high	336 FPS	225 FPS
ultra	282 FPS	169 FPS
1440p
low	373 FPS	253 FPS
medium	326 FPS	202 FPS
high	237 FPS	164 FPS
ultra	198 FPS	126 FPS
4K
low	200 FPS	137 FPS
medium	175 FPS	107 FPS
high	152 FPS	89 FPS
ultra	126 FPS	75 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3050 8GB Open Radeon RX 580X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3050 8GB and Radeon RX 580X

GeForce RTX 3050 8GB

The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 4 2022. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1552 MHz to 1777 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 130W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 20 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 12,535 points. Launch price was $249.

Radeon RX 580X

The Radeon RX 580X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 11 2018. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1257 MHz to 1340 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 185W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 7,495 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3050 8GB scores 12,535 versus the Radeon RX 580X's 7,495 — the GeForce RTX 3050 8GB leads by 67.2%. The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB is built on Ampere while the Radeon RX 580X uses GCN 4.0, both on 8 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 2,304 (Radeon RX 580X). Raw compute: 9.098 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 6.175 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 580X). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 1340 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	Radeon RX 580X
G3D Mark Score	12,535+67%	7,495
Architecture	Ampere	GCN 4.0
Process Node	8 nm	14 nm
Shading Units	2560+11%	2304
Compute (TFLOPS)	9.098 TFLOPS+47%	6.175 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1777 MHz+33%	1340 MHz
ROPs	32	32
TMUs	80	144+80%
L1 Cache	2.5 MB+346%	0.56 MB
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the Radeon RX 580X 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 3050 8GB lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Radeon RX 580X relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	Radeon RX 580X
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)

Both cards feature 8 GB of video memory. Memory bandwidth: 224 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 256 GB/s (Radeon RX 580X) — a 14.3% advantage for the Radeon RX 580X. Bus width: 128-bit vs 256-bit.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	Radeon RX 580X
VRAM Capacity	8 GB	8 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	224 GB/s	256 GB/s+14%
Bus Width	128-bit	256-bit+100%
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 12 (FL 12_0) (Radeon RX 580X). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	Radeon RX 580X
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12 (FL 12_0)
Vulkan	1.4+8%	1.3
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th gen (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs VCE 3.4 (Radeon RX 580X). Decoder: NVDEC 5th gen vs UVD 6.3. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC (Radeon RX 580X).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	Radeon RX 580X
Encoder	NVENC 7th gen	VCE 3.4
Decoder	NVDEC 5th gen	UVD 6.3
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9	H.264,H.265/HEVC

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB draws 130W versus the Radeon RX 580X's 185W — a 34.9% difference. The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 450W (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 500W (Radeon RX 580X). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 242mm vs 241mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	Radeon RX 580X
TDP	130W-30%	185W
Recommended PSU	450W-10%	500W
Power Connector	8-pin	8-pin
Length	242mm	241mm
Height	112mm	111mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	66°C	—
Perf/Watt	96.4+138%	40.5

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB launched at $249 MSRP, while the Radeon RX 580X launched at $229. The Radeon RX 580X costs 8% less ($20 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 50.3 (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 32.7 (Radeon RX 580X) — the GeForce RTX 3050 8GB offers 53.8% better value. The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB is the newer GPU (2022 vs 2018).