Radeon 520 vs Radeon Vega 3

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.

Radeon 520 vs Radeon Vega 3 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.

Radeon 520 vs Radeon Vega 3: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

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).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon Vega 3 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2017 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Radeon Vega 3

2021

Why buy it

✅30.9% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Radeon 520 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon Vega 3 is the less risky modern option long term.
✅More future proof: GCN 5.1 (2018−2022) 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.
❌2021 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).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon Vega 3 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 30.9% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 2.1% in PassMark G3D (892 vs 874), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

Radeon Vega 3 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 7nm process instead of 14nm and a newer 2021 generation instead of 2017. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

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. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon 520 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p headroom, Radeon Vega 3 has the stronger long-term case.

Radeon 520 vs Radeon Vega 3 Technical Specifications

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

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.

Radeon Vega 3

The Radeon Vega 3 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 13 2021. It features the GCN 5.1 architecture. The core clock ranges from 300 MHz to 1900 MHz. It has 448 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 45W. Manufactured using 7 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 892 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon 520 scores 874 and the Radeon Vega 3 reaches 892 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon 520 is built on GCN 4.0 while the Radeon Vega 3 uses GCN 5.1, both on 14 nm vs 7 nm. Shader units: 512 (Radeon 520) vs 448 (Radeon Vega 3). Raw compute: 1.211 TFLOPS (Radeon 520) vs 1.702 TFLOPS (Radeon Vega 3). Boost clocks: 1183 MHz vs 1900 MHz.

Feature	Radeon 520	Radeon Vega 3
G3D Mark Score	874	892+2%
Architecture	GCN 4.0	GCN 5.1
Process Node	14 nm	7 nm
Shading Units	512+14%	448
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.211 TFLOPS	1.702 TFLOPS+41%
Boost Clock	1183 MHz	1900 MHz+61%
ROPs	16+100%	8
TMUs	32+14%	28
Frame Generation	FSR upscaling	FSR upscaling

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon 520	Radeon Vega 3
Upscaling Tech	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	AMD Anti-Lag	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon 520 has 512 MB of VRAM, while the Radeon Vega 3 carries 0 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 64-bit on the Radeon 520 and System on the Radeon Vega 3.

Feature	Radeon 520	Radeon Vega 3
VRAM Capacity	0.5 GB	Shared System RAM
Memory Type	GDDR5	Shared
Bus Width	64-bit	System

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon 520 draws 50W versus the Radeon Vega 3's 45W — a 10.5% difference. The Radeon Vega 3 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 250W (Radeon 520) vs 1W (Radeon Vega 3). Power connectors: None vs Integrated.

Feature	Radeon 520	Radeon Vega 3
TDP	50W	45W-10%
Recommended PSU	250W	1W-100%
Power Connector	None	Integrated
Slots	—	0
Perf/Watt	17.5	19.8+13%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Radeon 520 came in at $78, while the Radeon Vega 3 launched at $0. On MSRP, Radeon Vega 3 was 100+% cheaper ($78 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 11.2 (Radeon 520) vs Infinity (Radeon Vega 3) — the Radeon Vega 3 offers Infinity% better value. The newer card here is Radeon Vega 3 (2021 vs 2017).

Feature	Radeon 520	Radeon Vega 3
MSRP	$78	$0-100%
Performance per Dollar	11.2	Infinity
Codename	Lexa	Cezanne
Release	April 20 2017	April 13 2021
Ranking	#668	#601

Search Radeon 520 on Amazon

Search Radeon Vega 3 on Amazon

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.