Radeon HD 7850 vs Radeon R9 M390X

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 Radeon R9 M390X

#406

Radeon RX 550X (móvel)

MSRP: $35|Avg: $35

1533%

#408

GeForce GTX 1070 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $150

1390%

#409

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $100

1386%

#413

GeForce GTX 1050 (Mobile)

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

1261%

#414

Radeon RX 6300

MSRP: $60|Avg: $40

1252%

#416

Radeon R9 M390X

MSRP: $550|Avg: $120

100%

#417

Arc 8-Core iGPU

MSRP: $503|Avg: $400

98%

#418

Mobility Radeon HD 4670

MSRP: $67|Avg: $20

98%

#419

Radeon HD 8570D + HD 8570 Dual

MSRP: $150|Avg: $15

97%

#420

Radeon R9 M385

MSRP: $300|Avg: $60

97%

#421

Radeon R5 235

MSRP: $49|Avg: $49

97%

#422

Radeon R9 M375X

MSRP: $250|Avg: $50

97%

#423

Radeon HD 6620G

MSRP: $50|Avg: $10

96%

#424

Radeon R5 310

MSRP: $49|Avg: $15

96%

#425

Radeon HD 7690M XT

MSRP: $150|Avg: $40

95%

#426

Radeon HD 7600G

MSRP: $50|Avg: $10

94%

#427

Radeon R7 A265

MSRP: $149|Avg: $149

94%

#428

Radeon R9 M470

MSRP: $350|Avg: $80

94%

#429

Radeon R9 M385X

MSRP: $300|Avg: $300

94%

#431

Mobility Radeon HD 5570

MSRP: $80|Avg: $20

93%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

The Radeon HD 7850 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.1% higher G3D Mark score. However, the Radeon R9 M390X offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.

Insight	Radeon HD 7850	Radeon R9 M390X
Performance	✅Leading raw performance (+0.1%)	❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.1%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / GCN 3.0 (2014−2019))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	❌ Less VRAM capacity	✅ More VRAM (+100%)
Efficiency	⚡ Higher Power Consumption	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt
Case Fit	📏 Compact / SFF Friendly	—

💎 Value Proposition

The Radeon HD 7850 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon HD 7850 holds the technical lead. Priced at $50 (vs $120), it costs 58% less, resulting in a 140.1% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	Radeon HD 7850	Radeon R9 M390X
Cost Efficiency	✅Better overall value (+140.1%)	❌Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅More affordable ($50)	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($120)

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 7850 Benchmark Check

Radeon R9 M390X Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Radeon HD 7850 and Radeon R9 M390X

Radeon HD 7850

The Radeon HD 7850 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in March 5 2012. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1000 MHz. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 130W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,897 points. Launch price was $249.

Radeon R9 M390X

The Radeon R9 M390X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in May 5 2015. It features the GCN 3.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 723 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,895 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon HD 7850 scores 3,897 and the Radeon R9 M390X reaches 3,895 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 7850 is built on GCN 1.0 while the Radeon R9 M390X uses GCN 3.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,024 (Radeon HD 7850) vs 2,048 (Radeon R9 M390X). Raw compute: 1.761 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7850) vs 2.961 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 M390X).

Feature	Radeon HD 7850	Radeon R9 M390X
G3D Mark Score	3,897	3,895
Architecture	GCN 1.0	GCN 3.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	1024	2048+100%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.761 TFLOPS	2.961 TFLOPS+68%
ROPs	32	32
TMUs	64	128+100%
L1 Cache	256 KB	512 KB+100%
L2 Cache	512 KB	512 KB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon HD 7850	Radeon R9 M390X
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 7850 comes with 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 M390X has 4 GB. The Radeon R9 M390X offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 153.6 GB/s (Radeon HD 7850) vs 160 GB/s (Radeon R9 M390X) — a 4.2% advantage for the Radeon R9 M390X. Bus width: 256-bit vs 256-bit.

Feature	Radeon HD 7850	Radeon R9 M390X
VRAM Capacity	2 GB	4 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	153.6 GB/s	160 GB/s+4%
Bus Width	256-bit	256-bit
L2 Cache	512 KB	512 KB

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD 7850 draws 130W versus the Radeon R9 M390X's 75W — a 53.7% difference. The Radeon R9 M390X is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Radeon HD 7850) vs 350W (Radeon R9 M390X). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs Mobile.

Feature	Radeon HD 7850	Radeon R9 M390X
TDP	130W	75W-42%
Recommended PSU	500W	350W-30%
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	Mobile
Length	210mm	—
Slots	2	—
Perf/Watt	30.0	51.9+73%

💰

Value Analysis

The Radeon HD 7850 launched at $249 MSRP and currently averages $50, while the Radeon R9 M390X launched at $550 and now averages $120. The Radeon HD 7850 costs 58.3% less ($70 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 77.9 (Radeon HD 7850) vs 32.5 (Radeon R9 M390X) — the Radeon HD 7850 offers 139.7% better value. The Radeon R9 M390X is the newer GPU (2015 vs 2012).