GeForce GT 520 vs Radeon HD 7450M

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 7450M 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 7450M: 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

✅22.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 5.5 vs 0 G3D/$ ($59 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (2 GB vs 1 GB).

Trade-offs

❌2015 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌125% higher power demand at 90W vs 40W.

Radeon HD 7450M

2012

Why buy it

✅Draws 40W instead of 90W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GT 520 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 1 GB vs 2 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2012 hardware with 1 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 5.5 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $59 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce GT 520 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 22.0% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward Radeon HD 7450M instead at 330 vs 323, 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 1 GB of VRAM and a newer 2015 generation instead of 2012. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce GT 520 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce GT 520 vs Radeon HD 7450M 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 7450M

The Radeon HD 7450M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 24 2012. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 675 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 40W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 330 points.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce GT 520 scores 323 and the Radeon HD 7450M reaches 330 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 7450M uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 768 (GeForce GT 520) vs 640 (Radeon HD 7450M). Raw compute: 1.825 TFLOPS (GeForce GT 520) vs 0.864 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7450M).

Feature	GeForce GT 520	Radeon HD 7450M
G3D Mark Score	323	330+2%
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	GCN 1.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	768+20%	640
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.825 TFLOPS+111%	0.864 TFLOPS
ROPs	32+100%	16
TMUs	48+20%	40
L1 Cache	288 KB+80%	160 KB
L2 Cache	1 MB+300%	0.25 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GT 520 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon HD 7450M leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce GT 520	Radeon HD 7450M
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

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GT 520 has 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 7450M carries 1 GB. GeForce GT 520 gives you 100% 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 System on the Radeon HD 7450M. L2 Cache: 1 MB (GeForce GT 520) vs 0.25 MB (Radeon HD 7450M) — the GeForce GT 520 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GT 520	Radeon HD 7450M
VRAM Capacity	2 GB+100%	1 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	Shared
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	System
Bus Width	64-bit	System
L2 Cache	1 MB+300%	0.25 MB

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GT 520 draws 90W versus the Radeon HD 7450M's 40W — a 76.9% difference. The Radeon HD 7450M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 250W (GeForce GT 520) vs 350W (Radeon HD 7450M). Power connectors: None vs 1x 6-pin.

Feature	GeForce GT 520	Radeon HD 7450M
TDP	90W	40W-56%
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	8.3+131%

💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce GT 520 (2015 vs 2012).

Feature	GeForce GT 520	Radeon HD 7450M
MSRP	$59	—
Codename	GM206	Heathrow
Release	August 20 2015	April 24 2012
Ranking	#425	#787

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