HD Graphics 520 vs Radeon HD 8500M/8700M

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.

HD Graphics 520 vs Radeon HD 8500M/8700M 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.

HD Graphics 520 vs Radeon HD 8500M/8700M: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

HD Graphics 520

2015

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 8.6 vs 0 G3D/$ ($100 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Draws 15W instead of 50W, a 35W reduction.
✅More future proof: Generation 9.0 (2015−2016) on 14nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 512 MB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2015 hardware with Unknown of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Radeon HD 8500M/8700M

2013

Why buy it

✅100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (512 MB vs Unknown).
✅HD Graphics 520 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon HD 8500M/8700M is the less risky modern option long term.

Trade-offs

❌2013 hardware with 512 MB 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 8.6 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $100 MSRP).
❌233.3% higher power demand at 50W vs 15W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

HD Graphics 520 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 0.9% in PassMark G3D (861 vs 853), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.

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

Radeon HD 8500M/8700M is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 512 MB vs Unknown of VRAM and the newer upscaling stack, FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

HD Graphics 520 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p, HD Graphics 520 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Radeon HD 8500M/8700M has the stronger long-term case.

HD Graphics 520 vs Radeon HD 8500M/8700M Technical Specifications

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

HD Graphics 520

The HD Graphics 520 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in September 1 2015. It features the Generation 9.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 300 MHz to 900 MHz. It has 192 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 15W. Manufactured using 14 nm+ process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 861 points.

Radeon HD 8500M/8700M

The Radeon HD 8500M/8700M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 1 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 725 MHz to 775 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 853 points.

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Graphics Performance

The HD Graphics 520 scores 861 and the Radeon HD 8500M/8700M reaches 853 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The HD Graphics 520 is built on Generation 9.0 while the Radeon HD 8500M/8700M uses GCN 1.0, both on 14 nm+ vs 28 nm. Shader units: 192 (HD Graphics 520) vs 640 (Radeon HD 8500M/8700M). Raw compute: 0.3456 TFLOPS (HD Graphics 520) vs 0.992 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 8500M/8700M). Boost clocks: 900 MHz vs 775 MHz.

Feature	HD Graphics 520	Radeon HD 8500M/8700M
G3D Mark Score	861	853
Architecture	Generation 9.0	GCN 1.0
Process Node	14 nm+	28 nm
Shading Units	192	640+233%
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.3456 TFLOPS	0.992 TFLOPS+187%
Boost Clock	900 MHz+16%	775 MHz
ROPs	3	16+433%
TMUs	24	40+67%

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	HD Graphics 520	Radeon HD 8500M/8700M
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	Standard	AMD Anti-Lag

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The HD Graphics 520 has 0 MB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 8500M/8700M carries 512 MB. Radeon HD 8500M/8700M gives you 100+% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is System on the HD Graphics 520 and System on the Radeon HD 8500M/8700M.

Feature	HD Graphics 520	Radeon HD 8500M/8700M
VRAM Capacity	Shared System RAM	0.5 GB
Memory Type	Shared	Shared
Memory Bandwidth	System	System
Bus Width	System	System

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Power & Dimensions

The HD Graphics 520 draws 15W versus the Radeon HD 8500M/8700M's 50W — a 107.7% difference. The HD Graphics 520 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 1W (HD Graphics 520) vs 350W (Radeon HD 8500M/8700M). Power connectors: Integrated vs 1x 6-pin.

Feature	HD Graphics 520	Radeon HD 8500M/8700M
TDP	15W-70%	50W
Recommended PSU	1W-100%	350W
Power Connector	Integrated	1x 6-pin
Length	—	1mm
Slots	—	0
Perf/Watt	57.4+236%	17.1

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Value Analysis

The newer card here is HD Graphics 520 (2015 vs 2013).

Feature	HD Graphics 520	Radeon HD 8500M/8700M
MSRP	$100	—
Codename	Skylake GT2	Venus
Release	September 1 2015	April 1 2013
Ranking	#929	#745

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