Radeon HD 3850 vs RADEON E4690
Radeon HD 3850
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RADEON E4690
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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 RADEON E4690 is on rank 713, 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 RADEON E4690
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The RADEON E4690 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1% 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 | RADEON E4690 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-1%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+1%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / GCN 3.0 (2014−2019)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) | ❌ Less VRAM capacity |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | — |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon HD 3850 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon HD 3850 holds the technical lead. Priced at $179 (vs $558), it costs 68% less, resulting in a 208.7% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon HD 3850 | RADEON E4690 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+208.7%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($179) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($558) |
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 RADEON E4690
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.
RADEON E4690
The RADEON E4690 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in September 29 2015. It features the GCN 3.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 735 MHz to 1000 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 95W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 405 points.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 3850 scores 401 and the RADEON E4690 reaches 405 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 3850 is built on GCN 1.0 while the RADEON E4690 uses GCN 3.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,024 (Radeon HD 3850) vs 2,048 (RADEON E4690). Raw compute: 1.761 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 3850) vs 4.096 TFLOPS (RADEON E4690). Boost clocks: 1000 MHz vs 1000 MHz.
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 | RADEON E4690 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 401 | 405 |
| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | GCN 3.0 |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 1024 | 2048+100% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 1.761 TFLOPS | 4.096 TFLOPS+133% |
| Boost Clock | 1000 MHz | 1000 MHz |
| ROPs | 32 | 32 |
| TMUs | 64 | 128+100% |
| L1 Cache | 256 KB | 512 KB+100% |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB | 512 KB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 | RADEON E4690 |
|---|---|---|
| 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)
The Radeon HD 3850 comes with 1 GB of VRAM, while the RADEON E4690 has 512 MB. The Radeon HD 3850 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 64-bit.
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 | RADEON E4690 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 1 GB+100% | 0.5 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Bus Width | 128-bit+100% | 64-bit |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB | 512 KB |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 3850 draws 130W versus the RADEON E4690's 95W — a 31.1% difference. The RADEON E4690 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 450W (Radeon HD 3850) vs 350W (RADEON E4690). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs Legacy.
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 | RADEON E4690 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 130W | 95W-27% |
| Recommended PSU | 450W | 350W-22% |
| Power Connector | 1x 6-pin | Legacy |
| Length | 208mm | — |
| Slots | 1 | — |
| Temp (Load) | 80°C | — |
| Perf/Watt | 3.1 | 4.3+39% |
Value Analysis
The Radeon HD 3850 launched at $179 MSRP and currently averages $179, while the RADEON E4690 launched at $558 and now averages $558. The Radeon HD 3850 costs 67.9% less ($379 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 2.2 (Radeon HD 3850) vs 0.7 (RADEON E4690) — the Radeon HD 3850 offers 214.3% better value. The RADEON E4690 is the newer GPU (2015 vs 2012).
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 | RADEON E4690 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $179-68% | $558 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $179-68% | $558 |
| Performance per Dollar | 2.2+214% | 0.7 |
| Codename | Pitcairn | Amethyst |
| Release | March 5 2012 | September 29 2015 |
| Ranking | #503 | #420 |
Top Performing GPUs
The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
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