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 12GB

2022

Why buy it

✅20.1% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $370 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
✅Delivers 118.6% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.0 vs 23.3 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 12 GB vs 16 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌18.6% higher power demand at 350W vs 295W.

Radeon VII

2019

Why buy it

✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (16 GB vs 12 GB).
✅Draws 295W instead of 350W, a 55W reduction.
✅More future proof: GCN 5.1 (2018−2022) on 7nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 12GB across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
❌Weaker long-term outlook: GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.
❌
112.5% HIGHER MSRP
$699 MSRPvs$329 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 23.3 vs 51.0 G3D/$ ($699 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3060 12GB

2022

Radeon VII

2019

Why buy it

✅20.1% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $370 less on MSRP ($329 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
✅Delivers 118.6% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.0 vs 23.3 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Why buy it

✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (16 GB vs 12 GB).
✅Draws 295W instead of 350W, a 55W reduction.
✅More future proof: GCN 5.1 (2018−2022) on 7nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 12 GB vs 16 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌18.6% higher power demand at 350W vs 295W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 12GB across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
❌Weaker long-term outlook: GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.
❌
112.5% HIGHER MSRP
$699 MSRPvs$329 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 23.3 vs 51.0 G3D/$ ($699 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3060 12GB better than Radeon VII?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 20.1% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data, 2.9% higher PassMark G3D performance, and DLSS 2 Super Resolution. It also comes from 2022 instead of 2019, which helps its case as the more complete modern gaming card.

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

GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2022 generation instead of 2019 and the stronger feature stack with DLSS Super Resolution instead of FSR upscaling. 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 3060 12GB is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is about $370 cheaper on MSRP at $329 MSRP versus $699 MSRP, and you are getting 20.1% more estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and 2.9% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 118.6%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

Is Radeon VII still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. Radeon VII is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is very strong for 1080p, good for 1440p, and more limited at 4K. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around $699 MSRP, even if GeForce RTX 3060 12GB 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 3060 12GB Benchmark Check

Radeon VII Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 12GB	Radeon VII
1080p
low	166 FPS	200 FPS
medium	151 FPS	185 FPS
high	133 FPS	161 FPS
ultra	113 FPS	146 FPS
1440p
low	139 FPS	184 FPS
medium	116 FPS	154 FPS
high	98 FPS	128 FPS
ultra	85 FPS	119 FPS
4K
low	80 FPS	118 FPS
medium	67 FPS	99 FPS
high	51 FPS	75 FPS
ultra	45 FPS	69 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 12GB Open Radeon VII

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 12GB	Radeon VII
1080p
low	494 FPS	370 FPS
medium	425 FPS	321 FPS
high	360 FPS	252 FPS
ultra	323 FPS	203 FPS
1440p
low	372 FPS	235 FPS
medium	310 FPS	204 FPS
high	258 FPS	171 FPS
ultra	219 FPS	136 FPS
4K
low	193 FPS	108 FPS
medium	167 FPS	91 FPS
high	144 FPS	76 FPS
ultra	120 FPS	58 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 12GB Open Radeon VII

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 12GB	Radeon VII
1080p
low	755 FPS	734 FPS
medium	604 FPS	587 FPS
high	503 FPS	489 FPS
ultra	377 FPS	367 FPS
1440p
low	566 FPS	550 FPS
medium	453 FPS	440 FPS
high	377 FPS	367 FPS
ultra	283 FPS	275 FPS
4K
low	377 FPS	367 FPS
medium	302 FPS	294 FPS
high	252 FPS	245 FPS
ultra	189 FPS	183 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 12GB Open Radeon VII

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 12GB	Radeon VII
1080p
low	445 FPS	545 FPS
medium	396 FPS	476 FPS
high	330 FPS	402 FPS
ultra	288 FPS	332 FPS
1440p
low	366 FPS	434 FPS
medium	328 FPS	383 FPS
high	271 FPS	309 FPS
ultra	231 FPS	253 FPS
4K
low	237 FPS	276 FPS
medium	217 FPS	260 FPS
high	186 FPS	224 FPS
ultra	160 FPS	183 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 12GB Open Radeon VII

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 12GB and Radeon VII

GeForce RTX 3060 12GB

The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 11 2022. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1260 MHz to 1710 MHz. It has 8960 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 350W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 70 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 16,777 points. Launch price was $799.

Radeon VII

The Radeon VII is manufactured by AMD. It was released in February 7 2019. It features the GCN 5.1 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1400 MHz to 1750 MHz. It has 3840 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 295W. Manufactured using 7 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 16,308 points. Launch price was $699.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB scores 16,777 and the Radeon VII reaches 16,308 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is built on Ampere while the Radeon VII uses GCN 5.1, both on 8 nm vs 7 nm. Shader units: 8,960 (GeForce RTX 3060 12GB) vs 3,840 (Radeon VII). Raw compute: 30.64 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060 12GB) vs 13.44 TFLOPS (Radeon VII). Boost clocks: 1710 MHz vs 1750 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 12GB	Radeon VII
G3D Mark Score	16,777+3%	16,308
Architecture	Ampere	GCN 5.1
Process Node	8 nm	7 nm
Shading Units	8960+133%	3840
Compute (TFLOPS)	30.64 TFLOPS+128%	13.44 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1710 MHz	1750 MHz+2%
ROPs	96+50%	64
TMUs	280+17%	240
L1 Cache	8.8 MB+836%	0.94 MB
L2 Cache	6 MB+50%	4 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Radeon VII relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 12GB	Radeon VII
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 2 Super Resolution	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB comes with 12 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon VII has 16 GB. The Radeon VII offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 360 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060 12GB) vs 1024 GB/s (Radeon VII) — a 184.4% advantage for the Radeon VII. Bus width: 192-bit vs 4096-bit. L2 Cache: 6 MB (GeForce RTX 3060 12GB) vs 4 MB (Radeon VII) — the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 12GB	Radeon VII
VRAM Capacity	12 GB	16 GB+33%
Memory Type	GDDR6	HBM2
Memory Bandwidth	360 GB/s	1024 GB/s+184%
Bus Width	192-bit	4096-bit+2033%
L2 Cache	6 MB+50%	4 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060 12GB) vs 12.1 (Radeon VII). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 12GB	Radeon VII
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12.1
Vulkan	1.3	1.3
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th gen (GeForce RTX 3060 12GB) vs VCE 4.1 (Radeon VII). Decoder: NVDEC 5th gen vs UVD 7.2. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1 (GeForce RTX 3060 12GB) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Radeon VII).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 12GB	Radeon VII
Encoder	NVENC 7th gen	VCE 4.1
Decoder	NVDEC 5th gen	UVD 7.2
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB draws 350W versus the Radeon VII's 295W — a 17.1% difference. The Radeon VII is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060 12GB) vs 750W (Radeon VII). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 2x 8-pin. Card length: 242mm vs 280mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 89°C.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 12GB	Radeon VII
TDP	350W	295W-16%
Recommended PSU	550W-27%	750W
Power Connector	8-pin	2x 8-pin
Length	242mm	280mm
Height	112mm	125mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	75°C-16%	89°C
Perf/Watt	47.9	55.3+15%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB launched at $329 MSRP, while the Radeon VII launched at $699. The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB costs 52.9% less ($370 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.0 (GeForce RTX 3060 12GB) vs 23.3 (Radeon VII) — the GeForce RTX 3060 12GB offers 118.9% better value. The GeForce RTX 3060 12GB is the newer GPU (2022 vs 2019).