RADEON E4690 vs Radeon HD 3850

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 E4690 vs Radeon HD 3850 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 E4690 vs Radeon HD 3850: 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 E4690

2015

Why buy it

✅2.7% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Draws 95W instead of 130W, a 35W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 1 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2015 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
211.7% HIGHER MSRP
$558 MSRPvs$179 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.7 vs 2.2 G3D/$ ($558 MSRP vs $179 MSRP).

Radeon HD 3850

2012

Why buy it

✅Costs $379 less on MSRP ($179 MSRP vs $558 MSRP).
✅Delivers 208.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 2.2 vs 0.7 G3D/$ ($179 MSRP vs $558 MSRP).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (1 GB vs 512 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than RADEON E4690 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2012 hardware with 1 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌36.8% higher power demand at 130W vs 95W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

RADEON E4690 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 2.7% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 1% in PassMark G3D (405 vs 401), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

RADEON E4690 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a newer 2015 generation instead of 2012. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon HD 3850 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $379 cheaper on MSRP at $179 vs $558, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 208.7% (2.2 vs 0.7), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon HD 3850 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, RADEON E4690 has the stronger long-term case.

RADEON E4690 vs Radeon HD 3850 Technical Specifications

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

RADEON E4690

The RADEON E4690 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in September 29 2015. It features the GCN 3.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 735 MHz to 1000 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 95W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 405 points.

Radeon HD 3850

The Radeon HD 3850 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in March 5 2012. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1000 MHz. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 130W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 401 points. Launch price was $249.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The RADEON E4690 scores 405 and the Radeon HD 3850 reaches 401 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The RADEON E4690 is built on GCN 3.0 while the Radeon HD 3850 uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 2,048 (RADEON E4690) vs 1,024 (Radeon HD 3850). Raw compute: 4.096 TFLOPS (RADEON E4690) vs 1.761 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 3850). Boost clocks: 1000 MHz vs 1000 MHz.

Feature	RADEON E4690	Radeon HD 3850
G3D Mark Score	405	401
Architecture	GCN 3.0	GCN 1.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	2048+100%	1024
Compute (TFLOPS)	4.096 TFLOPS+133%	1.761 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1000 MHz	1000 MHz
ROPs	32	32
TMUs	128+100%	64
L1 Cache	512 KB+100%	256 KB
L2 Cache	512 KB	512 KB

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	RADEON E4690	Radeon HD 3850
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 E4690 has 512 MB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 3850 carries 1 GB. Radeon HD 3850 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 E4690 and 128-bit on the Radeon HD 3850.

Feature	RADEON E4690	Radeon HD 3850
VRAM Capacity	0.5 GB	1 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	64-bit	128-bit+100%
L2 Cache	512 KB	512 KB

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The RADEON E4690 draws 95W versus the Radeon HD 3850's 130W — a 31.1% difference. The RADEON E4690 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (RADEON E4690) vs 450W (Radeon HD 3850). Power connectors: Legacy vs 1x 6-pin.

Feature	RADEON E4690	Radeon HD 3850
TDP	95W-27%	130W
Recommended PSU	350W-22%	450W
Power Connector	Legacy	1x 6-pin
Length	—	208mm
Slots	—	1
Temp (Load)	—	80°C
Perf/Watt	4.3+39%	3.1

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the RADEON E4690 came in at $558, while the Radeon HD 3850 launched at $179. On MSRP, Radeon HD 3850 was 67.9% cheaper ($379 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 0.7 (RADEON E4690) vs 2.2 (Radeon HD 3850) — the Radeon HD 3850 offers 214.3% better value. The newer card here is RADEON E4690 (2015 vs 2012).

Feature	RADEON E4690	Radeon HD 3850
MSRP	$558	$179-68%
Performance per Dollar	0.7	2.2+214%
Codename	Amethyst	Pitcairn
Release	September 29 2015	March 5 2012
Ranking	#420	#503

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