Radeon HD 2900 GT vs Radeon R3
Radeon HD 2900 GT
Popular choices:
Radeon R3
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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 R3 is on rank 438, so the Radeon R3 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 R3
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The Radeon R3 is significantly newer (2019 vs 2013). The Radeon R3 likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon HD 2900 GT lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon R3 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 7.5% 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 R3 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-7.5%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+7.5%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / TeraScale 2 (2009−2015)) | GCN 4.0 (2016−2020) (14nm) |
| 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 2900 GT offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Priced at $15 versus $50 for the Radeon R3, it costs 70% less. While it maintains basic entry-level capabilities, this results in a 210% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon HD 2900 GT | Radeon R3 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+210%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($15) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($50) |
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 R3
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 R3
The Radeon R3 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in May 13 2019. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1082 MHz to 1218 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 314 points.
Graphics Performance
In G3D Mark, the Radeon HD 2900 GT scores 292 versus the Radeon R3's 314 — the Radeon R3 leads by 7.5%. The Radeon HD 2900 GT is built on TeraScale 2 while the Radeon R3 uses GCN 4.0, both on 40 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 480 (Radeon HD 2900 GT) vs 512 (Radeon R3). Raw compute: 0.696 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 2900 GT) vs 1.247 TFLOPS (Radeon R3).
| Feature | Radeon HD 2900 GT | Radeon R3 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 292 | 314+8% |
| Architecture | TeraScale 2 | GCN 4.0 |
| Process Node | 40 nm | 14 nm |
| Shading Units | 480 | 512+7% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 0.696 TFLOPS | 1.247 TFLOPS+79% |
| ROPs | 8 | 16+100% |
| TMUs | 24 | 32+33% |
| L1 Cache | 48 KB | 128 KB+167% |
| L2 Cache | 256 KB | 512 KB+100% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 2900 GT | Radeon R3 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 64-bit. L2 Cache: 256 KB (Radeon HD 2900 GT) vs 512 KB (Radeon R3) — the Radeon R3 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon HD 2900 GT | Radeon R3 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 0.5 GB | 0.5 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Bus Width | 128-bit+100% | 64-bit |
| L2 Cache | 256 KB | 512 KB+100% |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 10 (Radeon HD 2900 GT) vs 12 (12_0) (Radeon R3). Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.
| Feature | Radeon HD 2900 GT | Radeon R3 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 10 | 12 (12_0)+20% |
| Max Displays | 2 | 2 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: UVD (Radeon HD 2900 GT) vs VCE 2.0 (Radeon R3). Decoder: UVD vs UVD 4.2.
| Feature | Radeon HD 2900 GT | Radeon R3 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | UVD | VCE 2.0 |
| Decoder | UVD | UVD 4.2 |
| Codecs | — | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 2900 GT draws 25W versus the Radeon R3's 50W — a 66.7% difference. The Radeon HD 2900 GT is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon HD 2900 GT) vs 350W (Radeon R3). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered.
| Feature | Radeon HD 2900 GT | Radeon R3 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 25W-50% | 50W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 350W |
| Power Connector | 1x 6-pin | PCIe-powered |
| Length | 241mm | — |
| Slots | 2 | 0-100% |
| Temp (Load) | — | 70°C |
| Perf/Watt | 11.7+86% | 6.3 |
Value Analysis
The Radeon HD 2900 GT launched at $170 MSRP and currently averages $15, while the Radeon R3 launched at $50 and now averages $50. The Radeon HD 2900 GT costs 70% less ($35 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 19.5 (Radeon HD 2900 GT) vs 6.3 (Radeon R3) — the Radeon HD 2900 GT offers 209.5% better value. The Radeon R3 is the newer GPU (2019 vs 2013).
| Feature | Radeon HD 2900 GT | Radeon R3 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $170 | $50-71% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $15-70% | $50 |
| Performance per Dollar | 19.5+210% | 6.3 |
| Codename | Thames | Polaris 23 |
| Release | January 7 2013 | May 13 2019 |
| Ranking | #883 | #757 |
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