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.

Radeon HD 3850 X2 vs Radeon HD 8650G + 8600/8700M Dual FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Radeon HD 3850 X2 vs Radeon HD 8650G + 8600/8700M Dual: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

Radeon HD 3850 X2

2011

Why buy it

✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (1 GB vs 512 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon HD 8650G + 8600/8700M Dual across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2011 hardware with 1 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
132.7% HIGHER MSRP
$349 MSRPvs$150 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 2.4 vs 5.5 G3D/$ ($349 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
❌408% higher power demand at 254W vs 50W.

Radeon HD 8650G + 8600/8700M Dual

2013

Why buy it

✅16.6% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $199 less on MSRP ($150 MSRP vs $349 MSRP).
✅Delivers 135.5% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 5.5 vs 2.4 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs $349 MSRP).
✅Draws 50W instead of 254W, a 204W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 1 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2013 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon HD 8650G + 8600/8700M Dual is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 16.6% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 1.2% in PassMark G3D (832 vs 822), so the answer here is pretty clean.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

Radeon HD 3850 X2 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 1 GB vs 512 MB of VRAM. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon HD 8650G + 8600/8700M Dual makes the most sense to buy today. It is $199 cheaper on MSRP at $150 vs $349, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 135.5% (5.5 vs 2.4), so the value case lines up with the gaming result. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon HD 8650G + 8600/8700M Dual is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Radeon HD 3850 X2 has the stronger long-term case.

Radeon HD 3850 X2 vs Radeon HD 8650G + 8600/8700M Dual Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Radeon HD 3850 X2

The Radeon HD 3850 X2 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in September 19 2011. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 800 MHz. It has 960 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 254W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 822 points.

Radeon HD 8650G + 8600/8700M Dual

The Radeon HD 8650G + 8600/8700M Dual is manufactured by AMD. It was released in August 1 2013. The core clock speed is 720 / 775 MHz. It has 768 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 832 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon HD 3850 X2 scores 822 and the Radeon HD 8650G + 8600/8700M Dual reaches 832 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. Shader units: 960 (Radeon HD 3850 X2) vs 768 (Radeon HD 8650G + 8600/8700M Dual).

Feature	Radeon HD 3850 X2	Radeon HD 8650G + 8600/8700M Dual
G3D Mark Score	822	832+1%
Process Node	40 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	960 ×2+25%	768
Frame Generation	FSR upscaling	FSR upscaling

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon HD 3850 X2	Radeon HD 8650G + 8600/8700M Dual
Upscaling Tech	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	AMD Anti-Lag	AMD Anti-Lag

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon HD 3850 X2 has 1 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 8650G + 8600/8700M Dual carries 512 MB. Radeon HD 3850 X2 gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the Radeon HD 3850 X2 and 128-bit on the Radeon HD 8650G + 8600/8700M Dual.

Feature	Radeon HD 3850 X2	Radeon HD 8650G + 8600/8700M Dual
VRAM Capacity	1 GB+100%	0.5 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	Unknown
Bus Width	128-bit	128-bit

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 10.1 (Radeon HD 3850 X2) vs 11.2 (FL 11_0) (Radeon HD 8650G + 8600/8700M Dual). OpenGL: 3.3 vs 4.4. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.

Feature	Radeon HD 3850 X2	Radeon HD 8650G + 8600/8700M Dual
DirectX	10.1	11.2 (FL 11_0)+11%
OpenGL	3.3	4.4+33%
Max Displays	2	2

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Media & Encoding

Decoder: UVD+ vs UVD 3.0. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (Radeon HD 3850 X2) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 Part 2 (Radeon HD 8650G + 8600/8700M Dual).

Feature	Radeon HD 3850 X2	Radeon HD 8650G + 8600/8700M Dual
Encoder	—	VCE 1.0
Decoder	UVD+	UVD 3.0
Codecs	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 Part 2

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Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD 3850 X2 draws 254W versus the Radeon HD 8650G + 8600/8700M Dual's 50W — a 134.2% difference. The Radeon HD 8650G + 8600/8700M Dual is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 450W (Radeon HD 3850 X2) vs 350W (Radeon HD 8650G + 8600/8700M Dual). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs 1x 6-pin.

Feature	Radeon HD 3850 X2	Radeon HD 8650G + 8600/8700M Dual
TDP	254W	50W-80%
Recommended PSU	450W	350W-22%
Power Connector	2x 6-pin	1x 6-pin
Length	267mm	—
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	90°C	—
Perf/Watt	3.2	16.6+419%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Radeon HD 3850 X2 came in at $349, while the Radeon HD 8650G + 8600/8700M Dual launched at $150. On MSRP, Radeon HD 8650G + 8600/8700M Dual was 57% cheaper ($199 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 2.4 (Radeon HD 3850 X2) vs 5.5 (Radeon HD 8650G + 8600/8700M Dual) — the Radeon HD 8650G + 8600/8700M Dual offers 129.2% better value. The newer card here is Radeon HD 8650G + 8600/8700M Dual (2013 vs 2011).

Feature	Radeon HD 3850 X2	Radeon HD 8650G + 8600/8700M Dual
MSRP	$349	$150-57%
Performance per Dollar	2.4	5.5+129%
Codename	Barts	—
Release	September 19 2011	August 1 2013
Ranking	#630	#881

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