GeForce GTS 250 vs Radeon R5 420
GeForce GTS 250
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Radeon R5 420
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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 GTS 250 is positioned at rank 246 and the Radeon R5 420 is on rank 175, so the Radeon R5 420 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar GeForce GTS 250
Performance Per Dollar Radeon R5 420
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The Radeon R5 420 is significantly newer (2017 vs 2010). The Radeon R5 420 likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The GeForce GTS 250 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon R5 420 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.1% higher G3D Mark score. However, the GeForce GTS 250 offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.
| Insight | GeForce GTS 250 | Radeon R5 420 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.1%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+1.1%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2010 / Fermi (2010−2014)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2017 / GCN 4.0 (2016−2020)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) | ❌ Less VRAM capacity |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | — |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon R5 420 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon R5 420 holds the technical lead. Priced at $20 (vs $20), it costs 0% less, resulting in a 1.1% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | GeForce GTS 250 | Radeon R5 420 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+1.1%) |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
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 GTS 250 and Radeon R5 420
GeForce GTS 250
The GeForce GTS 250 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 13 2010. It features the Fermi architecture. The core clock speed is 783 MHz. It has 192 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 106W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 569 points. Launch price was $129.
Radeon R5 420
The Radeon R5 420 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 20 2017. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1183 MHz to 1124 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 575 points. Launch price was $79.
Graphics Performance
The GeForce GTS 250 scores 569 and the Radeon R5 420 reaches 575 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTS 250 is built on Fermi while the Radeon R5 420 uses GCN 4.0, both on 40 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 192 (GeForce GTS 250) vs 384 (Radeon R5 420). Raw compute: 0.6013 TFLOPS (GeForce GTS 250) vs 0.9085 TFLOPS (Radeon R5 420).
| Feature | GeForce GTS 250 | Radeon R5 420 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 569 | 575+1% |
| Architecture | Fermi | GCN 4.0 |
| Process Node | 40 nm | 14 nm |
| Shading Units | 192 | 384+100% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 0.6013 TFLOPS | 0.9085 TFLOPS+51% |
| ROPs | 16 | 16 |
| TMUs | 32+33% | 24 |
| L1 Cache | 256 KB+167% | 96 KB |
| L2 Cache | 256 KB | 512 KB+100% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | GeForce GTS 250 | Radeon R5 420 |
|---|---|---|
| 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)
The GeForce GTS 250 comes with 1 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R5 420 has 512 MB. The GeForce GTS 250 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 256 KB (GeForce GTS 250) vs 512 KB (Radeon R5 420) — the Radeon R5 420 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | GeForce GTS 250 | Radeon R5 420 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 1 GB+100% | 0.5 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 128-bit | 128-bit |
| L2 Cache | 256 KB | 512 KB+100% |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce GTS 250 draws 106W versus the Radeon R5 420's 50W — a 71.8% difference. The Radeon R5 420 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 450W (GeForce GTS 250) vs 350W (Radeon R5 420). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs None.
| Feature | GeForce GTS 250 | Radeon R5 420 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 106W | 50W-53% |
| Recommended PSU | 450W | 350W-22% |
| Power Connector | 1x 6-pin | None |
| Length | 229mm | — |
| Height | 111mm | — |
| Slots | 2 | — |
| Temp (Load) | 90°C | — |
| Perf/Watt | 5.4 | 11.5+113% |
Value Analysis
The GeForce GTS 250 launched at $129 MSRP and currently averages $20, while the Radeon R5 420 launched at $80 and now averages $20. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 28.4 (GeForce GTS 250) vs 28.8 (Radeon R5 420) — the Radeon R5 420 offers 1.4% better value. The Radeon R5 420 is the newer GPU (2017 vs 2010).
| Feature | GeForce GTS 250 | Radeon R5 420 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $129 | $80-38% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $20 | $20 |
| Performance per Dollar | 28.4 | 28.8+1% |
| Codename | GF106 | Lexa |
| Release | September 13 2010 | April 20 2017 |
| Ranking | #791 | #773 |
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