GeForce GT 520 vs Radeon HD 7420G

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.

GeForce GT 520 vs Radeon HD 7420G FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

GeForce GT 520 vs Radeon HD 7420G: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

GeForce GT 520

2015

Why buy it

✅300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (2 GB vs 512 MB).
✅Draws 90W instead of 375W, a 285W reduction.
✅More future proof: Maxwell 2.0 (2014−2019) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon HD 7420G across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2015 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
47.5% HIGHER MSRP
$59 MSRPvs$40 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 5.5 vs 7.9 G3D/$ ($59 MSRP vs $40 MSRP).

Radeon HD 7420G

2013

Why buy it

✅3.6% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $19 less on MSRP ($40 MSRP vs $59 MSRP).
✅Delivers 44.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 7.9 vs 5.5 G3D/$ ($40 MSRP vs $59 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 2 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2013 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌316.7% higher power demand at 375W vs 90W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon HD 7420G is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 3.6% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward GeForce GT 520 instead at 323 vs 316, so for this question the real-game FPS result matters more than the synthetic split.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce GT 520 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 2 GB vs 512 MB of VRAM and a newer 2015 generation instead of 2013. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon HD 7420G makes the most sense to buy today. It is $19 cheaper on MSRP at $40 vs $59, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 44.3% (7.9 vs 5.5), so the value case lines up with the gaming result. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon HD 7420G is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce GT 520 has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GT 520 vs Radeon HD 7420G Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

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.

Radeon HD 7420G

The Radeon HD 7420G is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 24 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 950 MHz to 1000 MHz. It has 2048 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 375W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 316 points. Launch price was $999.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GT 520 scores 323 and the Radeon HD 7420G reaches 316 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GT 520 is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the Radeon HD 7420G uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 768 (GeForce GT 520) vs 2,048 (Radeon HD 7420G). Raw compute: 1.825 TFLOPS (GeForce GT 520) vs 4.096 TFLOPS ×2 (Radeon HD 7420G). Boost clocks: 1188 MHz vs 1000 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GT 520	Radeon HD 7420G
G3D Mark Score	323+2%	316
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	GCN 1.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	768	2048 ×2+167%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.825 TFLOPS	4.096 TFLOPS ×2+124%
Boost Clock	1188 MHz+19%	1000 MHz
ROPs	32	32 ×2
TMUs	48	128 ×2+167%
L1 Cache	288 KB	512 KB+78%
L2 Cache	1 MB+33%	0.75 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GT 520 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon HD 7420G leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce GT 520	Radeon HD 7420G
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GT 520 has 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 7420G carries 512 MB. GeForce GT 520 gives you 300% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the GeForce GT 520 and 128-bit on the Radeon HD 7420G. L2 Cache: 1 MB (GeForce GT 520) vs 0.75 MB (Radeon HD 7420G) — the GeForce GT 520 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GT 520	Radeon HD 7420G
VRAM Capacity	2 GB+300%	0.5 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	Unknown
Bus Width	64-bit	128-bit+100%
L2 Cache	1 MB+33%	0.75 MB

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GT 520 draws 90W versus the Radeon HD 7420G's 375W — a 122.6% difference. The GeForce GT 520 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 250W (GeForce GT 520) vs 350W (Radeon HD 7420G). Power connectors: None vs 1x 6-pin.

Feature	GeForce GT 520	Radeon HD 7420G
TDP	90W-76%	375W
Recommended PSU	250W-29%	350W
Power Connector	None	1x 6-pin
Length	145mm	—
Height	111mm	—
Slots	1	—
Temp (Load)	65°C	—
Perf/Watt	3.6+350%	0.8

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GT 520 came in at $59, while the Radeon HD 7420G launched at $40. On MSRP, Radeon HD 7420G was 32.2% cheaper ($19 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 5.5 (GeForce GT 520) vs 7.9 (Radeon HD 7420G) — the Radeon HD 7420G offers 43.6% better value. The newer card here is GeForce GT 520 (2015 vs 2013).

Feature	GeForce GT 520	Radeon HD 7420G
MSRP	$59	$40-32%
Performance per Dollar	5.5	7.9+44%
Codename	GM206	Malta
Release	August 20 2015	April 24 2013
Ranking	#425	#412

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