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 3090

2020

Why buy it

✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (24 GB vs 16 GB).

Trade-offs

❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
❌
131% HIGHER MSRP
$1,499 MSRPvs$649 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 17.7 vs 38.5 G3D/$ ($1,499 MSRP vs $649 MSRP).
❌16.7% higher power demand at 350W vs 300W.
❌16.9% longer card at 312mm vs 267mm.

Radeon RX 6800 XT

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $850 less on MSRP ($649 MSRP vs $1,499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 117.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 38.5 vs 17.7 G3D/$ ($649 MSRP vs $1,499 MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
✅Draws 300W instead of 350W, a 50W reduction.
✅Measures 267mm instead of 312mm, a 45mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 16 GB vs 24 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR 3 (2023) instead.

GeForce RTX 3090

2020

Radeon RX 6800 XT

2020

Why buy it

✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (24 GB vs 16 GB).

Why buy it

✅Costs $850 less on MSRP ($649 MSRP vs $1,499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 117.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 38.5 vs 17.7 G3D/$ ($649 MSRP vs $1,499 MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
✅Draws 300W instead of 350W, a 50W reduction.
✅Measures 267mm instead of 312mm, a 45mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
❌
131% HIGHER MSRP
$1,499 MSRPvs$649 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 17.7 vs 38.5 G3D/$ ($1,499 MSRP vs $649 MSRP).
❌16.7% higher power demand at 350W vs 300W.
❌16.9% longer card at 312mm vs 267mm.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 16 GB vs 24 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR 3 (2023) instead.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3090 better than Radeon RX 6800 XT?

Yes, but this is not really about a huge raw performance gap. The broader synthetic picture is also very close at 26,594 vs 24,995 in G3D Mark. The bigger reason to prefer GeForce RTX 3090 is the overall package: you are getting DLSS Super Resolution.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce RTX 3090 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more VRAM at 24 GB instead of 16 GB and the stronger feature stack with DLSS Super Resolution instead of FSR 3 + AFMF. That extra memory headroom makes it the safer pick for newer games, heavier textures, and higher settings over time.

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

Radeon RX 6800 XT can still make sense if you find it at the right price, especially around $649 MSRP. GeForce RTX 3090 is still the smarter buy for most people, though, because the raw performance is close while the overall package is cleaner. GeForce RTX 3090 is about 131.0% more expensive on MSRP at $1,499 MSRP versus $649 MSRP, and you are getting 6.4% higher G3D Mark. Moving to $1,499 MSRP gets you and DLSS Super Resolution.

Is Radeon RX 6800 XT still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. Radeon RX 6800 XT is still a strong gaming card in 2026: it is excellent for 1080p, very strong for 1440p, and still capable at 4K with sensible settings or upscaling. Price is really the swing factor here. If you find it at or below $649 MSRP, it remains a very sensible buy. GeForce RTX 3090 is still the safer recommendation for most fresh builds because it offers a cleaner overall package with DLSS Super Resolution.

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 3090 Benchmark Check

Radeon RX 6800 XT Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3090	Radeon RX 6800 XT
1080p
low	328 FPS	221 FPS
medium	313 FPS	203 FPS
high	259 FPS	178 FPS
ultra	203 FPS	161 FPS
1440p
low	313 FPS	200 FPS
medium	262 FPS	167 FPS
high	202 FPS	138 FPS
ultra	161 FPS	129 FPS
4K
low	181 FPS	135 FPS
medium	149 FPS	114 FPS
high	106 FPS	90 FPS
ultra	94 FPS	83 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3090 Open Radeon RX 6800 XT

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3090	Radeon RX 6800 XT
1080p
low	702 FPS	565 FPS
medium	599 FPS	477 FPS
high	472 FPS	382 FPS
ultra	413 FPS	327 FPS
1440p
low	500 FPS	359 FPS
medium	420 FPS	296 FPS
high	331 FPS	246 FPS
ultra	276 FPS	201 FPS
4K
low	242 FPS	150 FPS
medium	201 FPS	132 FPS
high	167 FPS	111 FPS
ultra	141 FPS	89 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3090 Open Radeon RX 6800 XT

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3090	Radeon RX 6800 XT
1080p
low	999 FPS	924 FPS
medium	957 FPS	767 FPS
high	798 FPS	683 FPS
ultra	598 FPS	562 FPS
1440p
low	898 FPS	714 FPS
medium	718 FPS	587 FPS
high	598 FPS	510 FPS
ultra	449 FPS	422 FPS
4K
low	569 FPS	498 FPS
medium	479 FPS	412 FPS
high	399 FPS	353 FPS
ultra	299 FPS	281 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3090 Open Radeon RX 6800 XT

