Radeon R7 250 vs Radeon 530
Radeon R7 250
Popular choices:
Radeon 530
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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. The Radeon R7 250 is positioned at rank #107 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Balanced cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Radeon R7 250
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon R7 250 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.4% higher G3D Mark score and 300% more VRAM (2 GB vs 512 MB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon 530.
| Insight | Radeon R7 250 | Radeon 530 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+1.4%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.4%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2017 / GCN 3.0 (2014−2019)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ✅ More VRAM (+300%) | ❌ Less VRAM capacity |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | — |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon R7 250 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon R7 250 holds the technical lead. Priced at $25 (vs $49), it costs 49% less, resulting in a 98.6% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon R7 250 | Radeon 530 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+98.6%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($25) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($49) |
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 R7 250 and Radeon 530
Radeon R7 250
The Radeon R7 250 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in October 8 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1050 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 65W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,051 points. Launch price was $89.
Radeon 530
The Radeon 530 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 18 2017. It features the GCN 3.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 730 MHz to 1024 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,037 points.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon R7 250 scores 1,051 and the Radeon 530 reaches 1,037 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon R7 250 is built on GCN 1.0 while the Radeon 530 uses GCN 3.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 384 (Radeon R7 250) vs 384 (Radeon 530). Raw compute: 0.8064 TFLOPS (Radeon R7 250) vs 0.7864 TFLOPS (Radeon 530). Boost clocks: 1050 MHz vs 1024 MHz.
| Feature | Radeon R7 250 | Radeon 530 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 1,051+1% | 1,037 |
| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | GCN 3.0 |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 384 | 384 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 0.8064 TFLOPS+3% | 0.7864 TFLOPS |
| Boost Clock | 1050 MHz+3% | 1024 MHz |
| ROPs | 8 | 8 |
| TMUs | 24 | 24 |
| L1 Cache | 96 KB | 96 KB |
| L2 Cache | 256 KB+100% | 128 KB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon R7 250 | Radeon 530 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 R7 250 comes with 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon 530 has 512 MB. The Radeon R7 250 offers 300% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 64-bit. L2 Cache: 256 KB (Radeon R7 250) vs 128 KB (Radeon 530) — the Radeon R7 250 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon R7 250 | Radeon 530 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 2 GB+300% | 0.5 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Bus Width | 128-bit+100% | 64-bit |
| L2 Cache | 256 KB+100% | 128 KB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 11.1 (Radeon R7 250) vs 12 (12_0) (Radeon 530). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 3.
| Feature | Radeon R7 250 | Radeon 530 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 11.1 | 12 (12_0)+8% |
| Vulkan | 1.2 | 1.2 |
| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Max Displays | 2 | 3+50% |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: VCE 1.0 (Radeon R7 250) vs VCE 3.0 (Radeon 530). Decoder: UVD 4.0 vs UVD 6.0. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264,MPEG-4 (Radeon R7 250) vs H.264,H.265 (Decode),VC-1,MPEG-4 (Radeon 530).
| Feature | Radeon R7 250 | Radeon 530 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | VCE 1.0 | VCE 3.0 |
| Decoder | UVD 4.0 | UVD 6.0 |
| Codecs | MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264,MPEG-4 | H.264,H.265 (Decode),VC-1,MPEG-4 |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon R7 250 draws 65W versus the Radeon 530's 50W — a 26.1% difference. The Radeon 530 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (Radeon R7 250) vs 350W (Radeon 530). Power connectors: None vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 168mm vs 0mm, occupying 1 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 75.
| Feature | Radeon R7 250 | Radeon 530 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 65W | 50W-23% |
| Recommended PSU | 300W-14% | 350W |
| Power Connector | None | PCIe-powered |
| Length | 168mm | 0mm |
| Height | 111mm | 0mm |
| Slots | 1 | 0-100% |
| Temp (Load) | 75 | 75 |
| Perf/Watt | 16.2 | 20.7+28% |
Value Analysis
The Radeon R7 250 launched at $89 MSRP and currently averages $25, while the Radeon 530 launched at $0 and now averages $49. The Radeon R7 250 costs 49% less ($24 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 42.0 (Radeon R7 250) vs 21.2 (Radeon 530) — the Radeon R7 250 offers 98.1% better value. The Radeon 530 is the newer GPU (2017 vs 2013).
| Feature | Radeon R7 250 | Radeon 530 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $89 | $0-100% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $25-49% | $49 |
| Performance per Dollar | 42.0+98% | 21.2 |
| Codename | Oland | Weston |
| Release | October 8 2013 | April 18 2017 |
| Ranking | #871 | #873 |
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