Radeon HD 5850 vs Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3

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.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Per Dollar Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3

#562

Radeon RX 550X (móvel)

MSRP: $35|Avg: $35

3341%

#564

GeForce GTX 1070 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $150

3028%

#565

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $100

3020%

#569

GeForce GTX 1050 (Mobile)

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

2746%

#570

Radeon RX 6300

MSRP: $60|Avg: $40

2728%

#572

Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3

MSRP: $599|Avg: $300

100%

#573

GeForce 9400 GT

MSRP: $59|Avg: $20

100%

#574

Radeon HD 8610G + HD 8600M Dual

MSRP: $150|Avg: $150

99%

#575

GeForce 240M GT

MSRP: $100|Avg: $5

98%

#576

Radeon HD 8450G + HD 8670M Dual

MSRP: $150|Avg: $150

98%

#577

GeForce 310

MSRP: $45|Avg: $5

98%

#578

Radeon HD 7640G + HD 8570M Dual

MSRP: $150|Avg: $40

98%

#579

Radeon R5 M320

MSRP: $150|Avg: $150

98%

#580

GeForce 9600 GT

MSRP: $149|Avg: $20

98%

#581

Radeon HD 7620G + HD 8600M Dual

MSRP: $140|Avg: $30

97%

#582

Radeon HD 8650G + 8600M Dual

MSRP: $200|Avg: $50

94%

#583

Mobility Radeon HD 4570

MSRP: $49|Avg: $15

94%

#584

Radeon Vega 10

MSRP: $499|Avg: $100

94%

#585

Radeon HD 8450G + HD 8600M Dual

MSRP: $150|Avg: $35

93%

#586

Radeon R7 M440

MSRP: $300|Avg: $300

92%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

⚠️ Generational Difference

The Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 is significantly newer (2018 vs 2009). The Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon HD 5850 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.

🚀 Performance Leadership

The Radeon HD 5850 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.4% higher G3D Mark score and 100+% more VRAM (2 GB vs 0 MB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3.

Insight	Radeon HD 5850	Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3
Performance	✅Leading raw performance (+0.4%)	❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.4%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2009 / TeraScale 2 (2009−2015))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2018 / Legacy)
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	✅ More VRAM (+100+%)	❌ Less VRAM capacity
Efficiency	⚡ Higher Power Consumption	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt
Case Fit	—	—

💎 Value Proposition

The Radeon HD 5850 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Priced at $30 versus $300 for the Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3, it costs 90% less. While it maintains basic entry-level capabilities, this results in a 904.1% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	Radeon HD 5850	Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3
Cost Efficiency	✅Better overall value (+904.1%)	❌Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅More affordable ($30)	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($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.

Radeon HD 5850 Benchmark Check

Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Radeon HD 5850 and Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3

Radeon HD 5850

The Radeon HD 5850 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in September 30 2009. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 725 MHz. It has 1440 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 151W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,955 points. Launch price was $299.

Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3

The Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 is manufactured by Qualcomm. It was released in December 6 2018. The thermal design power (TDP) is 7W. Manufactured using 7 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,947 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon HD 5850 scores 1,955 and the Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 reaches 1,947 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance.

Feature	Radeon HD 5850	Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3
G3D Mark Score	1,955	1,947
Process Node	40 nm	7 nm

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon HD 5850	Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3
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	Standard

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon HD 5850 comes with 2 GB of VRAM, while the Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 has 0 MB. The Radeon HD 5850 offers 100+% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 256-bit vs System.

Feature	Radeon HD 5850	Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3
VRAM Capacity	2 GB	Shared System RAM
Memory Type	GDDR5	Shared
Memory Bandwidth	128 GB/s	Unknown
Bus Width	256-bit	System

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD 5850 draws 151W versus the Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3's 7W — a 182.3% difference. The Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Radeon HD 5850) vs 1W (Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs Integrated.

Feature	Radeon HD 5850	Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3
TDP	151W	7W-95%
Recommended PSU	500W	1W-100%
Power Connector	2x 6-pin	Integrated
Perf/Watt	12.9	278.1+2056%

💰

Value Analysis

The Radeon HD 5850 launched at $299 MSRP and currently averages $30, while the Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 launched at $599 and now averages $300. The Radeon HD 5850 costs 90% less ($270 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 65.2 (Radeon HD 5850) vs 6.5 (Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3) — the Radeon HD 5850 offers 903.1% better value. The Qualcomm Adreno 8cx Gen 3 is the newer GPU (2018 vs 2009).