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

✅148.7% more average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 30% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 39.7 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 4 GB).
✅More future proof: Ampere on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌36% higher power demand at 170W vs 125W.

Radeon Pro 5500 XT

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $130 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Draws 125W instead of 170W, a 45W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
❌Weaker long-term outlook: GeForce RTX 3060 is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 39.7 vs 51.7 G3D/$ ($199 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3060

2021

Radeon Pro 5500 XT

2020

Why buy it

✅148.7% more average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 30% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 39.7 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 4 GB).
✅More future proof: Ampere on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Why buy it

✅Costs $130 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Draws 125W instead of 170W, a 45W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌36% higher power demand at 170W vs 125W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
❌Weaker long-term outlook: GeForce RTX 3060 is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 39.7 vs 51.7 G3D/$ ($199 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3060 better than Radeon Pro 5500 XT?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. GeForce RTX 3060 averages 148.7% more FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 16,995 vs 7,910 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3060 is a 2021 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Radeon Pro 5500 XT is a 2020 model from an older generation with FSR upscaling. 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?

GeForce RTX 3060 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2021 generation instead of 2020, 114.9% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 12 GB instead of 4 GB, and the stronger feature stack with DLSS Super Resolution instead of FSR upscaling. 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?

GeForce RTX 3060 is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 3060 is about 65.3% more expensive on MSRP at $329 MSRP versus $199 MSRP, and you are getting 148.7% more estimated average FPS across 49 tracked games in our benchmark data and 114.9% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 30%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

Is Radeon Pro 5500 XT still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. Radeon Pro 5500 XT is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around $199 MSRP, even if GeForce RTX 3060 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 Benchmark Check

Radeon Pro 5500 XT Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon Pro 5500 XT
1080p
low	149 FPS	83 FPS
medium	131 FPS	72 FPS
high	118 FPS	61 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	40 FPS
1440p
low	126 FPS	73 FPS
medium	104 FPS	64 FPS
high	92 FPS	49 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	31 FPS
4K
low	67 FPS	27 FPS
medium	58 FPS	26 FPS
high	39 FPS	17 FPS
ultra	32 FPS	15 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Radeon Pro 5500 XT

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon Pro 5500 XT
1080p
low	354 FPS	136 FPS
medium	310 FPS	102 FPS
high	249 FPS	74 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	50 FPS
1440p
low	222 FPS	90 FPS
medium	196 FPS	61 FPS
high	160 FPS	45 FPS
ultra	128 FPS	33 FPS
4K
low	110 FPS	41 FPS
medium	94 FPS	30 FPS
high	77 FPS	25 FPS
ultra	60 FPS	18 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Radeon Pro 5500 XT

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon Pro 5500 XT
1080p
low	765 FPS	350 FPS
medium	612 FPS	285 FPS
high	510 FPS	237 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	178 FPS
1440p
low	535 FPS	267 FPS
medium	432 FPS	214 FPS
high	366 FPS	178 FPS
ultra	287 FPS	133 FPS
4K
low	367 FPS	177 FPS
medium	298 FPS	142 FPS
high	221 FPS	103 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	76 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Radeon Pro 5500 XT

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon Pro 5500 XT
1080p
low	523 FPS	156 FPS
medium	452 FPS	123 FPS
high	383 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	319 FPS	86 FPS
1440p
low	428 FPS	116 FPS
medium	371 FPS	93 FPS
high	298 FPS	79 FPS
ultra	245 FPS	64 FPS
4K
low	279 FPS	62 FPS
medium	259 FPS	50 FPS
high	225 FPS	39 FPS
ultra	186 FPS	30 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Open Radeon Pro 5500 XT

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 and Radeon Pro 5500 XT

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 Pro 5500 XT

The Radeon Pro 5500 XT is manufactured by AMD. It was released in August 4 2020. It features the RDNA 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1187 MHz to 1757 MHz. It has 1536 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 125W. Manufactured using 7 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 7,910 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the Radeon Pro 5500 XT's 7,910 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 114.9%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the Radeon Pro 5500 XT uses RDNA 1.0, both on 8 nm vs 7 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 1,536 (Radeon Pro 5500 XT). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 5.398 TFLOPS (Radeon Pro 5500 XT). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 1757 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon Pro 5500 XT
G3D Mark Score	16,995+115%	7,910
Architecture	Ampere	RDNA 1.0
Process Node	8 nm	7 nm
Shading Units	3584+133%	1536
Compute (TFLOPS)	12.74 TFLOPS+136%	5.398 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1777 MHz+1%	1757 MHz
ROPs	48+50%	32
TMUs	112+17%	96
L2 Cache	3 MB+50%	2 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

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 Pro 5500 XT relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon Pro 5500 XT
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 comes with 12 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon Pro 5500 XT has 4 GB. The GeForce RTX 3060 offers 200% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 192-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 2 MB (Radeon Pro 5500 XT) — the GeForce RTX 3060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon Pro 5500 XT
VRAM Capacity	12 GB+200%	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Bus Width	192-bit+50%	128-bit
L2 Cache	3 MB+50%	2 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 12.1 (Radeon Pro 5500 XT). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 0.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon Pro 5500 XT
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12.1
Vulkan	1.3	1.4+8%
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	0

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th Gen (GeForce RTX 3060) vs VCN 2.0 (Radeon Pro 5500 XT). Decoder: NVDEC 5th Gen vs VCN 2.0. Supported codecs: AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs H.264,H.265 (Radeon Pro 5500 XT).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon Pro 5500 XT
Encoder	NVENC 7th Gen	VCN 2.0
Decoder	NVDEC 5th Gen	VCN 2.0
Codecs	AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9	H.264,H.265

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the Radeon Pro 5500 XT's 125W — a 30.5% difference. The Radeon Pro 5500 XT is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 350W (Radeon Pro 5500 XT). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon Pro 5500 XT
TDP	170W	125W-26%
Recommended PSU	550W	350W-36%
Power Connector	8-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	242mm	—
Height	112mm	—
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	75	—
Perf/Watt	100.0+58%	63.3

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3060 launched at $329 MSRP, while the Radeon Pro 5500 XT launched at $199. The Radeon Pro 5500 XT costs 39.5% less ($130 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 39.7 (Radeon Pro 5500 XT) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 30.2% better value. The GeForce RTX 3060 is the newer GPU (2021 vs 2020).