Radeon HD 3850 vs GeForce 8800 GTS
Radeon HD 3850
Popular choices:
GeForce 8800 GTS
Popular choices:
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 3850 is positioned at rank 308 and the GeForce 8800 GTS is on rank 700, so the Radeon HD 3850 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 3850
Performance Per Dollar GeForce 8800 GTS
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce 8800 GTS is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.5% higher G3D Mark score. However, the Radeon HD 3850 offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.
| Insight | Radeon HD 3850 | GeForce 8800 GTS |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.5%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+1.5%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2008 / G9x (2007−2010)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ✅ More VRAM (+219.5%) | ❌ Less VRAM capacity |
| Efficiency | Normal Efficiency | Normal Efficiency |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
The GeForce 8800 GTS offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the GeForce 8800 GTS holds the technical lead. Priced at $50 (vs $179), it costs 72% less, resulting in a 263.4% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon HD 3850 | GeForce 8800 GTS |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+263.4%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($179) | ✅More affordable ($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 3850 and GeForce 8800 GTS
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.
GeForce 8800 GTS
The GeForce 8800 GTS is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in July 15 2008. It features the G9x architecture. The core clock speed is 500 MHz. It has 224 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 65 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 407 points.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 3850 scores 401 and the GeForce 8800 GTS reaches 407 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.5% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 3850 is built on GCN 1.0 while the GeForce 8800 GTS uses G9x, both on 28 nm vs 65 nm. Shader units: 1,024 (Radeon HD 3850) vs 224 (GeForce 8800 GTS).
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 | GeForce 8800 GTS |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 401 | 407+1% |
| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | G9x |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 65 nm |
| Shading Units | 1024+357% | 224 |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 | GeForce 8800 GTS |
|---|---|---|
| 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 3850 comes with 1 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce 8800 GTS has 321 MB. The Radeon HD 3850 offers 219.5% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 64-bit.
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 | GeForce 8800 GTS |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 1 GB+219% | 0.313 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 128-bit+100% | 64-bit |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 10.1 (Radeon HD 3850) vs 10.0 (GeForce 8800 GTS). OpenGL: 3.3 vs 3.3. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 | GeForce 8800 GTS |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 10.1 | 10.0 |
| OpenGL | 3.3 | 3.3 |
| Max Displays | 2 | 2 |
Media & Encoding
Decoder: UVD+ vs PureVideo HD VP2. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,DivX,MPEG-1,MPEG-2 (Radeon HD 3850) vs MPEG-2,H.264 (GeForce 8800 GTS).
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 | GeForce 8800 GTS |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | — | No |
| Decoder | UVD+ | PureVideo HD VP2 |
| Codecs | H.264,VC-1,DivX,MPEG-1,MPEG-2 | MPEG-2,H.264 |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 3850 draws 130W versus the GeForce 8800 GTS's 150W — a 14.3% difference. The Radeon HD 3850 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 450W (Radeon HD 3850) vs 350W (GeForce 8800 GTS). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs Legacy. Card length: 208mm vs 229mm, occupying 1 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 95°C.
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 | GeForce 8800 GTS |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 130W-13% | 150W |
| Recommended PSU | 450W | 350W-22% |
| Power Connector | 1x 6-pin | Legacy |
| Length | 208mm | 229mm |
| Height | — | 111mm |
| Slots | 1-50% | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | 80°C-16% | 95°C |
| Perf/Watt | 3.1+15% | 2.7 |
Value Analysis
The Radeon HD 3850 launched at $179 MSRP and currently averages $179, while the GeForce 8800 GTS launched at $449 and now averages $50. The GeForce 8800 GTS costs 72.1% less ($129 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 2.2 (Radeon HD 3850) vs 8.1 (GeForce 8800 GTS) — the GeForce 8800 GTS offers 268.2% better value. The Radeon HD 3850 is the newer GPU (2012 vs 2008).
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 | GeForce 8800 GTS |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $179-60% | $449 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $179 | $50-72% |
| Performance per Dollar | 2.2 | 8.1+268% |
| Codename | Pitcairn | NB9E-GTX |
| Release | March 5 2012 | July 15 2008 |
| Ranking | #503 | #825 |
Top Performing GPUs
The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
You May Also Compare
Similar GPU comparisons based on Radeon HD 3850 and GeForce 8800 GTS
