Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 vs Radeon R9 350

Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3

2018
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VS
AMD

Radeon R9 350

2015Boost: 1000 MHz
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Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 vs Radeon R9 350 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 8cx Gen 3 vs Radeon R9 350: 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 300W, a 293W 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.
  • 505.1% HIGHER MSRP
    $599 MSRPvs$99 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 3.3 vs 20.2 G3D/$ ($599 MSRP vs $99 MSRP).

Radeon R9 350

2015

Why buy it

  • Costs $500 less on MSRP ($99 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
  • Delivers 520.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 20.2 vs 3.3 G3D/$ ($99 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 R9 350 is the less risky modern option long term.

Trade-offs

  • 2015 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 4185.7% higher power demand at 300W vs 7W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Radeon R9 350 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 2.6% in PassMark G3D (1,998 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 R9 350 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 R9 350 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $500 cheaper on MSRP at $99 vs $599, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 520.9% (20.2 vs 3.3), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 vs Radeon R9 350 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.

AMD

Radeon R9 350

The Radeon R9 350 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in June 18 2015. It features the GCN 2.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1000 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 300W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,998 points. Launch price was $329.

Graphics Performance

The Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 scores 1,947 and the Radeon R9 350 reaches 1,998 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.6% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance.

FeatureQualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3Radeon R9 350
G3D Mark Score
1,947
1,998+3%
Process Node
7 nm
28 nm

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureQualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3Radeon R9 350
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 8cx Gen 3 has 0 MB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 350 carries 2 GB. Radeon R9 350 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 128-bit on the Radeon R9 350.

FeatureQualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3Radeon R9 350
VRAM Capacity
Shared System RAM
2 GB
Memory Type
Shared
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
Unknown
Unknown
Bus Width
System
128-bit
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 draws 7W versus the Radeon R9 350's 300W — a 190.9% difference. The Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 1W (Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3) vs 300W (Radeon R9 350). Power connectors: Integrated vs None.

FeatureQualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3Radeon R9 350
TDP
7W-98%
300W
Recommended PSU
1W-100%
300W
Power Connector
Integrated
None
Length
168mm
Slots
1
Perf/Watt
278.1+4051%
6.7
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 came in at $599, while the Radeon R9 350 launched at $99. On MSRP, Radeon R9 350 was 83.5% cheaper ($500 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 3.3 (Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3) vs 20.2 (Radeon R9 350) — the Radeon R9 350 offers 512.1% better value. The newer card here is Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 (2018 vs 2015).

FeatureQualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3Radeon R9 350
MSRP
$599
$99-83%
Performance per Dollar
3.3
20.2+512%
Codename
Grenada
Release
December 6 2018
June 18 2015
Ranking
#915
#296

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