Radeon HD 8490 vs Radeon HD 8280
Radeon HD 8490
Popular choices:
Radeon HD 8280
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 8490 is positioned at rank 294 and the Radeon HD 8280 is on rank 472, 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 8490
Performance Per Dollar Radeon HD 8280
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon HD 8490 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.8% 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 8280.
| Insight | Radeon HD 8490 | Radeon HD 8280 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.8%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.8%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2009 / TeraScale (2005−2013)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) | ❌ Less VRAM capacity |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | 📏 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 $50), it costs 30% less, resulting in a 44% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon HD 8490 | Radeon HD 8280 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+44%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($35) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($50) |
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 8490 and Radeon HD 8280
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.
Radeon HD 8280
The Radeon HD 8280 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: 261 points.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 8490 scores 263 and the Radeon HD 8280 reaches 261 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.8% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 8490 is built on TeraScale while the Radeon HD 8280 uses GCN 1.0, both on 55 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 800 (Radeon HD 8490) vs 640 (Radeon HD 8280). Raw compute: 1.36 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 8490) vs 0.992 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 8280).
| Feature | Radeon HD 8490 | Radeon HD 8280 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 263 | 261 |
| Architecture | TeraScale | GCN 1.0 |
| Process Node | 55 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 800+25% | 640 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 1.36 TFLOPS+37% | 0.992 TFLOPS |
| 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 8490 | Radeon HD 8280 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 8490 comes with 1 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 8280 has 512 MB. The Radeon HD 8490 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 64-bit vs 128-bit.
| Feature | Radeon HD 8490 | Radeon HD 8280 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 1 GB+100% | 0.5 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 64-bit | 128-bit+100% |
| L2 Cache | 256 KB | 256 KB |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 8490 draws 190W versus the Radeon HD 8280's 50W — a 116.7% difference. The Radeon HD 8280 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon HD 8490) vs 350W (Radeon HD 8280). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 1x 6-pin.
| Feature | Radeon HD 8490 | Radeon HD 8280 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 190W | 50W-74% |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 350W |
| Power Connector | 1x 6-pin | 1x 6-pin |
| Length | 168mm | — |
| Slots | 1 | — |
| Perf/Watt | 1.4 | 5.2+271% |
Value Analysis
The Radeon HD 8490 launched at $99 MSRP and currently averages $35, while the Radeon HD 8280 launched at $50 and now averages $50. The Radeon HD 8490 costs 30% less ($15 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 7.5 (Radeon HD 8490) vs 5.2 (Radeon HD 8280) — the Radeon HD 8490 offers 44.2% better value. The Radeon HD 8280 is the newer GPU (2013 vs 2009).
| Feature | Radeon HD 8490 | Radeon HD 8280 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $99 | $50-49% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $35-30% | $50 |
| Performance per Dollar | 7.5+44% | 5.2 |
| Codename | RV790 | Venus |
| Release | April 2 2009 | April 1 2013 |
| Ranking | #762 | #745 |
Top Performing GPUs
The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
You May Also Compare
Similar GPU comparisons based on Radeon HD 8490 and Radeon HD 8280
