
Radeon HD 2900 GT vs Radeon HD 6520G

Radeon HD 2900 GT
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Radeon HD 6520G
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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 Radeon HD 6520G is on rank 165, so the Radeon HD 6520G 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 Radeon HD 6520G
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon HD 6520G is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 2.7% higher G3D Mark score. This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon HD 2900 GT.
| Insight | Radeon HD 2900 GT | Radeon HD 6520G |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-2.7%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+2.7%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / TeraScale 2 (2009−2015)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2010 / TeraScale 3 (2010−2013)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+0%) |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | — |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon HD 6520G offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon HD 6520G holds the technical lead. Priced at $5 (vs $15), it costs 67% less, resulting in a 208.2% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon HD 2900 GT | Radeon HD 6520G |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+208.2%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($15) | ✅More affordable ($5) |
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 Radeon HD 6520G

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.

Radeon HD 6520G
The Radeon HD 6520G is manufactured by AMD. It was released in December 14 2010. It features the TeraScale 3 architecture. The boost clock speed is 800 MHz. It has 1408 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 300 points. Launch price was $299.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 2900 GT scores 292 and the Radeon HD 6520G reaches 300 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 2900 GT is built on TeraScale 2 while the Radeon HD 6520G uses TeraScale 3, both on a 40 nm process. Shader units: 480 (Radeon HD 2900 GT) vs 1,408 (Radeon HD 6520G). Raw compute: 0.696 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 2900 GT) vs 2.253 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 6520G).
| Feature | Radeon HD 2900 GT | Radeon HD 6520G |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 292 | 300+3% |
| Architecture | TeraScale 2 | TeraScale 3 |
| Process Node | 40 nm | 40 nm |
| Shading Units | 480 | 1408+193% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 0.696 TFLOPS | 2.253 TFLOPS+224% |
| ROPs | 8 | 32+300% |
| TMUs | 24 | 88+267% |
| L1 Cache | 48 KB | 352 KB+633% |
| L2 Cache | 256 KB | 512 KB+100% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 2900 GT | Radeon HD 6520G |
|---|---|---|
| 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)
Both cards feature 512 MB of GDDR5. Bus width: 128-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 256 KB (Radeon HD 2900 GT) vs 512 KB (Radeon HD 6520G) — the Radeon HD 6520G has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon HD 2900 GT | Radeon HD 6520G |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 0.5 GB | 0.5 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 128-bit | 128-bit |
| L2 Cache | 256 KB | 512 KB+100% |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 2900 GT draws 25W versus the Radeon HD 6520G's 200W — a 155.6% difference. The Radeon HD 2900 GT is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon HD 2900 GT) vs 350W (Radeon HD 6520G). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 1x 6-pin.
| Feature | Radeon HD 2900 GT | Radeon HD 6520G |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 25W-88% | 200W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 350W |
| Power Connector | 1x 6-pin | 1x 6-pin |
| Length | 241mm | — |
| Slots | 2 | — |
| Perf/Watt | 11.7+680% | 1.5 |
Value Analysis
The Radeon HD 2900 GT launched at $170 MSRP and currently averages $15, while the Radeon HD 6520G launched at $40 and now averages $5. The Radeon HD 6520G costs 66.7% less ($10 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 19.5 (Radeon HD 2900 GT) vs 60.0 (Radeon HD 6520G) — the Radeon HD 6520G offers 207.7% better value. The Radeon HD 2900 GT is the newer GPU (2013 vs 2010).
| Feature | Radeon HD 2900 GT | Radeon HD 6520G |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $170 | $40-76% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $15 | $5-67% |
| Performance per Dollar | 19.5 | 60.0+208% |
| Codename | Thames | Cayman |
| Release | January 7 2013 | December 14 2010 |
| Ranking | #883 | #623 |
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