Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge) vs Radeon R9 255

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 R5 (Bristol Ridge) vs Radeon R9 255 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 R5 (Bristol Ridge) vs Radeon R9 255: 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 R5 (Bristol Ridge)

2016

Why buy it

✅Costs $89 less on MSRP ($50 MSRP vs $139 MSRP).
✅Delivers 177.8% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 30.0 vs 10.8 G3D/$ ($50 MSRP vs $139 MSRP).
✅Draws 12W instead of 190W, a 178W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon R9 255 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 2 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2016 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Radeon R9 255

2014

Why buy it

✅17.7% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (2 GB vs 512 MB).

Trade-offs

❌2014 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
178% HIGHER MSRP
$139 MSRPvs$50 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 10.8 vs 30.0 G3D/$ ($139 MSRP vs $50 MSRP).
❌1483.3% higher power demand at 190W vs 12W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon R9 255 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 17.7% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 0.1% in PassMark G3D (1,501 vs 1,500), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge) is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a newer 2016 generation instead of 2014. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge) makes the most sense to buy today. It is $89 cheaper on MSRP at $50 vs $139, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 177.8% (30.0 vs 10.8), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. Radeon R9 255 still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge) vs Radeon R9 255 Technical Specifications

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

Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge)

The Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge) is manufactured by AMD. It was released in June 1 2016. It features the GCN 1.2/2.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 800 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 12W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,500 points.

Radeon R9 255

The Radeon R9 255 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in September 2 2014. It features the GCN 3.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 918 MHz. It has 1792 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 190W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,501 points. Launch price was $249.

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Graphics Performance

The Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge) scores 1,500 and the Radeon R9 255 reaches 1,501 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge) is built on GCN 1.2/2.0 while the Radeon R9 255 uses GCN 3.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 384 (Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge)) vs 1,792 (Radeon R9 255).

Feature	Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge)	Radeon R9 255
G3D Mark Score	1,500	1,501
Architecture	GCN 1.2/2.0	GCN 3.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	384	1792+367%
Frame Generation	FSR upscaling	FSR upscaling

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge)	Radeon R9 255
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

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge) has 512 MB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 255 carries 2 GB. Radeon R9 255 gives you 300% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge) and 128-bit on the Radeon R9 255.

Feature	Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge)	Radeon R9 255
VRAM Capacity	0.5 GB	2 GB+300%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	Unknown
Bus Width	128-bit	128-bit

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Power & Dimensions

The Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge) draws 12W versus the Radeon R9 255's 190W — a 176.2% difference. The Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge) is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge)) vs 400W (Radeon R9 255). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 1x 6-pin.

Feature	Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge)	Radeon R9 255
TDP	12W-94%	190W
Recommended PSU	350W-13%	400W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	1x 6-pin
Perf/Watt	125.0+1482%	7.9

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Value Analysis

At launch, the Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge) came in at $50, while the Radeon R9 255 launched at $139. On MSRP, Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge) was 64% cheaper ($89 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 30.0 (Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge)) vs 10.8 (Radeon R9 255) — the Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge) offers 177.8% better value. The newer card here is Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge) (2016 vs 2014).

Feature	Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge)	Radeon R9 255
MSRP	$50-64%	$139
Performance per Dollar	30.0+178%	10.8
Codename	Bristol Ridge	Tonga
Release	June 1 2016	September 2 2014
Ranking	#904	#365

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