Radeon 520 vs Radeon Vega 3
Radeon 520
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Radeon Vega 3
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Performance Spectrum - GPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. The Radeon 520 is positioned at rank #112 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Balanced cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Radeon 520
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The Radeon Vega 3 uses modern memory architecture. The Radeon Vega 3 likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon 520 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon Vega 3 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 2.1% higher G3D Mark score. However, the Radeon 520 offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.
| Insight | Radeon 520 | Radeon Vega 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-2.1%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+2.1%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2017 / GCN 4.0 (2016−2020)) | GCN 5.1 (2018−2022) (7nm) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ✅ More VRAM (+100+%) | ❌ Less VRAM capacity |
| Efficiency | Normal Efficiency | Normal Efficiency |
| Case Fit | — | — |
💎 Value Proposition
While current pricing data is unavailable, the Radeon Vega 3 remains the clear technical winner. Check real-time availability to determine if the performance gap justifies the market price.
Performance Check
Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 7800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.
Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Radeon 520 and Radeon Vega 3
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 |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon 520 | Radeon Vega 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 1.0 (Software) | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | AMD Anti-Lag | AMD Anti-Lag |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The Radeon 520 comes with 512 MB of VRAM, while the Radeon Vega 3 has 0 MB. The Radeon 520 offers 100+% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 64-bit vs System.
| 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
The Radeon 520 launched at $78 MSRP and currently averages $78, while the Radeon Vega 3 launched at $0 and now averages $0. The Radeon Vega 3 costs 100+% less ($78 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 11.2 (Radeon 520) vs Infinity (Radeon Vega 3) — the Radeon Vega 3 offers Infinity% better value. The Radeon Vega 3 is the newer GPU (2021 vs 2017).
| Feature | Radeon 520 | Radeon Vega 3 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $78 | $0-100% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $78 | $0-100% |
| Performance per Dollar | 11.2 | Infinity |
| Codename | Lexa | Cezanne |
| Release | April 20 2017 | April 13 2021 |
| Ranking | #668 | #601 |
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