AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data places the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile firmly ahead of the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL in both shared compute and graphics API workloads. Two benchmarks appear in both databases: Geekbench OpenCL and Geekbench Vulkan. In Geekbench OpenCL, the RTX 3060 Mobile scores 79,483 against the Vega M GL’s 19,549, a delta of -75.4% from the NVIDIA part’s perspective, meaning the AMD GPU trails by roughly three-quarters in raw compute throughput. The Geekbench Vulkan result is similar: the RTX 3060 Mobile posts 80,344 while the Vega M GL manages 22,757, a -71.7% delta. Both deltas indicate the NVIDIA GPU delivers more than triple the score in each test.

The average benchmark score for the RTX 3060 Mobile is 18,159, which sits below its individual Geekbench results because the database includes additional DirectX and Passmark tests with lower scores. The Vega M GL’s average benchmark score is 21,153, derived from only its two Geekbench entries. Despite the NVIDIA GPU’s dominance in the head-to-head tests, the average scores place the Vega M GL slightly higher overall, which reflects the different benchmark suites recorded for each product. The Vega M GL’s percentile among all GPUs is 66, while the RTX 3060 Mobile sits at 62, so the AMD part ranks higher in the overall distribution despite losing both shared tests.

Looking at the nearest rivals for each product adds context. The Vega M GL’s closest competitors include the AMD Radeon HD 8970M with an average score of 21,237 (-0.4% delta), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 at 21,035 (+0.6%), the NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile at 21,379 (-1.1%), and the AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT at 20,713 (+2.1%). The RTX 3060 Mobile’s nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon Pro 5700 at 18,189 (-0.2%), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 SUPER at 18,093 (+0.4%), the AMD Radeon RX 460 at 18,373 (-1.2%), and the Intel Arc A770M at 18,383 (-1.2%). The delta percentages show that both GPUs perform within a few percent of their immediate neighbors, so neither product is an outlier in its own performance tier.

Where Each One Wins

The RTX 3060 Mobile wins both recorded head-to-head benchmarks, so the use-case split is straightforward from the data. For any workload that relies on OpenCL compute, the RTX 3060 Mobile’s 79,483 score versus 19,549 represents a 75.4% advantage, which translates to faster general-purpose GPU compute for tasks such as video encoding, physics simulation, or data processing that leverages OpenCL. In Vulkan-based applications, the RTX 3060 Mobile’s 80,344 score versus 22,757 gives it a 71.7% edge, meaning the NVIDIA GPU is the stronger choice for Vulkan rendering or compute workloads in games and professional applications that expose this API.

The Vega M GL has no recorded benchmark wins against the RTX 3060 Mobile. However, its average benchmark score of 21,153 exceeds the RTX 3060 Mobile’s 18,159, and its percentile rank of 66 versus 62 suggests that in the broader database, the AMD part performs better relative to all other GPUs when considering its full benchmark set. This does not indicate a win in any specific test, but it does show that the Vega M GL’s limited benchmark entries skew high, while the RTX 3060 Mobile’s additional DirectX and Passmark scores pull its average down. For users who only care about the shared Geekbench tests, the RTX 3060 Mobile is the clear winner. For users who look at overall database standing, the Vega M GL holds a slightly higher percentile position, though that is an artifact of different benchmark coverage rather than a direct performance comparison.

The RTX 3060 Mobile also benefits from a broader API feature set in the data. It supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), Vulkan 1.4, and OpenGL 4.6, while the Vega M GL supports DirectX 12 (12_0), Vulkan 1.3, and OpenGL 4.6. The DirectX 12 Ultimate designation indicates support for features like ray tracing and mesh shaders, which the Vega M GL’s DirectX 12_0 does not include. For applications that leverage those newer DirectX 12 features, the RTX 3060 Mobile has a functional advantage beyond raw scores.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different manufacturers, process nodes, and architectures. The AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL uses the Polaris 22 chip built on GCN 4.0 architecture, fabricated by GlobalFoundries on a 14 nm process. The die contains 5,000 million transistors across a 208 mm² area, giving a transistor density of 24.0M per mm². The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile uses the GA106 chip with Ampere architecture, fabricated by Samsung on an 8 nm process. Its die holds 12,000 million transistors over 276 mm², resulting in a density of 43.5M per mm². The RTX 3060 Mobile’s transistor count is more than double the Vega M GL’s, and its density is nearly double as well, reflecting the newer process node.

Clock speeds differ significantly. The Vega M GL runs at a base clock of 931 MHz and a boost clock of 1011 MHz, with memory at 700 MHz (1400 Mbps effective). The RTX 3060 Mobile has a lower base clock of 900 MHz but a much higher boost clock of 1425 MHz, with memory at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective). The higher boost clock gives the NVIDIA GPU a substantial frequency advantage in sustained workloads, assuming thermal and power limits allow it to hold that boost.

