AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark results in the database paint a clear picture of a decisive generational gap. The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT wins 9 of the 10 recorded head-to-head comparisons, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti manages a single, albeit spectacular, victory.

The most lopsided result comes from the Geekbench OpenCL test. Here, the RTX 3060 Ti scores 78,927 points against the RX 7900 XT’s 12,756, a delta of 518.7% in favor of the NVIDIA card. This is an outlier in the dataset, reflecting a workload where the older architecture’s compute configuration is disproportionately strong, but it is the only test where the NVIDIA card leads.

Everywhere else, the RX 7900 XT asserts dominance. In the modern DirectX 12 workload of 3DMark Steel Nomad, the AMD card scores 5,623 versus 2,626, a 53.3% advantage. This is the most relevant metric for contemporary gaming, and the margin is massive. In Vulkan, the RX 7900 XT posts 71,068 points against 47,784, a 32.8% lead. The AMD card also wins in all four PassMark DirectX legacy tests: DirectX 10 (158 vs. 132, a 16.5% lead), DirectX 11 (340 vs. 163, a 52.1% lead), DirectX 12 (110 vs. 78, a 29.1% lead), and DirectX 9 (322 vs. 234, a 27.3% lead).

The AMD card’s raw throughput advantages are equally pronounced. In PassMark G3D, it scores 29,009 against 20,349, a 29.9% lead. In PassMark GPU Compute, the RX 7900 XT reaches 16,828 against 10,006, a 40.5% advantage. Even in the 2D-focused PassMark G2D test, the AMD card leads with 1,232 points over 989, a 19.7% margin.

The average benchmark scores reflect this overall trend, but with a caveat. The RTX 3060 Ti has an average score of 16,129, while the RX 7900 XT averages 13,745. This discrepancy is entirely due to the OpenCL outlier; the Geekbench OpenCL score of 78,927 inflates the NVIDIA card’s average significantly. Excluding that single test, the RX 7900 XT wins every other comparison by a substantial margin. The percentile rankings also tell a nuanced story: the RTX 3060 Ti sits at the 59th percentile of all GPUs, while the RX 7900 XT sits at the 55th percentile, a difference that is explained by the same outlier weighting.

Where Each One Wins

The use-case split is straightforward based on the recorded data. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti has exactly one domain of demonstrated superiority: the Geekbench OpenCL compute workload. If a specific application relies on OpenCL compute performance as measured by that benchmark, the RTX 3060 Ti is the clear choice. Its 78,927 score is 518.7% higher than the RX 7900 XT’s 12,756, a margin so large that it suggests a fundamental architectural advantage in that specific test. This is likely a niche scenario, but for users with that exact workload, the data is unambiguous.

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT wins everything else. For gaming, the results are conclusive. It leads in 3DMark Steel Nomad (the modern DirectX 12 standard) by 53.3%, and in Vulkan by 32.8%. It also wins every PassMark DirectX generation test, from DirectX 9 through DirectX 12, with leads ranging from 16.5% to 52.1%. This means the RX 7900 XT is not just faster in one API or one era of games; it is consistently faster across the board, from legacy titles to the latest releases.

For general graphics throughput, the RX 7900 XT’s PassMark G3D score of 29,009 is 29.9% higher than the RTX 3060 Ti’s 20,349. For compute-heavy tasks outside of the OpenCL anomaly, the RX 7900 XT’s PassMark GPU Compute score of 16,828 is 40.5% higher. Even in 2D performance, the AMD card leads by 19.7%. The only sensible conclusion is that for any standard gaming or general-purpose graphics workload, the RX 7900 XT is the superior part. The RTX 3060 Ti’s single win is a curiosity, not a trend.

Architecture Differences

The two cards represent fundamentally different design philosophies and manufacturing eras. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti uses the GA104 chip built on Samsung’s 8 nm process. It packs 17,400 million transistors into a 392 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 44.4 million per square millimeter. The architecture is Ampere, from the GeForce 30 generation. Its memory subsystem consists of 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, delivering 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth.

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT uses the Navi 31 chip built on TSMC’s 5 nm process. This is a dramatically denser and more complex chip: 57,700 million transistors on a 529 mm² die, for a density of 109.1 million per square millimeter. The architecture is RDNA 3.0, and the chip carries the codename "Plum Bonito." Its memory subsystem is far larger: 20 GB of GDDR6 on a 320-bit bus, delivering 800.0 GB/s of bandwidth.

The compute resources scale accordingly. The RX 7900 XT has 5,376 shading units, 336 texture mapping units, and 192 ROPs, versus the RTX 3060 Ti’s 4,864 shading units, 152 TMUs, and 80 ROPs. The ray tracing hardware differs too: the RX 7900 XT has 84 ray accelerators, while the RTX 3060 Ti has 38 RT cores. The NVIDIA card counters with 152 Tensor Cores, which the AMD card lacks entirely. The clock speeds tell a story of their own: the RX 7900 XT boosts to 2394 MHz (with a game clock of 2025 MHz), while the RTX 3060 Ti boosts to 1665 MHz. The AMD card’s FP32 throughput is 51.48 TFLOPS versus 16.20 TFLOPS, and its FP16 throughput is 103.0 TFLOPS versus 16.20 TFLOPS.

