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

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 50.3 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅Measures 242mm instead of 267mm, a 25mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

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

Radeon RX 6850M

2022

Why buy it

✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
✅More future proof: RDNA 2.0 (2020−2025) on 7nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR 3 (2023) instead.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 50.3 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌10.3% longer card at 267mm vs 242mm.

GeForce RTX 3050 8GB

2022

Radeon RX 6850M

2022

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 50.3 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅Measures 242mm instead of 267mm, a 25mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Why buy it

✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
✅More future proof: RDNA 2.0 (2020−2025) on 7nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

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

Trade-offs

❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR 3 (2023) instead.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 50.3 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
❌10.3% longer card at 267mm vs 242mm.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3050 8GB better than Radeon RX 6850M?

Yes, but this is not really about a huge raw performance gap. The broader synthetic picture is also very close at 12,535 vs 12,274 in G3D Mark. The bigger reason to prefer GeForce RTX 3050 8GB is the overall package: you are getting DLSS Super Resolution.

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

Radeon RX 6850M is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting better upscaling support with FSR 3 (2023) instead of DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) and better frame-generation support with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023) instead of DLSS Super Resolution and a 7nm process instead of 8nm. 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 can still make sense if you find it at the right price, especially around $249 MSRP. GeForce RTX 3050 8GB is still the smarter buy for most people, though, because the raw performance is close while the overall package is cleaner. GeForce RTX 3050 8GB is priced in an unclear MSRP range at $249 MSRP versus an unclear MSRP, and you are getting 2.1% higher G3D Mark. Radeon RX 6850M is the more forward-looking alternative, so it still has a real case if you care more about future-proofing than about squeezing out the strongest gaming value today.

When does Radeon RX 6850M make more sense than GeForce RTX 3050 8GB?

Yes. Radeon RX 6850M is still an excellent gaming GPU in 2026: it is very strong for 1080p, good for 1440p, and more limited at 4K. It makes more sense if your priority is future-proofing and staying closer to an unclear MSRP more than squeezing out the extra headroom of GeForce RTX 3050 8GB. The trade-off is that GeForce RTX 3050 8GB currently gives you 2.1% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 100+%.

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 6850M Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	Radeon RX 6850M
1080p
low	130 FPS	167 FPS
medium	113 FPS	148 FPS
high	99 FPS	131 FPS
ultra	83 FPS	111 FPS
1440p
low	119 FPS	140 FPS
medium	96 FPS	113 FPS
high	81 FPS	101 FPS
ultra	69 FPS	91 FPS
4K
low	64 FPS	84 FPS
medium	57 FPS	71 FPS
high	39 FPS	58 FPS
ultra	33 FPS	50 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3050 8GB Open Radeon RX 6850M

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	Radeon RX 6850M
1080p
low	245 FPS	317 FPS
medium	211 FPS	267 FPS
high	165 FPS	209 FPS
ultra	128 FPS	165 FPS
1440p
low	163 FPS	201 FPS
medium	135 FPS	170 FPS
high	112 FPS	133 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	107 FPS
4K
low	89 FPS	109 FPS
medium	74 FPS	91 FPS
high	62 FPS	75 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	57 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3050 8GB Open Radeon RX 6850M

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	Radeon RX 6850M
1080p
low	564 FPS	552 FPS
medium	451 FPS	442 FPS
high	376 FPS	368 FPS
ultra	282 FPS	276 FPS
1440p
low	423 FPS	414 FPS
medium	338 FPS	331 FPS
high	282 FPS	276 FPS
ultra	212 FPS	207 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	276 FPS
medium	226 FPS	221 FPS
high	188 FPS	184 FPS
ultra	141 FPS	138 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3050 8GB Open Radeon RX 6850M

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	Radeon RX 6850M
1080p
low	469 FPS	487 FPS
medium	415 FPS	397 FPS
high	336 FPS	333 FPS
ultra	282 FPS	276 FPS
1440p
low	373 FPS	384 FPS
medium	326 FPS	313 FPS
high	237 FPS	249 FPS
ultra	198 FPS	202 FPS
4K
low	200 FPS	217 FPS
medium	175 FPS	175 FPS
high	152 FPS	163 FPS
ultra	126 FPS	126 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3050 8GB Open Radeon RX 6850M

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3050 8GB and Radeon RX 6850M

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 6850M

The Radeon RX 6850M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 4 2022. It features the RDNA 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 2068 MHz to 2416 MHz. It has 1792 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 120W. Manufactured using 7 nm process technology. It features 28 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 12,274 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB scores 12,535 and the Radeon RX 6850M reaches 12,274 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB is built on Ampere while the Radeon RX 6850M uses RDNA 2.0, both on 8 nm vs 7 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 1,792 (Radeon RX 6850M). Raw compute: 9.098 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 8.659 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 6850M). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 2416 MHz. Ray tracing: 20 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 28 (Radeon RX 6850M) with 80 Tensor cores.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	Radeon RX 6850M
G3D Mark Score	12,535+2%	12,274
Architecture	Ampere	RDNA 2.0
Process Node	8 nm	7 nm
Shading Units	2560+43%	1792
Compute (TFLOPS)	9.098 TFLOPS+5%	8.659 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1777 MHz	2416 MHz+36%
ROPs	32	64+100%
TMUs	80	112+40%
L1 Cache	2.5 MB+400%	0.5 MB
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB
Ray Tracing Cores	20	28+40%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the Radeon RX 6850M 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 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 6850M relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	Radeon RX 6850M
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)

Both cards feature 8 GB of GDDR6. Memory bandwidth: 224 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 432 GB/s (Radeon RX 6850M) — a 92.9% advantage for the Radeon RX 6850M. Bus width: 128-bit vs 192-bit.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	Radeon RX 6850M
VRAM Capacity	8 GB	8 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	224 GB/s	432 GB/s+93%
Bus Width	128-bit	192-bit+50%
L2 Cache	2 MB	2 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 12.2 (Radeon RX 6850M). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	Radeon RX 6850M
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12.2+2%
Vulkan	1.4	1.4
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th gen (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs VCN 3.0 (Radeon RX 6850M). Decoder: NVDEC 5th gen vs VCN 3.0. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Radeon RX 6850M).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	Radeon RX 6850M
Encoder	NVENC 7th gen	VCN 3.0
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 3050 8GB draws 130W versus the Radeon RX 6850M's 120W — a 8% difference. The Radeon RX 6850M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 450W (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 500W (Radeon RX 6850M). Power connectors: 8-pin vs Mobile. Card length: 242mm vs 267mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 66°C vs 85°C.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	Radeon RX 6850M
TDP	130W	120W-8%
Recommended PSU	450W-10%	500W
Power Connector	8-pin	Mobile
Length	242mm	267mm
Height	112mm	111mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	66°C-22%	85°C
Perf/Watt	96.4	102.3+6%