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 3090

2020

Why buy it

✅47.6% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 17.7 vs 0 G3D/$ ($1,499 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (24 GB vs 12 GB).

Trade-offs

❌Weaker long-term outlook: RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.
❌204.3% higher power demand at 350W vs 115W.
❌197.1% longer card at 312mm vs 105mm.

RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU

2023

Why buy it

✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 115W instead of 350W, a 235W reduction.
✅Measures 105mm instead of 312mm, a 207mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3090 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 12 GB vs 24 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 17.7 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $1,499 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3090

2020

RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU

2023

Why buy it

✅47.6% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 17.7 vs 0 G3D/$ ($1,499 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (24 GB vs 12 GB).

Why buy it

✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 115W instead of 350W, a 235W reduction.
✅Measures 105mm instead of 312mm, a 207mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Weaker long-term outlook: RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.
❌204.3% higher power demand at 350W vs 115W.
❌197.1% longer card at 312mm vs 105mm.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3090 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 12 GB vs 24 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on Upscaling support instead.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 17.7 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $1,499 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3090 better than RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3090 is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 47.6% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data, 5.3% higher PassMark G3D performance, DLSS 2 Super Resolution, and 328 vs 160 Tensor cores. It also comes from 2020 instead of 2023, which helps its case as the more complete modern gaming card.

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

RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2023 generation instead of 2020, the stronger feature stack with no meaningful modern upscaling stack 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 3090 is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 3090 is priced in an unclear MSRP range at $1,499 MSRP versus an unclear MSRP, and you are getting 47.6% more estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and 5.3% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 100+%. RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU is the newer 2023 card, so it still has a real case if you care more about newer architecture, lower power draw (115W vs 350W), and future-proofing than about squeezing out the strongest gaming value today.

When does RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU make more sense than GeForce RTX 3090?

Yes. RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU is still an excellent gaming GPU in 2026: it is excellent for 1080p, very strong for 1440p, and still capable at 4K with sensible settings or upscaling. It makes more sense if your priority is newer architecture, lower power draw (115W vs 350W), future-proofing, and staying closer to an unclear MSRP more than squeezing out the extra headroom of GeForce RTX 3090. The trade-off is that GeForce RTX 3090 currently gives you 5.3% higher G3D Mark and 47.6% more estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. 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 3090 Benchmark Check

RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3090	RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU
1080p
low	259 FPS	141 FPS
medium	240 FPS	122 FPS
high	201 FPS	104 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	73 FPS
1440p
low	249 FPS	113 FPS
medium	208 FPS	94 FPS
high	162 FPS	73 FPS
ultra	145 FPS	51 FPS
4K
low	167 FPS	50 FPS
medium	138 FPS	44 FPS
high	98 FPS	32 FPS
ultra	87 FPS	27 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3090 Open RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3090	RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU
1080p
low	648 FPS	370 FPS
medium	557 FPS	316 FPS
high	440 FPS	250 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	213 FPS
1440p
low	475 FPS	277 FPS
medium	405 FPS	230 FPS
high	319 FPS	182 FPS
ultra	263 FPS	146 FPS
4K
low	229 FPS	130 FPS
medium	193 FPS	111 FPS
high	161 FPS	92 FPS
ultra	134 FPS	68 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3090 Open RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3090	RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU
1080p
low	909 FPS	826 FPS
medium	745 FPS	679 FPS
high	664 FPS	612 FPS
ultra	574 FPS	538 FPS
1440p
low	711 FPS	628 FPS
medium	583 FPS	510 FPS
high	508 FPS	451 FPS
ultra	434 FPS	391 FPS
4K
low	489 FPS	405 FPS
medium	406 FPS	323 FPS
high	349 FPS	264 FPS
ultra	289 FPS	209 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3090 Open RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3090	RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU
1080p
low	821 FPS	287 FPS
medium	765 FPS	248 FPS
high	675 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	598 FPS	179 FPS
1440p
low	656 FPS	228 FPS
medium	609 FPS	200 FPS
high	534 FPS	167 FPS
ultra	449 FPS	142 FPS
4K
low	475 FPS	140 FPS
medium	443 FPS	118 FPS
high	397 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	299 FPS	78 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3090 Open RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3090 and RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU

GeForce RTX 3090

The GeForce RTX 3090 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1395 MHz to 1695 MHz. It has 10496 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 350W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 82 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 26,594 points. Launch price was $1,499.

RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU

The RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 21 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 975 MHz to 1500 MHz. It has 5120 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 115W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 40 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 25,267 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3090 scores 26,594 versus the RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU's 25,267 — the GeForce RTX 3090 leads by 5.3%. The GeForce RTX 3090 is built on Ampere while the RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU uses Ada Lovelace, both on 8 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 10,496 (GeForce RTX 3090) vs 5,120 (RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU). Raw compute: 35.58 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3090) vs 15.82 TFLOPS (RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU). Boost clocks: 1695 MHz vs 1500 MHz. Ray tracing: 82 RT cores (GeForce RTX 3090) vs 40 (RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU) with 328 Tensor cores vs 160.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3090	RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU
G3D Mark Score	26,594+5%	25,267
Architecture	Ampere	Ada Lovelace
Process Node	8 nm	5 nm
Shading Units	10496+105%	5120
Compute (TFLOPS)	35.58 TFLOPS+125%	15.82 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1695 MHz+13%	1500 MHz
ROPs	112+75%	64
TMUs	328+105%	160
L1 Cache	10.3 MB+106%	5 MB
L2 Cache	6 MB	48 MB+700%
Ray Tracing Cores	82+105%	40
Tensor Cores	328+105%	160

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU supports the newer Upscaling support, whereas the GeForce RTX 3090 is capped at DLSS 2 Super Resolution.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3090	RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 2 Super Resolution	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3090 comes with 24 GB of VRAM, while the RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU has 12 GB. The GeForce RTX 3090 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 936 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3090) vs 432 GB/s (RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU) — a 116.7% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3090. Bus width: 384-bit vs 192-bit. L2 Cache: 6 MB (GeForce RTX 3090) vs 48 MB (RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU) — the RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3090	RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU
VRAM Capacity	24 GB+100%	12 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6X	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	936 GB/s+117%	432 GB/s
Bus Width	384-bit+100%	192-bit
L2 Cache	6 MB	48 MB+700%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3090) vs 12 Ultimate (12_2) (RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3090	RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12 Ultimate (12_2)
Vulkan	1.4+8%	1.3
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th gen (GeForce RTX 3090) vs NVENC 8th Gen (RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU). Decoder: NVDEC 5th gen vs NVDEC 5th Gen. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1 (GeForce RTX 3090) vs H.264,H.265,AV1 (RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3090	RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU
Encoder	NVENC 7th gen	NVENC 8th Gen
Decoder	NVDEC 5th gen	NVDEC 5th Gen
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1	H.264,H.265,AV1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3090 draws 350W versus the RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU's 115W — a 101.1% difference. The RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 750W (GeForce RTX 3090) vs 650W (RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU). Power connectors: 2x 8-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 312mm vs 105mm, occupying 3 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 85.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3090	RTX 3500 Ada Generation Embedded GPU
TDP	350W	115W-67%
Recommended PSU	750W	650W-13%
Power Connector	2x 8-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	312mm	105mm
Height	140mm	82mm
Slots	3	0-100%
Temp (Load)	85°C	85
Perf/Watt	76.0	219.7+189%