Qualcomm Adreno X1-85 GPU vs Radeon Steam Deck 8CU

Qualcomm Adreno X1-85 GPU

2018
Similar parts
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VS
AMD

Radeon Steam Deck 8CU

2023Boost: 1900 MHz
Similar parts
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Qualcomm Adreno X1-85 GPU vs Radeon Steam Deck 8CU 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 X1-85 GPU vs Radeon Steam Deck 8CU: 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 X1-85 GPU

2018

Why buy it

  • Draws 7W instead of 30W, a 23W reduction.

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.

Radeon Steam Deck 8CU

2023

Why buy it

  • 100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (2 GB vs Unknown).
  • Better long-term bet: RDNA 2 (2022−2023) on 6nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
  • More future proof: RDNA 2 (2022−2023) on 6nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 328.6% higher power demand at 30W vs 7W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Qualcomm Adreno X1-85 GPU is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 1.2% in PassMark G3D (3,035 vs 3,000), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
Radeon Steam Deck 8CU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 2 GB vs Unknown of VRAM, the newer upscaling stack, FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, a 6nm process instead of 7nm, and a newer 2023 generation instead of 2018. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Qualcomm Adreno X1-85 GPU makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p, Qualcomm Adreno X1-85 GPU is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Radeon Steam Deck 8CU has the stronger long-term case.

Qualcomm Adreno X1-85 GPU vs Radeon Steam Deck 8CU Technical Specifications

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

Qualcomm Adreno X1-85 GPU

The Qualcomm Adreno X1-85 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: 3,035 points.

AMD

Radeon Steam Deck 8CU

The Radeon Steam Deck 8CU is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 9 2023. It features the RDNA 2 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1900 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 30W. Manufactured using 6 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,000 points.

Graphics Performance

The Qualcomm Adreno X1-85 GPU scores 3,035 and the Radeon Steam Deck 8CU reaches 3,000 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance.

FeatureQualcomm Adreno X1-85 GPURadeon Steam Deck 8CU
G3D Mark Score
3,035+1%
3,000
Process Node
7 nm
6 nm

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureQualcomm Adreno X1-85 GPURadeon Steam Deck 8CU
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 X1-85 GPU has 0 MB of VRAM, while the Radeon Steam Deck 8CU carries 2 GB. Radeon Steam Deck 8CU 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 X1-85 GPU and 64-bit on the Radeon Steam Deck 8CU.

FeatureQualcomm Adreno X1-85 GPURadeon Steam Deck 8CU
VRAM Capacity
Shared System RAM
2 GB
Memory Type
Shared
GDDR5
Bus Width
System
64-bit
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (Qualcomm Adreno X1-85 GPU) vs 12_0 (Radeon Steam Deck 8CU). Maximum simultaneous displays: 3 vs 0.

FeatureQualcomm Adreno X1-85 GPURadeon Steam Deck 8CU
DirectX
12.1
12_0
Max Displays
3
0
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: VPU (Qualcomm Adreno X1-85 GPU) vs VCN 3.0 (Radeon Steam Deck 8CU). Decoder: VPU vs VCN 3.0.

FeatureQualcomm Adreno X1-85 GPURadeon Steam Deck 8CU
Encoder
VPU
VCN 3.0
Decoder
VPU
VCN 3.0
Codecs
AV1,HEVC,H.264,VP9
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Qualcomm Adreno X1-85 GPU draws 7W versus the Radeon Steam Deck 8CU's 30W — a 124.3% difference. The Qualcomm Adreno X1-85 GPU is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 1W (Qualcomm Adreno X1-85 GPU) vs 350W (Radeon Steam Deck 8CU). Power connectors: Integrated vs PCIe-powered.

FeatureQualcomm Adreno X1-85 GPURadeon Steam Deck 8CU
TDP
7W-77%
30W
Recommended PSU
1W-100%
350W
Power Connector
Integrated
PCIe-powered
Length
1mm
Slots
0
Perf/Watt
433.6+334%
100.0
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Qualcomm Adreno X1-85 GPU came in at $0, while the Radeon Steam Deck 8CU launched at $0. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): Infinity (Qualcomm Adreno X1-85 GPU) vs Infinity (Radeon Steam Deck 8CU) — the Radeon Steam Deck 8CU offers NaN% better value. The newer card here is Radeon Steam Deck 8CU (2023 vs 2018).

FeatureQualcomm Adreno X1-85 GPURadeon Steam Deck 8CU
MSRP
$0
$0
Performance per Dollar
Infinity
Infinity
Codename
RDNA 2 Sephiroth
Release
December 6 2018
November 9 2023
Ranking
#916
#480

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