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3090	Radeon RX 6800 XT
1080p
low	904 FPS	663 FPS
medium	841 FPS	552 FPS
high	733 FPS	487 FPS
ultra	598 FPS	439 FPS
1440p
low	707 FPS	553 FPS
medium	658 FPS	466 FPS
high	570 FPS	407 FPS
ultra	449 FPS	359 FPS
4K
low	513 FPS	355 FPS
medium	479 FPS	309 FPS
high	399 FPS	285 FPS
ultra	299 FPS	252 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3090 Open Radeon RX 6800 XT

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3090 and Radeon RX 6800 XT

GeForce RTX 3090

The GeForce RTX 3090 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1395 MHz to 1695 MHz. It has 10496 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 350W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 82 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 26,594 points. Launch price was $1,499.

Radeon RX 6800 XT

The Radeon RX 6800 XT is manufactured by AMD. It was released in October 28 2020. It features the RDNA 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1825 MHz to 2250 MHz. It has 4608 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 300W. Manufactured using 7 nm process technology. It features 72 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 24,995 points. Launch price was $649.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3090 scores 26,594 versus the Radeon RX 6800 XT's 24,995 — the GeForce RTX 3090 leads by 6.4%. The GeForce RTX 3090 is built on Ampere while the Radeon RX 6800 XT uses RDNA 2.0, both on 8 nm vs 7 nm. Shader units: 10,496 (GeForce RTX 3090) vs 4,608 (Radeon RX 6800 XT). Raw compute: 35.58 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3090) vs 20.74 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 6800 XT). Boost clocks: 1695 MHz vs 2250 MHz. Ray tracing: 82 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3090) vs 72 (Radeon RX 6800 XT) with 328 Tensor cores.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3090	Radeon RX 6800 XT
G3D Mark Score	26,594+6%	24,995
Architecture	Ampere	RDNA 2.0
Process Node	8 nm	7 nm
Shading Units	10496+128%	4608
Compute (TFLOPS)	35.58 TFLOPS+72%	20.74 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1695 MHz	2250 MHz+33%
ROPs	112	128+14%
TMUs	328+14%	288
L1 Cache	10.3 MB+930%	1 MB
L2 Cache	6 MB+50%	4 MB
Ray Tracing Cores	82+14%	72

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the Radeon RX 6800 XT is support for FSR Frame Generation + 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 3090 lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.The GeForce RTX 3090 gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Radeon RX 6800 XT relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3090	Radeon RX 6800 XT
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 3090 comes with 24 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon RX 6800 XT has 16 GB. The GeForce RTX 3090 offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 936 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3090) vs 512 GB/s (Radeon RX 6800 XT) — a 82.8% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3090. Bus width: 384-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 6 MB (GeForce RTX 3090) vs 4 MB (Radeon RX 6800 XT) — the GeForce RTX 3090 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3090	Radeon RX 6800 XT
VRAM Capacity	24 GB+50%	16 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6X	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	936 GB/s+83%	512 GB/s
Bus Width	384-bit+50%	256-bit
L2 Cache	6 MB+50%	4 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3090) vs 12 Ultimate (12_2) (Radeon RX 6800 XT). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3090	Radeon RX 6800 XT
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12 Ultimate (12_2)
Vulkan	1.4+8%	1.3
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th gen (GeForce RTX 3090) vs VCN 3.0 (Radeon RX 6800 XT). Decoder: NVDEC 5th gen vs VCN 3.0. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1 (GeForce RTX 3090) vs H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1 (Radeon RX 6800 XT).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3090	Radeon RX 6800 XT
Encoder	NVENC 7th gen	VCN 3.0
Decoder	NVDEC 5th gen	VCN 3.0
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1	H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3090 draws 350W versus the Radeon RX 6800 XT's 300W — a 15.4% difference. The Radeon RX 6800 XT is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 750W (GeForce RTX 3090) vs 750W (Radeon RX 6800 XT). Power connectors: 2x 8-pin vs 2x 8-pin. Card length: 312mm vs 267mm, occupying 3 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 75.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3090	Radeon RX 6800 XT
TDP	350W	300W-14%
Recommended PSU	750W	750W
Power Connector	2x 8-pin	2x 8-pin
Length	312mm	267mm
Height	140mm	120mm
Slots	3	2-33%
Temp (Load)	85°C	75-12%
Perf/Watt	76.0	83.3+10%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3090 launched at $1499 MSRP, while the Radeon RX 6800 XT launched at $649. The Radeon RX 6800 XT costs 56.7% less ($850 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 17.7 (GeForce RTX 3090) vs 38.5 (Radeon RX 6800 XT) — the Radeon RX 6800 XT offers 117.5% better value.