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

✅Costs $220 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
✅Delivers 11.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 46.2 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅Draws 170W instead of 220W, a 50W reduction.
✅Measures 242mm instead of 267mm, a 25mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon RX 9070 across 37 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 12 GB vs 16 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation + AFMF 2.1 (2025).
❌Weaker long-term outlook: Radeon RX 9070 is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.

Radeon RX 9070

2025

Why buy it

✅19.1% more average FPS across 37 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF 2.1 (2025).
✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (16 GB vs 12 GB).
✅More future proof: RDNA 4.0 (2025) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
❌
66.9% HIGHER MSRP
$549 MSRPvs$329 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 46.2 vs 51.7 G3D/$ ($549 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌29.4% higher power demand at 220W vs 170W.
❌10.3% longer card at 267mm vs 242mm.

GeForce RTX 3060

2021

Radeon RX 9070

2025

Why buy it

✅Costs $220 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
✅Delivers 11.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 46.2 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅Draws 170W instead of 220W, a 50W reduction.
✅Measures 242mm instead of 267mm, a 25mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Why buy it

✅19.1% more average FPS across 37 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF 2.1 (2025).
✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (16 GB vs 12 GB).
✅More future proof: RDNA 4.0 (2025) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon RX 9070 across 37 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 12 GB vs 16 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation + AFMF 2.1 (2025).
❌Weaker long-term outlook: Radeon RX 9070 is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.

Trade-offs

❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
❌
66.9% HIGHER MSRP
$549 MSRPvs$329 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 46.2 vs 51.7 G3D/$ ($549 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌29.4% higher power demand at 220W vs 170W.
❌10.3% longer card at 267mm vs 242mm.

Quick Answers

So, is Radeon RX 9070 better than GeForce RTX 3060?

Yes. Radeon RX 9070 is clearly the better overall GPU here. Radeon RX 9070 averages 19.1% more FPS across 37 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 25,380 vs 16,995 in G3D Mark. On top of that, Radeon RX 9070 is a 2025 card with FSR Upscaling + Frame Generation + AFMF 2.1, while GeForce RTX 3060 is a 2021 model from an older generation with DLSS Super Resolution. 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?

Radeon RX 9070 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2025 generation instead of 2021, 49.3% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 16 GB instead of 12 GB, and better upscaling support with FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead of DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020) and better frame-generation support with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF 2.1 (2025) instead of DLSS Super Resolution. 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?

Radeon RX 9070 is about 66.9% more expensive on MSRP at $549 MSRP versus $329 MSRP, and you are getting 19.1% more estimated average FPS across 37 tracked games in our benchmark data and 49.3% higher G3D Mark. GeForce RTX 3060 still holds the G3D-per-dollar lead, so the performance win comes with a real value premium. If you are comfortable paying the premium for the stronger gaming result, Radeon RX 9070 is the one to buy. If staying closer to budget matters more, GeForce RTX 3060 still makes more sense on price alone and remains capable enough for modern gaming.

Is GeForce RTX 3060 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 is still a strong gaming GPU in 2026: it is very strong for 1080p, good for 1440p, and more limited at 4K. This mostly comes down to price. If you want to stay closer to $329 MSRP, it remains a strong choice; if you are comfortable paying more, Radeon RX 9070 earns that extra money with a clearly stronger gaming result and a more complete overall package.

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 9070 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon RX 9070
1080p
low	149 FPS	268 FPS
medium	131 FPS	256 FPS
high	118 FPS	217 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	178 FPS
1440p
low	126 FPS	244 FPS
medium	104 FPS	207 FPS
high	92 FPS	164 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	136 FPS
4K
low	67 FPS	140 FPS
medium	58 FPS	116 FPS
high	39 FPS	89 FPS
ultra	32 FPS	81 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Radeon RX 9070

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon RX 9070
1080p
low	354 FPS	463 FPS
medium	310 FPS	386 FPS
high	249 FPS	303 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	249 FPS
1440p
low	222 FPS	326 FPS
medium	196 FPS	265 FPS
high	160 FPS	208 FPS
ultra	128 FPS	172 FPS
4K
low	110 FPS	145 FPS
medium	94 FPS	120 FPS
high	77 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	60 FPS	75 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Radeon RX 9070

