CPU
GPU
Radeon HD 8280E
Popular choices:
Radeon HD 8490
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 8280E is positioned at rank 662 and the Radeon HD 8490 is on rank 294, so the Radeon HD 8490 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 8280E
Performance Per Dollar Radeon HD 8490
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon HD 8490 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 2.7% 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 HD 8280E.
| Insight | Radeon HD 8280E | Radeon HD 8490 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-2.7%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+2.7%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2009 / TeraScale (2005−2013)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon HD 8490 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon HD 8490 holds the technical lead. Priced at $35 (vs $110), it costs 68% less, resulting in a 222.9% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon HD 8280E | Radeon HD 8490 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+222.9%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($110) | ✅More affordable ($35) |
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 8280E and Radeon HD 8490
Radeon HD 8280E
The Radeon HD 8280E is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 1 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 725 MHz to 775 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 256 points.
Radeon HD 8490
The Radeon HD 8490 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 2 2009. It features the TeraScale architecture. The core clock speed is 850 MHz. It has 800 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 190W. Manufactured using 55 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 263 points. Launch price was $249.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 8280E scores 256 and the Radeon HD 8490 reaches 263 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 8280E is built on GCN 1.0 while the Radeon HD 8490 uses TeraScale, both on 28 nm vs 55 nm. Shader units: 640 (Radeon HD 8280E) vs 800 (Radeon HD 8490). Raw compute: 0.992 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 8280E) vs 1.36 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 8490).
| Feature | Radeon HD 8280E | Radeon HD 8490 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 256 | 263+3% |
| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | TeraScale |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 55 nm |
| Shading Units | 640 | 800+25% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 0.992 TFLOPS | 1.36 TFLOPS+37% |
| ROPs | 16 | 16 |
| TMUs | 40 | 40 |
| L1 Cache | 160 KB | 160 KB |
| L2 Cache | 256 KB | 256 KB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 8280E | Radeon HD 8490 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 8280E comes with 512 MB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 8490 has 1 GB. The Radeon HD 8490 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 64-bit.
| Feature | Radeon HD 8280E | Radeon HD 8490 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 0.5 GB | 1 GB+100% |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 128-bit+100% | 64-bit |
| L2 Cache | 256 KB | 256 KB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 11_1 (Radeon HD 8280E) vs 11.2 (Radeon HD 8490). Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.
| Feature | Radeon HD 8280E | Radeon HD 8490 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 11_1 | 11.2+2% |
| Max Displays | 2 | 2 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: VCE 2.0 (Radeon HD 8280E) vs UVD 3.1 (Radeon HD 8490). Decoder: UVD 4.2 vs UVD 3.1.
| Feature | Radeon HD 8280E | Radeon HD 8490 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | VCE 2.0 | UVD 3.1 |
| Decoder | UVD 4.2 | UVD 3.1 |
| Codecs | — | H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 8280E draws 50W versus the Radeon HD 8490's 190W — a 116.7% difference. The Radeon HD 8280E is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon HD 8280E) vs 350W (Radeon HD 8490). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 1x 6-pin. Card length: 1mm vs 168mm, occupying 0 vs 1 slots.
| Feature | Radeon HD 8280E | Radeon HD 8490 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 50W-74% | 190W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 350W |
| Power Connector | 1x 6-pin | 1x 6-pin |
| Length | 1mm | 168mm |
| Slots | 0-100% | 1 |
| Perf/Watt | 5.1+264% | 1.4 |
Value Analysis
The Radeon HD 8280E launched at $150 MSRP and currently averages $110, while the Radeon HD 8490 launched at $99 and now averages $35. The Radeon HD 8490 costs 68.2% less ($75 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 2.3 (Radeon HD 8280E) vs 7.5 (Radeon HD 8490) — the Radeon HD 8490 offers 226.1% better value. The Radeon HD 8280E is the newer GPU (2013 vs 2009).
| Feature | Radeon HD 8280E | Radeon HD 8490 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $150 | $99-34% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $110 | $35-68% |
| Performance per Dollar | 2.3 | 7.5+226% |
| Codename | Venus | RV790 |
| Release | April 1 2013 | April 2 2009 |
| Ranking | #745 | #762 |
Top Performing GPUs
The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
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