Radeon HD 2900 GT vs GeForce GT 520MX
Radeon HD 2900 GT
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GeForce GT 520MX
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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. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Radeon HD 2900 GT is positioned at rank 661 and the GeForce GT 520MX is on rank 434, so the GeForce GT 520MX offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Radeon HD 2900 GT
Performance Per Dollar GeForce GT 520MX
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon HD 2900 GT is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.3% higher G3D Mark score. However, the GeForce GT 520MX offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.
| Insight | Radeon HD 2900 GT | GeForce GT 520MX |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.3%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.3%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / TeraScale 2 (2009−2015)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / Kepler (2012−2018)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | — |
💎 Value Proposition
The GeForce GT 520MX offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the GeForce GT 520MX holds the technical lead. Priced at $10 (vs $15), it costs 33% less, resulting in a 49.5% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon HD 2900 GT | GeForce GT 520MX |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+49.5%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($15) | ✅More affordable ($10) |
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 HD 2900 GT and GeForce GT 520MX
Radeon HD 2900 GT
The Radeon HD 2900 GT is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 7 2013. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 725 MHz. It has 480 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 25W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 292 points.
GeForce GT 520MX
The GeForce GT 520MX is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 9 2013. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 941 MHz to 967 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 291 points.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 2900 GT scores 292 and the GeForce GT 520MX reaches 291 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.3% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 2900 GT is built on TeraScale 2 while the GeForce GT 520MX uses Kepler, both on 40 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 480 (Radeon HD 2900 GT) vs 384 (GeForce GT 520MX). Raw compute: 0.696 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 2900 GT) vs 0.7427 TFLOPS (GeForce GT 520MX).
| Feature | Radeon HD 2900 GT | GeForce GT 520MX |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 292 | 291 |
| Architecture | TeraScale 2 | Kepler |
| Process Node | 40 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 480+25% | 384 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 0.696 TFLOPS | 0.7427 TFLOPS+7% |
| ROPs | 8 | 16+100% |
| TMUs | 24 | 32+33% |
| L1 Cache | 48 KB+50% | 32 KB |
| L2 Cache | 256 KB | 256 KB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 2900 GT | GeForce GT 520MX |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Standard |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The Radeon HD 2900 GT comes with 512 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce GT 520MX has 1 GB. The GeForce GT 520MX offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 128-bit.
| Feature | Radeon HD 2900 GT | GeForce GT 520MX |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 0.5 GB | 1 GB+100% |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 128-bit | 128-bit |
| L2 Cache | 256 KB | 256 KB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 10 (Radeon HD 2900 GT) vs 11.0 (GeForce GT 520MX). Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 1.
| Feature | Radeon HD 2900 GT | GeForce GT 520MX |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 10 | 11.0+10% |
| Max Displays | 2+100% | 1 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: UVD (Radeon HD 2900 GT) vs No (GeForce GT 520MX). Decoder: UVD vs PureVideo HD VP4.
| Feature | Radeon HD 2900 GT | GeForce GT 520MX |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | UVD | No |
| Decoder | UVD | PureVideo HD VP4 |
| Codecs | — | MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 2900 GT draws 25W versus the GeForce GT 520MX's 50W — a 66.7% difference. The Radeon HD 2900 GT is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon HD 2900 GT) vs 350W (GeForce GT 520MX). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 241mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots.
| Feature | Radeon HD 2900 GT | GeForce GT 520MX |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 25W-50% | 50W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 350W |
| Power Connector | 1x 6-pin | PCIe-powered |
| Length | 241mm | 0mm |
| Height | — | 0mm |
| Slots | 2 | 0-100% |
| Temp (Load) | — | 70°C |
| Perf/Watt | 11.7+102% | 5.8 |
Value Analysis
The Radeon HD 2900 GT launched at $170 MSRP and currently averages $15, while the GeForce GT 520MX launched at $45 and now averages $10. The GeForce GT 520MX costs 33.3% less ($5 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 19.5 (Radeon HD 2900 GT) vs 29.1 (GeForce GT 520MX) — the GeForce GT 520MX offers 49.2% better value.
| Feature | Radeon HD 2900 GT | GeForce GT 520MX |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $170 | $45-74% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $15 | $10-33% |
| Performance per Dollar | 19.5 | 29.1+49% |
| Codename | Thames | GK107 |
| Release | January 7 2013 | January 9 2013 |
| Ranking | #883 | #792 |
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