GeForce GT 520 vs FirePro V3800
GeForce GT 520
Popular choices:
FirePro V3800
Popular choices:
Performance Spectrum - GPU
About G3D Mark
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The GeForce GT 520 is positioned at rank 214 and the FirePro V3800 is on rank 268, so the GeForce GT 520 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar GeForce GT 520
Performance Per Dollar FirePro V3800
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce GT 520 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.6% higher G3D Mark score. However, the FirePro V3800 offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.
| Insight | GeForce GT 520 | FirePro V3800 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.6%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.6%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / Maxwell 2.0 (2014−2019)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2010 / TeraScale 2 (2009−2015)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
The FirePro V3800 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the FirePro V3800 holds the technical lead. Priced at $12 (vs $15), it costs 20% less, resulting in a 24.2% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | GeForce GT 520 | FirePro V3800 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+24.2%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($15) | ✅More affordable ($12) |
Performance Check
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 7800X3D 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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GT 520 and FirePro V3800
GeForce GT 520
The GeForce GT 520 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 20 2015. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1024 MHz to 1188 MHz. It has 768 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 90W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 323 points. Launch price was $159.
FirePro V3800
The FirePro V3800 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 26 2010. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 690 MHz. It has 800 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 74W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 321 points. Launch price was $479.
Graphics Performance
The GeForce GT 520 scores 323 and the FirePro V3800 reaches 321 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.6% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GT 520 is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the FirePro V3800 uses TeraScale 2, both on 28 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 768 (GeForce GT 520) vs 800 (FirePro V3800). Raw compute: 1.825 TFLOPS (GeForce GT 520) vs 1.104 TFLOPS (FirePro V3800).
| Feature | GeForce GT 520 | FirePro V3800 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 323 | 321 |
| Architecture | Maxwell 2.0 | TeraScale 2 |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 40 nm |
| Shading Units | 768 | 800+4% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 1.825 TFLOPS+65% | 1.104 TFLOPS |
| ROPs | 32+100% | 16 |
| TMUs | 48+20% | 40 |
| L1 Cache | 288 KB+260% | 80 KB |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+300% | 0.25 MB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | GeForce GT 520 | FirePro V3800 |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 1.0 (Software) | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | Standard | Standard |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The GeForce GT 520 comes with 2 GB of VRAM, while the FirePro V3800 has 4 GB. The FirePro V3800 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 64-bit vs 64-bit. L2 Cache: 1 MB (GeForce GT 520) vs 0.25 MB (FirePro V3800) — the GeForce GT 520 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | GeForce GT 520 | FirePro V3800 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 2 GB | 4 GB+100% |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Bus Width | 64-bit | 64-bit |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+300% | 0.25 MB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 11.0 (GeForce GT 520) vs 11.2 (FirePro V3800). Vulkan: None vs N/A. OpenGL: 4.1 vs 4.4. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.
| Feature | GeForce GT 520 | FirePro V3800 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 11.0 | 11.2+2% |
| Vulkan | None | N/A |
| OpenGL | 4.1 | 4.4+7% |
| Max Displays | 2 | 2 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: No (GeForce GT 520) vs None (FirePro V3800). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP4 vs UVD 2.3. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP (GeForce GT 520) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (FirePro V3800).
| Feature | GeForce GT 520 | FirePro V3800 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | No | None |
| Decoder | PureVideo HD VP4 | UVD 2.3 |
| Codecs | MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP | H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce GT 520 draws 90W versus the FirePro V3800's 74W — a 19.5% difference. The FirePro V3800 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 250W (GeForce GT 520) vs 350W (FirePro V3800). Power connectors: None vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 145mm vs 168mm, occupying 1 vs 1 slots. Typical load temperature: 65°C vs 80.
| Feature | GeForce GT 520 | FirePro V3800 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 90W | 74W-18% |
| Recommended PSU | 250W-29% | 350W |
| Power Connector | None | PCIe-powered |
| Length | 145mm | 168mm |
| Height | 111mm | 69mm |
| Slots | 1 | 1 |
| Temp (Load) | 65°C-19% | 80 |
| Perf/Watt | 3.6 | 4.3+19% |
Value Analysis
The GeForce GT 520 launched at $59 MSRP and currently averages $15, while the FirePro V3800 launched at $129 and now averages $12. The FirePro V3800 costs 20% less ($3 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 21.5 (GeForce GT 520) vs 26.8 (FirePro V3800) — the FirePro V3800 offers 24.7% better value. The GeForce GT 520 is the newer GPU (2015 vs 2010).
| Feature | GeForce GT 520 | FirePro V3800 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $59-54% | $129 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $15 | $12-20% |
| Performance per Dollar | 21.5 | 26.8+25% |
| Codename | GM206 | Juniper |
| Release | August 20 2015 | April 26 2010 |
| Ranking | #425 | #780 |
Top Performing GPUs
The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
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