The power and connectivity profiles are also distinct. The RX 7900 XT has a TDP of 300 W and requires two 8-pin power connectors with a suggested 700 W PSU. The RTX 3060 Ti has a TDP of 200 W, uses a single 12-pin connector, and suggests a 550 W PSU. Both are dual-slot cards, but the RX 7900 XT is longer at 276 mm versus 242 mm. The display outputs differ: the RX 7900 XT offers 1x HDMI 2.1, 2x DisplayPort 2.1, and 1x USB Type-C, while the RTX 3060 Ti offers 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a. Both support PCIe 4.0 x16 and identical API levels: DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous for most users. The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT is the faster card in nearly every measurable way. It wins 9 of 10 benchmark comparisons, with margins ranging from 16.5% to 53.3% in gaming and general compute workloads. Its 20 GB memory buffer and 800.0 GB/s bandwidth provide a massive advantage in texture-heavy and high-resolution scenarios. Its 51.48 TFLOPS FP32 throughput is over three times the RTX 3060 Ti’s 16.20 TFLOPS. For any gamer or content creator using standard DirectX, Vulkan, or general compute paths, the RX 7900 XT is the clear choice.

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti has one specific use case where it dominates. The Geekbench OpenCL score of 78,927 versus 12,756 is a 518.7% advantage. If a user’s primary application is heavily dependent on OpenCL compute performance as measured by that benchmark, the RTX 3060 Ti is the only rational pick. This is a narrow niche, but it exists.

There is also a practical consideration in the data: the RTX 3060 Ti has a lower TDP of 200 W versus 300 W, and a lower suggested PSU of 550 W versus 700 W. For a system with a smaller power supply or tighter thermal constraints, the NVIDIA card is easier to accommodate. The RTX 3060 Ti also has a smaller physical footprint (242 mm vs. 276 mm), which matters in compact cases.

For everyone else, the choice is simple. The RX 7900 XT is the faster, more capable card for gaming and general compute. The RTX 3060 Ti is the right choice only for the specific OpenCL workload where it excels, or for builders who need the lower power draw and smaller size.

FAQ

Q: Which card is faster in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DirectX 12 benchmark?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT scores 5,623 points, which is 53.3% higher than the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti’s 2,626 points.

Q: Is there any benchmark where the RTX 3060 Ti beats the RX 7900 XT?

A: Yes, in the Geekbench OpenCL test. The RTX 3060 Ti scores 78,927 points versus 12,756 for the RX 7900 XT, a 518.7% advantage.

Q: How much more memory does the RX 7900 XT have?

A: The RX 7900 XT has 20 GB of GDDR6 memory, while the RTX 3060 Ti has 8 GB. The AMD card also has a wider 320-bit bus and 800.0 GB/s bandwidth versus 256-bit and 448.0 GB/s.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two cards?

A: The RX 7900 XT has a TDP of 300 W and suggests a 700 W power supply. The RTX 3060 Ti has a TDP of 200 W and suggests a 550 W power supply.

Q: Which card has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The RTX 3060 Ti has an average score of 16,129, while the RX 7900 XT averages 13,745. However, this is skewed by the RTX 3060 Ti’s extreme OpenCL result; the RX 7900 XT wins every other test.

Q: Do both cards support the same modern APIs?

A: Yes, both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

Specification Differences

| Specification | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti | AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT |

|---|---|---|

| Process Node | 8 nm (Samsung) | 5 nm (TSMC) |

| Transistors | 17,400 million | 57,700 million |

| Die Size | 392 mm² | 529 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 44.4M / mm² | 109.1M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 1410 MHz | 1387 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 1665 MHz | 2394 MHz |

| Game Clock | N/A | 2025 MHz |

| Memory Size | 8 GB GDDR6 | 20 GB GDDR6 |

| Memory Bus Width | 256 bit | 320 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 448.0 GB/s | 800.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 4864 | 5376 |

| TMUs | 152 | 336 |

| ROPs | 80 | 192 |

| RT Cores / Accelerators | 38 | 84 |

| Tensor Cores | 152 | N/A |

| FP32 Performance | 16.20 TFLOPS | 51.48 TFLOPS |

| FP16 Performance | 16.20 TFLOPS (1:1) | 103.0 TFLOPS (2:1) |

| TDP | 200 W | 300 W |

| Power Connectors | 1x 12-pin | 2x 8-pin |

| Suggested PSU | 550 W | 700 W |

| Length | 242 mm | 276 mm |

| Height | 112 mm | 110 mm |

| Width | N/A | 51 mm |

| Display Outputs | 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | 1x HDMI 2.1, 2x DisplayPort 2.1, 1x USB Type-C |

| Release Date | 2020-11-30 | 2022-11-02 |

| Launch MSRP | 399 USD | 899 USD |