CPU
GPU
Radeon HD 3850 X2
Popular choices:
Radeon HD 8730M
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 X2 is positioned at rank 303 and the Radeon HD 8730M is on rank 200, so the Radeon HD 8730M 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 X2
Performance Per Dollar Radeon HD 8730M
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon HD 3850 X2 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.4% higher G3D Mark score. However, the Radeon HD 8730M offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.
| Insight | Radeon HD 3850 X2 | Radeon HD 8730M |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.4%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.4%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2011 / TeraScale 2 (2009−2015)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | Standard Size (267mm) | — |
💎 Value Proposition
While current pricing data is unavailable, the Radeon HD 3850 X2 remains the clear technical winner. Check real-time availability to determine if the performance gap justifies the market price.
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 X2 and Radeon HD 8730M
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 8730M
The Radeon HD 8730M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in May 14 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 850 MHz to 900 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 819 points.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 3850 X2 scores 822 and the Radeon HD 8730M reaches 819 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 3850 X2 is built on TeraScale 2 while the Radeon HD 8730M uses GCN 1.0, both on 40 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 960 (Radeon HD 3850 X2) vs 1,280 (Radeon HD 8730M). Raw compute: 1.536 TFLOPS ×2 (Radeon HD 3850 X2) vs 2.304 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 8730M).
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 X2 | Radeon HD 8730M |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 822 | 819 |
| Architecture | TeraScale 2 | GCN 1.0 |
| Process Node | 40 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 960 ×2 | 1280+33% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 1.536 TFLOPS ×2 | 2.304 TFLOPS+50% |
| ROPs | 32 ×2 | 32 |
| TMUs | 48 ×2 | 80+67% |
| L1 Cache | 192 KB | 320 KB+67% |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB | 512 KB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 X2 | Radeon HD 8730M |
|---|---|---|
| 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 X2 comes with 1 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 8730M has 2 GB. The Radeon HD 8730M offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs System.
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 X2 | Radeon HD 8730M |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 1 GB | 2 GB+100% |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | Shared |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | System |
| Bus Width | 128-bit | System |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB | 512 KB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 10.1 (Radeon HD 3850 X2) vs 12 (11_1) (Radeon HD 8730M). OpenGL: 3.3 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 X2 | Radeon HD 8730M |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 10.1 | 12 (11_1)+19% |
| OpenGL | 3.3 | 4.6+39% |
| Max Displays | 2 | 2 |
Media & Encoding
Decoder: UVD+ vs UVD 3. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (Radeon HD 3850 X2) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,DivX (Radeon HD 8730M).
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 X2 | Radeon HD 8730M |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | — | VCE 1.0 |
| Decoder | UVD+ | UVD 3 |
| Codecs | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,DivX |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 3850 X2 draws 254W versus the Radeon HD 8730M's 100W — a 87% difference. The Radeon HD 8730M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 450W (Radeon HD 3850 X2) vs 350W (Radeon HD 8730M). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs 1x 6-pin. Typical load temperature: 90°C vs 75°C.
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 X2 | Radeon HD 8730M |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 254W | 100W-61% |
| Recommended PSU | 450W | 350W-22% |
| Power Connector | 2x 6-pin | 1x 6-pin |
| Length | 267mm | — |
| Slots | 2 | 1-50% |
| Temp (Load) | 90°C | 75°C-17% |
| Perf/Watt | 3.2 | 8.2+156% |
Value Analysis
The Radeon HD 8730M is the newer GPU (2013 vs 2011).
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 X2 | Radeon HD 8730M |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $349 | — |
| Avg Price (30d) | $349 | — |
| Codename | Barts | Neptune |
| Release | September 19 2011 | May 14 2013 |
| Ranking | #630 | #507 |
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