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon RX 9070
1080p
low	765 FPS	999 FPS
medium	612 FPS	914 FPS
high	510 FPS	761 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	571 FPS
1440p
low	535 FPS	857 FPS
medium	432 FPS	685 FPS
high	366 FPS	571 FPS
ultra	287 FPS	428 FPS
4K
low	367 FPS	563 FPS
medium	298 FPS	457 FPS
high	221 FPS	381 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	286 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Radeon RX 9070

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon RX 9070
1080p
low	523 FPS	881 FPS
medium	452 FPS	770 FPS
high	383 FPS	685 FPS
ultra	319 FPS	571 FPS
1440p
low	428 FPS	684 FPS
medium	371 FPS	600 FPS
high	298 FPS	519 FPS
ultra	245 FPS	428 FPS
4K
low	279 FPS	458 FPS
medium	259 FPS	409 FPS
high	225 FPS	366 FPS
ultra	186 FPS	286 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Radeon RX 9070

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 and Radeon RX 9070

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 9070

The Radeon RX 9070 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in March 6 2025. It features the RDNA 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1330 MHz to 2520 MHz. It has 3584 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 220W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 56 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 25,380 points. Launch price was $549.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the Radeon RX 9070's 25,380 — the Radeon RX 9070 leads by 49.3%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the Radeon RX 9070 uses RDNA 4.0, both on 8 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 3,584 (Radeon RX 9070). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 36.13 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 9070). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 2520 MHz. Ray tracing: 28 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 56 (Radeon RX 9070) with 112 Tensor cores vs 112.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon RX 9070
G3D Mark Score	16,995	25,380+49%
Architecture	Ampere	RDNA 4.0
Process Node	8 nm	5 nm
Shading Units	3584	3584
Compute (TFLOPS)	12.74 TFLOPS	36.13 TFLOPS+184%
Boost Clock	1777 MHz	2520 MHz+42%
ROPs	48	128+167%
TMUs	112	224+100%
L2 Cache	3 MB	8 MB+167%
Ray Tracing Cores	28	56+100%
Tensor Cores	112	112

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the Radeon RX 9070 is support for FSR Frame Generation + AFMF 2.1. 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 9070 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon RX 9070
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 2 Super Resolution	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	FSR Frame Generation + AFMF 2.1
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 9070 has 16 GB. The Radeon RX 9070 offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 360 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 640 GB/s (Radeon RX 9070) — a 77.8% advantage for the Radeon RX 9070. Bus width: 192-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 8 MB (Radeon RX 9070) — the Radeon RX 9070 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon RX 9070
VRAM Capacity	12 GB	16 GB+33%
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	360 GB/s	640 GB/s+78%
Bus Width	192-bit	256-bit+33%
L2 Cache	3 MB	8 MB+167%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 12 Ultimate (Radeon RX 9070). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon RX 9070
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12 Ultimate
Vulkan	1.3	1.4+8%
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060) vs Dual Media Engine (Radeon RX 9070). Decoder: NVDEC 5th Gen vs Dual Media Engine. Supported codecs: AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs H.264,H.265,AV1 (Radeon RX 9070).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon RX 9070
Encoder	NVENC 7th Gen	Dual Media Engine
Decoder	NVDEC 5th Gen	Dual Media Engine
Codecs	AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9	H.264,H.265,AV1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the Radeon RX 9070's 220W — a 25.6% difference. The GeForce RTX 3060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 650W (Radeon RX 9070). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 2x 8-pin. Card length: 242mm vs 267mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 85.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon RX 9070
TDP	170W-23%	220W
Recommended PSU	550W-15%	650W
Power Connector	8-pin	2x 8-pin
Length	242mm	267mm
Height	112mm	110mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	75-12%	85
Perf/Watt	100.0	115.4+15%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3060 launched at $329 MSRP, while the Radeon RX 9070 launched at $549. The GeForce RTX 3060 costs 40.1% less ($220 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 46.2 (Radeon RX 9070) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 11.9% better value. The Radeon RX 9070 is the newer GPU (2025 vs 2021).