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 4060

2023

Why buy it

✅101.2% more average FPS across 38 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 35.5% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 65.4 vs 48.3 G3D/$ ($299 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution (2023).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌39.5% longer card at 240mm vs 172mm.

Radeon RX 6500 XT

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $100 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Measures 172mm instead of 240mm, a 68mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 4060 across 38 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.
❌Weaker long-term outlook: GeForce RTX 4060 is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 48.3 vs 65.4 G3D/$ ($199 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 4060

2023

Radeon RX 6500 XT

2022

Why buy it

✅101.2% more average FPS across 38 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 35.5% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 65.4 vs 48.3 G3D/$ ($299 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution (2023).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Why buy it

✅Costs $100 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Measures 172mm instead of 240mm, a 68mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌39.5% longer card at 240mm vs 172mm.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 4060 across 38 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.
❌Weaker long-term outlook: GeForce RTX 4060 is the safer future-proof pick thanks to newer hardware and better gaming feature support.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 48.3 vs 65.4 G3D/$ ($199 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 4060 better than Radeon RX 6500 XT?

Yes. GeForce RTX 4060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. GeForce RTX 4060 averages 101.2% more FPS across 38 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 19,548 vs 9,603 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 4060 is a 2023 card with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation, while Radeon RX 6500 XT is a 2022 model from an older generation with FSR 3 + AFMF. 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 4060 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2023 generation instead of 2022, 103.6% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 8 GB instead of 4 GB, and the stronger feature stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation instead of FSR 3 + AFMF. 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 4060 is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 4060 is about 50.3% more expensive on MSRP at $299 MSRP versus $199 MSRP, and you are getting 101.2% more estimated average FPS across 38 tracked games in our benchmark data and 103.6% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 35.5%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

Is Radeon RX 6500 XT still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. Radeon RX 6500 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 4060 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 4060 Benchmark Check

Radeon RX 6500 XT Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 4060	Radeon RX 6500 XT
1080p
low	167 FPS	107 FPS
medium	152 FPS	94 FPS
high	134 FPS	81 FPS
ultra	115 FPS	67 FPS
1440p
low	137 FPS	95 FPS
medium	114 FPS	80 FPS
high	99 FPS	67 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	56 FPS
4K
low	86 FPS	47 FPS
medium	74 FPS	44 FPS
high	62 FPS	33 FPS
ultra	55 FPS	29 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4060 Open Radeon RX 6500 XT

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 4060	Radeon RX 6500 XT
1080p
low	392 FPS	184 FPS
medium	334 FPS	143 FPS
high	268 FPS	108 FPS
ultra	211 FPS	69 FPS
1440p
low	240 FPS	119 FPS
medium	209 FPS	92 FPS
high	169 FPS	69 FPS
ultra	137 FPS	48 FPS
4K
low	119 FPS	58 FPS
medium	98 FPS	45 FPS
high	82 FPS	37 FPS
ultra	63 FPS	25 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4060 Open Radeon RX 6500 XT

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 4060	Radeon RX 6500 XT
1080p
low	812 FPS	359 FPS
medium	642 FPS	315 FPS
high	551 FPS	234 FPS
ultra	440 FPS	189 FPS
1440p
low	535 FPS	291 FPS
medium	443 FPS	257 FPS
high	379 FPS	196 FPS
ultra	329 FPS	156 FPS
4K
low	365 FPS	166 FPS
medium	297 FPS	145 FPS
high	234 FPS	99 FPS
ultra	186 FPS	70 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4060 Open Radeon RX 6500 XT

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 4060	Radeon RX 6500 XT
1080p
low	746 FPS	325 FPS
medium	613 FPS	251 FPS
high	536 FPS	221 FPS
ultra	440 FPS	186 FPS
1440p
low	594 FPS	231 FPS
medium	486 FPS	173 FPS
high	421 FPS	145 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	118 FPS
4K
low	358 FPS	115 FPS
medium	308 FPS	87 FPS
high	285 FPS	76 FPS
ultra	220 FPS	59 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4060 Open Radeon RX 6500 XT

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 4060 and Radeon RX 6500 XT

GeForce RTX 4060

The GeForce RTX 4060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 18 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 1830 MHz to 2460 MHz. It has 3072 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 115W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 24 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 19,548 points. Launch price was $299.

