Qualcomm Adreno 680 GPU vs Radeon 520

Qualcomm Adreno 680 GPU

2018
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VS
AMD

Radeon 520

2017Core: 1100 MHzBoost: 1183 MHz
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Qualcomm Adreno 680 GPU vs Radeon 520 Performance Spectrum

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.

Qualcomm Adreno 680 GPU vs Radeon 520: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Qualcomm Adreno 680 GPU

2018

Why buy it

  • Draws 7W instead of 50W, a 43W reduction.
  • More future proof: Unknown architecture on 7nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 512 MB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2018 hardware with Unknown 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 11.2 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $78 MSRP).

Radeon 520

2017

Why buy it

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 11.2 vs 0 G3D/$ ($78 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • 100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (512 MB vs Unknown).
  • Qualcomm Adreno 680 GPU is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon 520 is the less risky modern option long term.

Trade-offs

  • 2017 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 614.3% higher power demand at 50W vs 7W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Qualcomm Adreno 680 GPU is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 2.1% in PassMark G3D (892 vs 874), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
Radeon 520 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?
Radeon 520 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. Qualcomm Adreno 680 GPU still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

Qualcomm Adreno 680 GPU vs Radeon 520 Technical Specifications

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

Qualcomm Adreno 680 GPU

The Qualcomm Adreno 680 GPU is manufactured by Qualcomm. It was released in December 6 2018. The thermal design power (TDP) is 7W. Manufactured using 7 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 892 points.

AMD

Radeon 520

The Radeon 520 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 20 2017. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1100 MHz to 1183 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 874 points. Launch price was $79.

Graphics Performance

The Qualcomm Adreno 680 GPU scores 892 and the Radeon 520 reaches 874 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance.

FeatureQualcomm Adreno 680 GPURadeon 520
G3D Mark Score
892+2%
874
Process Node
7 nm
14 nm

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureQualcomm Adreno 680 GPURadeon 520
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
Standard
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Qualcomm Adreno 680 GPU has 0 MB of VRAM, while the Radeon 520 carries 512 MB. Radeon 520 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 Qualcomm Adreno 680 GPU and 64-bit on the Radeon 520.

FeatureQualcomm Adreno 680 GPURadeon 520
VRAM Capacity
Shared System RAM
0.5 GB
Memory Type
Shared
GDDR5
Bus Width
System
64-bit
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Qualcomm Adreno 680 GPU draws 7W versus the Radeon 520's 50W — a 150.9% difference. The Qualcomm Adreno 680 GPU is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 1W (Qualcomm Adreno 680 GPU) vs 250W (Radeon 520). Power connectors: Integrated vs None.

FeatureQualcomm Adreno 680 GPURadeon 520
TDP
7W-86%
50W
Recommended PSU
1W-100%
250W
Power Connector
Integrated
None
Perf/Watt
127.4+628%
17.5
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Qualcomm Adreno 680 GPU came in at $0, while the Radeon 520 launched at $78. On MSRP, Qualcomm Adreno 680 GPU was 100+% cheaper ($78 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): Infinity (Qualcomm Adreno 680 GPU) vs 11.2 (Radeon 520) — the Qualcomm Adreno 680 GPU offers Infinity% better value. The newer card here is Qualcomm Adreno 680 GPU (2018 vs 2017).

FeatureQualcomm Adreno 680 GPURadeon 520
MSRP
$0-100%
$78
Performance per Dollar
Infinity
11.2
Codename
Lexa
Release
December 6 2018
April 20 2017
Ranking
#915
#668

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