Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 vs Radeon HD 5850

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 8cx Gen 3 vs Radeon HD 5850 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.

Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 vs Radeon HD 5850: 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 8cx Gen 3

2018

Why buy it

✅Draws 7W instead of 151W, a 144W reduction.
✅More future proof: Unknown architecture on 7nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 2 GB 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.
❌
100.3% HIGHER MSRP
$599 MSRPvs$299 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 3.3 vs 6.5 G3D/$ ($599 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).

Radeon HD 5850

2009

Why buy it

✅Costs $300 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
✅Delivers 101.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 6.5 vs 3.3 G3D/$ ($299 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
✅100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (2 GB vs Unknown).
✅Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon HD 5850 is the less risky modern option long term.

Trade-offs

❌2009 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌2057.1% higher power demand at 151W vs 7W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon HD 5850 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 0.4% in PassMark G3D (1,955 vs 1,947), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.

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

Radeon HD 5850 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 2 GB 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 HD 5850 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $300 cheaper on MSRP at $299 vs $599, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 101.2% (6.5 vs 3.3), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 vs Radeon HD 5850 Technical Specifications

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

Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3

The Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 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: 1,947 points.

Radeon HD 5850

The Radeon HD 5850 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in September 30 2009. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 725 MHz. It has 1440 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 151W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,955 points. Launch price was $299.

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Graphics Performance

The Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 scores 1,947 and the Radeon HD 5850 reaches 1,955 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance.

Feature	Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3	Radeon HD 5850
G3D Mark Score	1,947	1,955
Process Node	7 nm	40 nm

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3	Radeon HD 5850
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 Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 has 0 MB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 5850 carries 2 GB. Radeon HD 5850 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 8cx Gen 3 and 256-bit on the Radeon HD 5850.

Feature	Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3	Radeon HD 5850
VRAM Capacity	Shared System RAM	2 GB
Memory Type	Shared	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	128 GB/s
Bus Width	System	256-bit

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Power & Dimensions

The Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 draws 7W versus the Radeon HD 5850's 151W — a 182.3% difference. The Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 1W (Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3) vs 500W (Radeon HD 5850). Power connectors: Integrated vs 2x 6-pin.

Feature	Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3	Radeon HD 5850
TDP	7W-95%	151W
Recommended PSU	1W-100%	500W
Power Connector	Integrated	2x 6-pin
Perf/Watt	278.1+2056%	12.9

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Value Analysis

At launch, the Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 came in at $599, while the Radeon HD 5850 launched at $299. On MSRP, Radeon HD 5850 was 50.1% cheaper ($300 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 3.3 (Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3) vs 6.5 (Radeon HD 5850) — the Radeon HD 5850 offers 97% better value. The newer card here is Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 (2018 vs 2009).

Feature	Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3	Radeon HD 5850
MSRP	$599	$299-50%
Performance per Dollar	3.3	6.5+97%
Codename	—	Cypress
Release	December 6 2018	September 30 2009
Ranking	#915	#682

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