CPU
GPU
Radeon HD 3850 X2
Popular choices:
Radeon R7 M260DX
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 R7 M260DX is on rank 604, so the Radeon HD 3850 X2 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 R7 M260DX
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 0.6% higher G3D Mark score and 100% more VRAM (1 GB vs 512 MB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon R7 M260DX.
| Insight | Radeon HD 3850 X2 | Radeon R7 M260DX |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.6%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.6%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2011 / TeraScale 2 (2009−2015)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) | ❌ Less VRAM capacity |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | Standard Size (267mm) | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon R7 M260DX offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon R7 M260DX holds the technical lead. Priced at $300 (vs $349), it costs 14% less, resulting in a 15.6% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon HD 3850 X2 | Radeon R7 M260DX |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+15.6%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($349) | ✅More affordable ($300) |
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 R7 M260DX
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 R7 M260DX
The Radeon R7 M260DX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in December 6 2015. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 620 MHz to 715 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 817 points.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 3850 X2 scores 822 and the Radeon R7 M260DX reaches 817 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.6% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 3850 X2 is built on TeraScale 2 while the Radeon R7 M260DX uses GCN 1.0, both on 40 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 960 (Radeon HD 3850 X2) vs 384 (Radeon R7 M260DX). Raw compute: 1.536 TFLOPS ×2 (Radeon HD 3850 X2) vs 0.5491 TFLOPS (Radeon R7 M260DX).
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 X2 | Radeon R7 M260DX |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 822 | 817 |
| Architecture | TeraScale 2 | GCN 1.0 |
| Process Node | 40 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 960 ×2+150% | 384 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 1.536 TFLOPS ×2+180% | 0.5491 TFLOPS |
| ROPs | 32 ×2+300% | 8 |
| TMUs | 48 ×2+100% | 24 |
| L1 Cache | 192 KB+100% | 96 KB |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB+100% | 256 KB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 X2 | Radeon R7 M260DX |
|---|---|---|
| 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 R7 M260DX has 512 MB. The Radeon HD 3850 X2 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 512 KB (Radeon HD 3850 X2) vs 256 KB (Radeon R7 M260DX) — the Radeon HD 3850 X2 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 X2 | Radeon R7 M260DX |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 1 GB+100% | 0.5 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 128-bit | 128-bit |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB+100% | 256 KB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 10.1 (Radeon HD 3850 X2) vs 12_0 (Radeon R7 M260DX). Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 0.
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 X2 | Radeon R7 M260DX |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 10.1 | 12_0+19% |
| Max Displays | 2 | 0 |
Media & Encoding
Decoder: UVD+ vs UVD 4.2.
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 X2 | Radeon R7 M260DX |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | — | VCE 2.0 |
| Decoder | UVD+ | UVD 4.2 |
| Codecs | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 | — |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 3850 X2 draws 254W versus the Radeon R7 M260DX's 75W — a 108.8% difference. The Radeon R7 M260DX is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 450W (Radeon HD 3850 X2) vs 350W (Radeon R7 M260DX). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs Mobile. Card length: 267mm vs 1mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots.
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 X2 | Radeon R7 M260DX |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 254W | 75W-70% |
| Recommended PSU | 450W | 350W-22% |
| Power Connector | 2x 6-pin | Mobile |
| Length | 267mm | 1mm |
| Slots | 2 | 0-100% |
| Temp (Load) | 90°C | — |
| Perf/Watt | 3.2 | 10.9+241% |
Value Analysis
The Radeon HD 3850 X2 launched at $349 MSRP and currently averages $349, while the Radeon R7 M260DX launched at $300 and now averages $300. The Radeon R7 M260DX costs 14% less ($49 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 2.4 (Radeon HD 3850 X2) vs 2.7 (Radeon R7 M260DX) — the Radeon R7 M260DX offers 12.5% better value. The Radeon R7 M260DX is the newer GPU (2015 vs 2011).
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 X2 | Radeon R7 M260DX |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $349 | $300-14% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $349 | $300-14% |
| Performance per Dollar | 2.4 | 2.7+13% |
| Codename | Barts | Opal |
| Release | September 19 2011 | December 6 2015 |
| Ranking | #630 | #878 |
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