Radeon R4 vs Radeon R5 235

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 R4 vs Radeon R5 235 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 R4 vs Radeon R5 235: 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 R4

2017

Why buy it

✅29.8% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅More future proof: GCN 4.0 (2016−2020) on 14nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 1 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2017 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
104.1% HIGHER MSRP
$100 MSRPvs$49 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 3.5 vs 6.9 G3D/$ ($100 MSRP vs $49 MSRP).
❌66.7% higher power demand at 50W vs 30W.

Radeon R5 235

2016

Why buy it

✅Costs $51 less on MSRP ($49 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).
✅Delivers 98.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 6.9 vs 3.5 G3D/$ ($49 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (1 GB vs 512 MB).
✅Draws 30W instead of 50W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon R4 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2016 hardware with 1 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon R4 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 29.8% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 3% in PassMark G3D (346 vs 336), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

Radeon R4 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 14nm process instead of 28nm and a newer 2017 generation instead of 2016. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon R5 235 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $51 cheaper on MSRP at $49 vs $100, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 98.2% (6.9 vs 3.5), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon R5 235 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Radeon R4 has the stronger long-term case.

Radeon R4 vs Radeon R5 235 Technical Specifications

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

Radeon R4

The Radeon R4 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 20 2017. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1183 MHz to 1124 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 346 points. Launch price was $79.

Radeon R5 235

The Radeon R5 235 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in May 15 2016. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 780 MHz to 1030 MHz. It has 320 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 30W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 336 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon R4 scores 346 and the Radeon R5 235 reaches 336 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 3% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon R4 is built on GCN 4.0 while the Radeon R5 235 uses GCN 1.0, both on 14 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 384 (Radeon R4) vs 320 (Radeon R5 235). Raw compute: 0.9085 TFLOPS (Radeon R4) vs 0.6592 TFLOPS (Radeon R5 235). Boost clocks: 1124 MHz vs 1030 MHz.

Feature	Radeon R4	Radeon R5 235
G3D Mark Score	346+3%	336
Architecture	GCN 4.0	GCN 1.0
Process Node	14 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	384+20%	320
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.9085 TFLOPS+38%	0.6592 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1124 MHz+9%	1030 MHz
ROPs	16+100%	8
TMUs	24+20%	20
L1 Cache	96 KB+20%	80 KB
L2 Cache	512 KB+300%	128 KB
Frame Generation	FSR upscaling	FSR upscaling

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon R4	Radeon R5 235
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)

The Radeon R4 has 512 MB of VRAM, while the Radeon R5 235 carries 1 GB. Radeon R5 235 gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the Radeon R4 and 128-bit on the Radeon R5 235. L2 Cache: 512 KB (Radeon R4) vs 128 KB (Radeon R5 235) — the Radeon R4 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Radeon R4	Radeon R5 235
VRAM Capacity	0.5 GB	1 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	64-bit	128-bit+100%
L2 Cache	512 KB+300%	128 KB

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon R4 draws 50W versus the Radeon R5 235's 30W — a 50% difference. The Radeon R5 235 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon R4) vs 350W (Radeon R5 235). Power connectors: None vs PCIe-powered.

Feature	Radeon R4	Radeon R5 235
TDP	50W	30W-40%
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	None	PCIe-powered
Length	—	168mm
Height	—	111mm
Slots	—	1
Temp (Load)	—	75
Perf/Watt	6.9	11.2+62%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Radeon R4 came in at $100, while the Radeon R5 235 launched at $49. On MSRP, Radeon R5 235 was 51% cheaper ($51 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 3.5 (Radeon R4) vs 6.9 (Radeon R5 235) — the Radeon R5 235 offers 97.1% better value. The newer card here is Radeon R4 (2017 vs 2016).

Feature	Radeon R4	Radeon R5 235
MSRP	$100	$49-51%
Performance per Dollar	3.5	6.9+97%
Codename	Lexa	Jet
Release	April 20 2017	May 15 2016
Ranking	#773	#922

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