Radeon HD 6520G vs Radeon R3

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 6520G vs Radeon R3 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 6520G vs Radeon R3: 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 6520G

2010

Why buy it

✅15.9% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $10 less on MSRP ($40 MSRP vs $50 MSRP).
✅Delivers 19.4% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 7.5 vs 6.3 G3D/$ ($40 MSRP vs $50 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌2010 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌300% higher power demand at 200W vs 50W.

Radeon R3

2019

Why buy it

✅Radeon HD 6520G is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon R3 is the less risky modern option long term.
✅Draws 50W instead of 200W, a 150W reduction.
✅More future proof: GCN 4.0 (2016−2020) on 14nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon HD 6520G across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2019 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
❌
25% HIGHER MSRP
$50 MSRPvs$40 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 6.3 vs 7.5 G3D/$ ($50 MSRP vs $40 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon HD 6520G is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 15.9% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward Radeon R3 instead at 314 vs 300, so for this question the real-game FPS result matters more than the synthetic split.

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

Radeon R3 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 14nm process instead of 40nm and a newer 2019 generation instead of 2010. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon HD 6520G makes the most sense to buy today. It is $10 cheaper on MSRP at $40 vs $50, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 19.4% (7.5 vs 6.3), so the value case lines up with the gaming result. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon HD 6520G is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Radeon R3 has the stronger long-term case.

Radeon HD 6520G vs Radeon R3 Technical Specifications

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

Radeon HD 6520G

The Radeon HD 6520G is manufactured by AMD. It was released in December 14 2010. It features the TeraScale 3 architecture. The boost clock speed is 800 MHz. It has 1408 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 300 points. Launch price was $299.

Radeon R3

The Radeon R3 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in May 13 2019. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1082 MHz to 1218 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 314 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon HD 6520G scores 300 and the Radeon R3 reaches 314 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 4.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 6520G is built on TeraScale 3 while the Radeon R3 uses GCN 4.0, both on 40 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 1,408 (Radeon HD 6520G) vs 512 (Radeon R3). Raw compute: 2.253 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 6520G) vs 1.247 TFLOPS (Radeon R3). Boost clocks: 800 MHz vs 1218 MHz.

Feature	Radeon HD 6520G	Radeon R3
G3D Mark Score	300	314+5%
Architecture	TeraScale 3	GCN 4.0
Process Node	40 nm	14 nm
Shading Units	1408+175%	512
Compute (TFLOPS)	2.253 TFLOPS+81%	1.247 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	800 MHz	1218 MHz+52%
ROPs	32+100%	16
TMUs	88+175%	32
L1 Cache	352 KB+175%	128 KB
L2 Cache	512 KB	512 KB
Frame Generation	FSR upscaling	FSR upscaling

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon HD 6520G	Radeon R3
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

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

Both cards ship with 512 MB of GDDR5. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the Radeon HD 6520G and 64-bit on the Radeon R3.

Feature	Radeon HD 6520G	Radeon R3
VRAM Capacity	0.5 GB	0.5 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	128-bit+100%	64-bit
L2 Cache	512 KB	512 KB

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD 6520G draws 200W versus the Radeon R3's 50W — a 120% difference. The Radeon R3 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon HD 6520G) vs 350W (Radeon R3). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered.

Feature	Radeon HD 6520G	Radeon R3
TDP	200W	50W-75%
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	PCIe-powered
Slots	—	0
Temp (Load)	—	70°C
Perf/Watt	1.5	6.3+320%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Radeon HD 6520G came in at $40, while the Radeon R3 launched at $50. On MSRP, Radeon HD 6520G was 20% cheaper ($10 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 7.5 (Radeon HD 6520G) vs 6.3 (Radeon R3) — the Radeon HD 6520G offers 19% better value. The newer card here is Radeon R3 (2019 vs 2010).

Feature	Radeon HD 6520G	Radeon R3
MSRP	$40-20%	$50
Performance per Dollar	7.5+19%	6.3
Codename	Cayman	Polaris 23
Release	December 14 2010	May 13 2019
Ranking	#623	#757

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