Radeon RX 6500 XT

The Radeon RX 6500 XT is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 19 2022. It features the RDNA 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 2610 MHz to 2815 MHz. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 107W. Manufactured using 6 nm process technology. It features 16 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,603 points. Launch price was $199.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 4060 scores 19,548 versus the Radeon RX 6500 XT's 9,603 — the GeForce RTX 4060 leads by 103.6%. The GeForce RTX 4060 is built on Ada Lovelace while the Radeon RX 6500 XT uses RDNA 2.0, both on 5 nm vs 6 nm. Shader units: 3,072 (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 1,024 (Radeon RX 6500 XT). Raw compute: 15.11 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 5.765 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 6500 XT). Boost clocks: 2460 MHz vs 2815 MHz. Ray tracing: 24 RT cores (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 16 (Radeon RX 6500 XT) with 96 Tensor cores.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060	Radeon RX 6500 XT
G3D Mark Score	19,548+104%	9,603
Architecture	Ada Lovelace	RDNA 2.0
Process Node	5 nm	6 nm
Shading Units	3072+200%	1024
Compute (TFLOPS)	15.11 TFLOPS+162%	5.765 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	2460 MHz	2815 MHz+14%
ROPs	48+50%	32
TMUs	96+50%	64
L1 Cache	3 MB+1100%	0.25 MB
L2 Cache	24 MB+2300%	1 MB
Ray Tracing Cores	24+50%	16

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Both GPUs support Frame Generation technologies, but they achieve it differently. The GeForce RTX 4060 uses DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation, while the Radeon RX 6500 XT relies on FSR Frame Generation + AFMF. Both can significantly boost FPS in supported titles, but they are not on the same feature stack.The GeForce RTX 4060 gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Radeon RX 6500 XT relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060	Radeon RX 6500 XT
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution	FSR 3
Frame Generation	DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation	FSR Frame Generation + AFMF
Ray Reconstruction	Yes (DLSS 3.5)	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 4060 comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon RX 6500 XT has 4 GB. The GeForce RTX 4060 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 272 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 144 GB/s (Radeon RX 6500 XT) — a 88.9% advantage for the GeForce RTX 4060. Bus width: 128-bit vs 64-bit. L2 Cache: 24 MB (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 1 MB (Radeon RX 6500 XT) — the GeForce RTX 4060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060	Radeon RX 6500 XT
VRAM Capacity	8 GB+100%	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	272 GB/s+89%	144 GB/s
Bus Width	128-bit+100%	64-bit
L2 Cache	24 MB+2300%	1 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 12.2 (Radeon RX 6500 XT). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 2.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060	Radeon RX 6500 XT
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12.2+2%
Vulkan	1.3	1.3
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4+100%	2

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 8th gen (GeForce RTX 4060) vs None (Radeon RX 6500 XT). Decoder: NVDEC 5th gen vs VCN 3.0 (Limited). Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1 (GeForce RTX 4060) vs MPEG-2,H.264 (Decode),HEVC (Decode) (Radeon RX 6500 XT).

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060	Radeon RX 6500 XT
Encoder	NVENC 8th gen	None
Decoder	NVDEC 5th gen	VCN 3.0 (Limited)
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1	MPEG-2,H.264 (Decode),HEVC (Decode)

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 4060 draws 115W versus the Radeon RX 6500 XT's 107W — a 7.2% difference. The Radeon RX 6500 XT is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 400W (Radeon RX 6500 XT). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 1x 6-pin. Card length: 240mm vs 172mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 73°C vs 70°C.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060	Radeon RX 6500 XT
TDP	115W	107W-7%
Recommended PSU	550W	400W-27%
Power Connector	8-pin	1x 6-pin
Length	240mm	172mm
Height	111mm	112mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	73°C	70°C-4%
Perf/Watt	170.0+90%	89.7

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 4060 launched at $299 MSRP, while the Radeon RX 6500 XT launched at $199. The Radeon RX 6500 XT costs 33.4% less ($100 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 65.4 (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 48.3 (Radeon RX 6500 XT) — the GeForce RTX 4060 offers 35.4% better value. The GeForce RTX 4060 is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2022).