CPU
GPU
Radeon HD 3850 X2
Popular choices:
Radeon R7 PRO A8-9600
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 PRO A8-9600 is on rank 173, so the Radeon R7 PRO A8-9600 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 PRO A8-9600
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The Radeon R7 PRO A8-9600 is significantly newer (2023 vs 2011). The Radeon R7 PRO A8-9600 likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon HD 3850 X2 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon R7 PRO A8-9600 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.8% higher G3D Mark score. However, the Radeon HD 3850 X2 offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.
| Insight | Radeon HD 3850 X2 | Radeon R7 PRO A8-9600 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.8%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+1.8%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2011 / TeraScale 2 (2009−2015)) | RDNA 3.0 (2022−2026) (5nm) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) | ❌ Less VRAM capacity |
| Efficiency | Normal Efficiency | Normal Efficiency |
| Case Fit | Standard Size (267mm) | — |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon R7 PRO A8-9600 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Priced at $86 versus $349 for the Radeon HD 3850 X2, it costs 75% less. While it maintains basic entry-level capabilities, this results in a 313.2% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon HD 3850 X2 | Radeon R7 PRO A8-9600 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+313.2%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($349) | ✅More affordable ($86) |
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 PRO A8-9600
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 PRO A8-9600
The Radeon R7 PRO A8-9600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 13 2023. It features the RDNA 3.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1855 MHz to 2495 MHz. It has 6144 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 295W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 96 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 837 points. Launch price was $3,999.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 3850 X2 scores 822 and the Radeon R7 PRO A8-9600 reaches 837 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.8% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 3850 X2 is built on TeraScale 2 while the Radeon R7 PRO A8-9600 uses RDNA 3.0, both on 40 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 960 (Radeon HD 3850 X2) vs 6,144 (Radeon R7 PRO A8-9600). Raw compute: 1.536 TFLOPS ×2 (Radeon HD 3850 X2) vs 61.32 TFLOPS (Radeon R7 PRO A8-9600).
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 X2 | Radeon R7 PRO A8-9600 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 822 | 837+2% |
| Architecture | TeraScale 2 | RDNA 3.0 |
| Process Node | 40 nm | 5 nm |
| Shading Units | 960 ×2 | 6144+540% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 1.536 TFLOPS ×2 | 61.32 TFLOPS+3892% |
| ROPs | 32 ×2 | 192+500% |
| TMUs | 48 ×2 | 384+700% |
| L1 Cache | 0.19 MB | 3 MB+1479% |
| L2 Cache | 0.5 MB | 6 MB+1100% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 X2 | Radeon R7 PRO A8-9600 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 PRO A8-9600 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: 0.5 MB (Radeon HD 3850 X2) vs 6 MB (Radeon R7 PRO A8-9600) — the Radeon R7 PRO A8-9600 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 X2 | Radeon R7 PRO A8-9600 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 1 GB+100% | 0.5 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 128-bit | 128-bit |
| L2 Cache | 0.5 MB | 6 MB+1100% |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 3850 X2 draws 254W versus the Radeon R7 PRO A8-9600's 295W — a 14.9% difference. The Radeon HD 3850 X2 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 450W (Radeon HD 3850 X2) vs 350W (Radeon R7 PRO A8-9600). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered.
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 X2 | Radeon R7 PRO A8-9600 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 254W-14% | 295W |
| Recommended PSU | 450W | 350W-22% |
| Power Connector | 2x 6-pin | PCIe-powered |
| Length | 267mm | — |
| Slots | 2 | — |
| Temp (Load) | 90°C | — |
| Perf/Watt | 3.2+14% | 2.8 |
Value Analysis
The Radeon HD 3850 X2 launched at $349 MSRP and currently averages $349, while the Radeon R7 PRO A8-9600 launched at $119 and now averages $86. The Radeon R7 PRO A8-9600 costs 75.4% less ($263 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 2.4 (Radeon HD 3850 X2) vs 9.7 (Radeon R7 PRO A8-9600) — the Radeon R7 PRO A8-9600 offers 304.2% better value. The Radeon R7 PRO A8-9600 is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2011).
| Feature | Radeon HD 3850 X2 | Radeon R7 PRO A8-9600 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $349 | $119-66% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $349 | $86-75% |
| Performance per Dollar | 2.4 | 9.7+304% |
| Codename | Barts | Navi 31 |
| Release | September 19 2011 | April 13 2023 |
| Ranking | #630 | #26 |
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