GeForce GT 520M vs Radeon R5 235X
GeForce GT 520M
Popular choices:
Radeon R5 235X
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 520M is positioned at rank 253 and the Radeon R5 235X is on rank 209, so the Radeon R5 235X 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 520M
Performance Per Dollar Radeon R5 235X
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce GT 520M is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 2.5% higher G3D Mark score. This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon R5 235X.
| Insight | GeForce GT 520M | Radeon R5 235X |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+2.5%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-2.5%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / Kepler (2012−2018)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+0%) |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | — | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon R5 235X offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon R5 235X holds the technical lead. Priced at $15 (vs $60), it costs 75% less, resulting in a 290.1% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | GeForce GT 520M | Radeon R5 235X |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+290.1%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($60) | ✅More affordable ($15) |
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 520M and Radeon R5 235X
GeForce GT 520M
The GeForce GT 520M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 9 2013. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 941 MHz to 967 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 284 points.
Radeon R5 235X
The Radeon R5 235X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in February 13 2014. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1000 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 80W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 277 points. Launch price was $99.
Graphics Performance
The GeForce GT 520M scores 284 and the Radeon R5 235X reaches 277 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.5% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GT 520M is built on Kepler while the Radeon R5 235X uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 384 (GeForce GT 520M) vs 640 (Radeon R5 235X). Raw compute: 0.7427 TFLOPS (GeForce GT 520M) vs 1.216 TFLOPS (Radeon R5 235X). Boost clocks: 967 MHz vs 1000 MHz.
| Feature | GeForce GT 520M | Radeon R5 235X |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 284+3% | 277 |
| Architecture | Kepler | GCN 1.0 |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 384 | 640+67% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 0.7427 TFLOPS | 1.216 TFLOPS+64% |
| Boost Clock | 967 MHz | 1000 MHz+3% |
| ROPs | 16 | 16 |
| TMUs | 32 | 40+25% |
| L1 Cache | 32 KB | 160 KB+400% |
| L2 Cache | 256 KB | 256 KB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | GeForce GT 520M | Radeon R5 235X |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 1.0 (Software) | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | Standard | AMD Anti-Lag |
Video Memory (VRAM)
Both cards feature 1 GB of GDDR5. Bus width: 128-bit vs 128-bit.
| Feature | GeForce GT 520M | Radeon R5 235X |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 1 GB | 1 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 128-bit | 128-bit |
| L2 Cache | 256 KB | 256 KB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 11.0 (GeForce GT 520M) vs 11.2 (Radeon R5 235X). Maximum simultaneous displays: 1 vs 2.
| Feature | GeForce GT 520M | Radeon R5 235X |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 11.0 | 11.2+2% |
| Max Displays | 1 | 2+100% |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: No (GeForce GT 520M) vs VCE 1.0 (Radeon R5 235X). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP4 vs UVD 3.1.
| Feature | GeForce GT 520M | Radeon R5 235X |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | No | VCE 1.0 |
| Decoder | PureVideo HD VP4 | UVD 3.1 |
| Codecs | MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP | — |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce GT 520M draws 50W versus the Radeon R5 235X's 80W — a 46.2% difference. The GeForce GT 520M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GT 520M) vs 350W (Radeon R5 235X). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 0mm vs 168mm, occupying 0 vs 1 slots.
| Feature | GeForce GT 520M | Radeon R5 235X |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 50W-38% | 80W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 350W |
| Power Connector | PCIe-powered | PCIe-powered |
| Length | 0mm | 168mm |
| Height | 0mm | — |
| Slots | 0-100% | 1 |
| Temp (Load) | 70°C | — |
| Perf/Watt | 5.7+63% | 3.5 |
Value Analysis
The GeForce GT 520M launched at $60 MSRP, while the Radeon R5 235X launched at $49 and now averages $15. The Radeon R5 235X is the newer GPU (2014 vs 2013).
| Feature | GeForce GT 520M | Radeon R5 235X |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $60 | $49-18% |
| Avg Price (30d) | — | $15 |
| Codename | GK107 | Cape Verde |
| Release | January 9 2013 | February 13 2014 |
| Ranking | #792 | #655 |
Top Performing GPUs
The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
You May Also Compare
Similar GPU comparisons based on GeForce GT 520M and Radeon R5 235X