Memory configurations are entirely different. The Vega M GL uses 4 GB of HBM2 on a 1024-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 179.2 GB/s. The RTX 3060 Mobile uses 6 GB of GDDR6 on a 192-bit bus, yielding a bandwidth of 336.0 GB/s. The NVIDIA GPU has 50% more memory capacity and nearly double the bandwidth, which matters for high-resolution textures and memory-intensive workloads. The Vega M GL’s HBM2 interface is wider but runs at a lower effective speed, so the GDDR6 implementation in the RTX 3060 Mobile wins on raw throughput.

Compute resources also favor the RTX 3060 Mobile. The Vega M GL has 1,280 shading units, 80 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. The RTX 3060 Mobile has 3,840 shading units, 120 TMUs, and 48 ROPs. The NVIDIA GPU also includes 30 ray tracing cores and 120 tensor cores, while the Vega M GL has no dedicated RT or tensor hardware. Pixel rate for the Vega M GL is 32.35 GPixel/s, and texture rate is 80.88 GTexel/s. The RTX 3060 Mobile achieves 68.40 GPixel/s and 171.0 GTexel/s, roughly double the fill rates. FP32 compute for the Vega M GL is 2.588 TFLOPS, with FP16 at the same 2.588 TFLOPS (1:1 ratio). The RTX 3060 Mobile delivers 10.94 TFLOPS in both FP32 and FP16, again a 1:1 ratio, but over four times the raw floating-point throughput.

Power draw differs as well. The Vega M GL is rated at 65 W TDP, while the RTX 3060 Mobile is rated at 80 W TDP. The Vega M GL is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) with no separate power connectors and a portable-device-dependent display output. The RTX 3060 Mobile uses a PCIe 4.0 x16 bus interface, has no power connectors listed, and also uses portable-device-dependent outputs. The Vega M GL was released on 2018-01-31, the RTX 3060 Mobile on 2021-01-11, so the NVIDIA part is roughly three years newer.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL has an average benchmark score of 21,153, while the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile has an average of 18,159.

Q: How much faster is the RTX 3060 Mobile in Geekbench Vulkan?

A: The RTX 3060 Mobile scores 80,344 versus the Vega M GL’s 22,757, a delta of -71.7% from the NVIDIA GPU’s perspective.

Q: Does the Vega M GL support DirectX 12 Ultimate?

A: No, the Vega M GL supports DirectX 12 (12_0), while the RTX 3060 Mobile supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2).

Q: What memory type does each GPU use?

A: The Vega M GL uses 4 GB of HBM2 with a 1024-bit bus and 179.2 GB/s bandwidth, while the RTX 3060 Mobile uses 6 GB of GDDR6 with a 192-bit bus and 336.0 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Which GPU has a higher boost clock?

A: The RTX 3060 Mobile has a boost clock of 1425 MHz, compared to the Vega M GL’s 1011 MHz boost.

Q: How do the two GPUs rank among all GPUs in the database?

A: The Vega M GL sits at the 66th percentile, while the RTX 3060 Mobile sits at the 62nd percentile.

The Verdict

The data points to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Mobile as the stronger GPU for any workload covered by the shared benchmarks. It wins both Geekbench OpenCL and Vulkan tests by margins of 75.4% and 71.7%, respectively. Its memory bandwidth is 336.0 GB/s versus 179.2 GB/s, its FP32 throughput is 10.94 TFLOPS versus 2.588 TFLOPS, and it includes ray tracing and tensor cores that the Vega M GL lacks entirely. The RTX 3060 Mobile also carries 6 GB of memory versus 4 GB, a newer 8 nm process, and DirectX 12 Ultimate support.

The AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL, however, holds a higher percentile rank (66 versus 62) and a higher average benchmark score (21,153 versus 18,159), though this is influenced by the different benchmark sets recorded. Its 65 W TDP is lower than the RTX 3060 Mobile’s 80 W, making it a more power-efficient option in absolute terms. It also launched earlier and uses an integrated design, which may suit compact systems where a separate GPU is not feasible.

For users who prioritize compute performance, modern API support, and memory bandwidth, the RTX 3060 Mobile is the clear choice from the recorded data. For users who value a lower power envelope or simply want the GPU with the better overall database standing, the Vega M GL has some statistical appeal, but it does not win any shared benchmark. The verdict from the numbers is straightforward: the RTX 3060 Mobile dominates in every direct comparison available, while the Vega M GL’s advantages are limited to its percentile rank and lower TDP.