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

✅2.8% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $250 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 228% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 50.3 vs 15.3 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).

Trade-offs

❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
❌Weaker long-term outlook: Radeon RX 780 is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.

Radeon RX 780

2024

Why buy it

✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
✅More future proof: RDNA 3.0 (2022−2026) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅More future proof: RDNA 3.0 (2022−2026) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3050 8GB across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR 3 (2023) instead.
❌
100.4% HIGHER MSRP
$499 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 15.3 vs 50.3 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3050 8GB

2022

Radeon RX 780

2024

Why buy it

✅2.8% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $250 less on MSRP ($249 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 228% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 50.3 vs 15.3 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).

Why buy it

✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
✅More future proof: RDNA 3.0 (2022−2026) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅More future proof: RDNA 3.0 (2022−2026) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
❌Weaker long-term outlook: Radeon RX 780 is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3050 8GB across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR 3 (2023) instead.
❌
100.4% HIGHER MSRP
$499 MSRPvs$249 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 15.3 vs 50.3 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3050 8GB better than Radeon RX 780?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3050 8GB is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 2.8% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data, 63.7% higher PassMark G3D performance, DLSS 2 Super Resolution, and 8 GB vs 4 GB of VRAM. It also comes from 2022 instead of 2024, which helps its case as the more complete modern gaming card.

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

Radeon RX 780 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2024 generation instead of 2022, 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 5nm 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 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 $250 cheaper on MSRP at $249 MSRP versus $499 MSRP, and you are getting 2.8% more estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and 63.7% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 228%. Radeon RX 780 is the newer 2024 card, so it still has a real case if you care more about newer architecture and future-proofing than about squeezing out the strongest gaming value today.

When does Radeon RX 780 make more sense than GeForce RTX 3050 8GB?

Yes. Radeon RX 780 is still an excellent gaming GPU in 2026: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It makes more sense if your priority is newer architecture, future-proofing, and staying closer to $499 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 63.7% higher G3D Mark and 2.8% more estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 228%.

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 780 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	Radeon RX 780
1080p
low	130 FPS	125 FPS
medium	113 FPS	114 FPS
high	99 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	83 FPS	82 FPS
1440p
low	119 FPS	108 FPS
medium	96 FPS	92 FPS
high	81 FPS	77 FPS
ultra	69 FPS	67 FPS
4K
low	64 FPS	59 FPS
medium	57 FPS	51 FPS
high	39 FPS	41 FPS
ultra	33 FPS	37 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3050 8GB Open Radeon RX 780

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	Radeon RX 780
1080p
low	245 FPS	345 FPS
medium	211 FPS	276 FPS
high	165 FPS	230 FPS
ultra	128 FPS	172 FPS
1440p
low	163 FPS	258 FPS
medium	135 FPS	207 FPS
high	112 FPS	172 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	129 FPS
4K
low	89 FPS	160 FPS
medium	74 FPS	135 FPS
high	62 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	49 FPS	86 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3050 8GB Open Radeon RX 780

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	Radeon RX 780
1080p
low	564 FPS	345 FPS
medium	451 FPS	276 FPS
high	376 FPS	230 FPS
ultra	282 FPS	172 FPS
1440p
low	423 FPS	258 FPS
medium	338 FPS	207 FPS
high	282 FPS	172 FPS
ultra	212 FPS	129 FPS
4K
low	282 FPS	172 FPS
medium	226 FPS	138 FPS
high	188 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	141 FPS	86 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3050 8GB Open Radeon RX 780

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	Radeon RX 780
1080p
low	469 FPS	323 FPS
medium	415 FPS	260 FPS
high	336 FPS	223 FPS
ultra	282 FPS	172 FPS
1440p
low	373 FPS	243 FPS
medium	326 FPS	203 FPS
high	237 FPS	170 FPS
ultra	198 FPS	129 FPS
4K
low	200 FPS	144 FPS
medium	175 FPS	126 FPS
high	152 FPS	102 FPS
ultra	126 FPS	85 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3050 8GB Open Radeon RX 780

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3050 8GB and Radeon RX 780

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 780

The Radeon RX 780 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in September 11 2024. It features the RDNA 3.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1295 MHz to 2335 MHz. It has 3840 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 180W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 60 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 7,658 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3050 8GB scores 12,535 versus the Radeon RX 780's 7,658 — the GeForce RTX 3050 8GB leads by 63.7%. The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB is built on Ampere while the Radeon RX 780 uses RDNA 3.0, both on 8 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 3,840 (Radeon RX 780). Raw compute: 9.098 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 35.87 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 780). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 2335 MHz. Ray tracing: 20 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 60 (Radeon RX 780) with 80 Tensor cores.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	Radeon RX 780
G3D Mark Score	12,535+64%	7,658
Architecture	Ampere	RDNA 3.0
Process Node	8 nm	5 nm
Shading Units	2560	3840+50%
Compute (TFLOPS)	9.098 TFLOPS	35.87 TFLOPS+294%
Boost Clock	1777 MHz	2335 MHz+31%
ROPs	32	96+200%
TMUs	80	240+200%
L1 Cache	2.5 MB+233%	0.75 MB
L2 Cache	2 MB	4 MB+100%
Ray Tracing Cores	20	60+200%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the Radeon RX 780 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 780 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	Radeon RX 780
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 3050 8GB comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon RX 780 has 4 GB. The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs System. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 4 MB (Radeon RX 780) — the Radeon RX 780 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	Radeon RX 780
VRAM Capacity	8 GB+100%	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	Shared
Memory Bandwidth	224 GB/s	System
Bus Width	128-bit	System
L2 Cache	2 MB	4 MB+100%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 12 (12_2) (Radeon RX 780). 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 780
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12 (12_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 RDNA 3 Dual Media Engine (Radeon RX 780). Decoder: NVDEC 5th gen vs VCN 4.0. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Radeon RX 780).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	Radeon RX 780
Encoder	NVENC 7th gen	RDNA 3 Dual Media Engine
Decoder	NVDEC 5th gen	VCN 4.0
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9	H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB draws 130W versus the Radeon RX 780's 180W — a 32.3% difference. The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 450W (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 350W (Radeon RX 780). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered. Typical load temperature: 66°C vs 85°C.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 8GB	Radeon RX 780
TDP	130W-28%	180W
Recommended PSU	450W	350W-22%
Power Connector	8-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	242mm	—
Height	112mm	—
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	66°C-22%	85°C
Perf/Watt	96.4+127%	42.5

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB launched at $249 MSRP, while the Radeon RX 780 launched at $499. The GeForce RTX 3050 8GB costs 50.1% less ($250 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 50.3 (GeForce RTX 3050 8GB) vs 15.3 (Radeon RX 780) — the GeForce RTX 3050 8GB offers 228.8% better value. The Radeon RX 780 is the newer GPU (2024 vs 2022).