Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3
Radeon R9 M385X
Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 vs Radeon R9 M385X 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 M385X 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.
Path of Exile 2
Counter-Strike 2
League of Legends
Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 vs Radeon R9 M385X: 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
2018Why buy it
- ✅Draws 7W instead of 75W, a 68W 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.
- ❌99.7% HIGHER MSRP$599 MSRPvs$300 MSRP
- ❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 3.3 vs 6.6 G3D/$ ($599 MSRP vs $300 MSRP).
Radeon R9 M385X
2015Why buy it
- ✅Costs $299 less on MSRP ($300 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
- ✅Delivers 104.5% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 6.6 vs 3.3 G3D/$ ($300 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
- ✅100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (512 MB vs Unknown).
- ✅Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon R9 M385X is the less risky modern option long term.
Trade-offs
- ❌2015 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
- ❌971.4% higher power demand at 75W vs 7W.
Quick Answers
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Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 vs Radeon R9 M385X 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 R9 M385X
The Radeon R9 M385X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in May 5 2015. It features the GCN 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1000 MHz to 1100 MHz. It has 896 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,994 points.
Graphics Performance
The Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 scores 1,947 and the Radeon R9 M385X reaches 1,994 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance.
| Feature | Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 | Radeon R9 M385X |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 1,947 | 1,994+2% |
| Process Node | 7 nm | 28 nm |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 | Radeon R9 M385X |
|---|---|---|
| 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 M385X carries 512 MB. Radeon R9 M385X 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 M385X.
| Feature | Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 | Radeon R9 M385X |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | Shared System RAM | 0.5 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 M385X's 75W — a 165.9% difference. The Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 1W (Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3) vs 350W (Radeon R9 M385X). Power connectors: Integrated vs Mobile.
| Feature | Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 | Radeon R9 M385X |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 7W-91% | 75W |
| Recommended PSU | 1W-100% | 350W |
| Power Connector | Integrated | Mobile |
| Length | — | 0mm |
| Height | — | 0mm |
| Slots | — | 0 |
| Temp (Load) | — | 85 |
| Perf/Watt | 278.1+945% | 26.6 |
Value Analysis
At launch, the Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 came in at $599, while the Radeon R9 M385X launched at $300. On MSRP, Radeon R9 M385X was 49.9% cheaper ($299 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 3.3 (Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3) vs 6.6 (Radeon R9 M385X) — the Radeon R9 M385X offers 100% better value. The newer card here is Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 (2018 vs 2015).
| Feature | Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 | Radeon R9 M385X |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $599 | $300-50% |
| Performance per Dollar | 3.3 | 6.6+100% |
| Codename | — | Strato |
| Release | December 6 2018 | May 5 2015 |
| Ranking | #915 | #681 |
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