Radeon HD 3850 vs Quadro FX 4600
Radeon HD 3850
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Quadro FX 4600
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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 3850 is positioned at rank 308 and the Quadro FX 4600 is on rank 404, 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 Quadro FX 4600
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Quadro FX 4600 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.5% 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 | Quadro FX 4600 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.5%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.5%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2008 / Tesla 2.0 (2007−2013)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ✅ More VRAM (+33.3%) | ❌ Less VRAM capacity |
| Efficiency | Normal Efficiency | Normal Efficiency |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | — |
💎 Value Proposition
The Quadro FX 4600 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Quadro FX 4600 holds the technical lead. Priced at $50 (vs $179), it costs 72% less, resulting in a 259.8% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon HD 3850 | Quadro FX 4600 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+259.8%) |
| 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 Quadro FX 4600
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.
Quadro FX 4600
The Quadro FX 4600 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in November 11 2008. It features the Tesla 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 602 MHz. It has 192 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 55 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 403 points. Launch price was $1,799.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 3850 scores 401 and the Quadro FX 4600 reaches 403 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.5% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 3850 is built on GCN 1.0 while the Quadro FX 4600 uses Tesla 2.0, both on 28 nm vs 55 nm. Shader units: 1,024 (Radeon HD 3850) vs 192 (Quadro FX 4600). Raw compute: 1.761 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 3850) vs 0.4623 TFLOPS (Quadro FX 4600).
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 | Quadro FX 4600 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 401 | 403 |
| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | Tesla 2.0 |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 55 nm |
| Shading Units | 1024+433% | 192 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 1.761 TFLOPS+281% | 0.4623 TFLOPS |
| ROPs | 32+33% | 24 |
| TMUs | 64 | 64 |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB+167% | 192 KB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 | Quadro FX 4600 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Quadro FX 4600 has 768 MB. The Radeon HD 3850 offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 64-bit. L2 Cache: 512 KB (Radeon HD 3850) vs 192 KB (Quadro FX 4600) — the Radeon HD 3850 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 | Quadro FX 4600 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 1 GB+33% | 0.75 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Bus Width | 128-bit+100% | 64-bit |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB+167% | 192 KB |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 3850 draws 130W versus the Quadro FX 4600's 150W — a 14.3% difference. The Radeon HD 3850 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 450W (Radeon HD 3850) vs 350W (Quadro FX 4600). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered.
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 | Quadro FX 4600 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 130W-13% | 150W |
| Recommended PSU | 450W | 350W-22% |
| Power Connector | 1x 6-pin | PCIe-powered |
| Length | 208mm | — |
| Slots | 1 | — |
| Temp (Load) | 80°C | — |
| Perf/Watt | 3.1+15% | 2.7 |
Value Analysis
The Radeon HD 3850 launched at $179 MSRP and currently averages $179, while the Quadro FX 4600 launched at $1999 and now averages $50. The Quadro FX 4600 costs 72.1% less ($129 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 2.2 (Radeon HD 3850) vs 8.1 (Quadro FX 4600) — the Quadro FX 4600 offers 268.2% better value. The Radeon HD 3850 is the newer GPU (2012 vs 2008).
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 | Quadro FX 4600 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $179-91% | $1999 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $179 | $50-72% |
| Performance per Dollar | 2.2 | 8.1+268% |
| Codename | Pitcairn | GT200B |
| Release | March 5 2012 | November 11 2008 |
| Ranking | #503 | #884 |
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The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
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