CPU
GPU
Radeon R7 M260DX
Popular choices:
Radeon HD 3850 X2
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 R7 M260DX is positioned at rank 604 and the Radeon HD 3850 X2 is on rank 303, so the Radeon HD 3850 X2 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Radeon R7 M260DX
Performance Per Dollar Radeon HD 3850 X2
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon HD 3850 X2 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.6% 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 R7 M260DX.
| Insight | Radeon R7 M260DX | Radeon HD 3850 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.6%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.6%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2011 / TeraScale 2 (2009−2015)) |
| 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 | Standard Size (267mm) |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon R7 M260DX offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon R7 M260DX holds the technical lead. Priced at $300 (vs $349), it costs 14% less, resulting in a 15.6% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon R7 M260DX | Radeon HD 3850 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+15.6%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($300) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($349) |
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 M260DX and Radeon HD 3850 X2
Radeon R7 M260DX
The Radeon R7 M260DX is manufactured by AMD. It was released in December 6 2015. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 620 MHz to 715 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 817 points.
Radeon HD 3850 X2
The Radeon HD 3850 X2 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in September 19 2011. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 800 MHz. It has 960 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 254W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 822 points.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon R7 M260DX scores 817 and the Radeon HD 3850 X2 reaches 822 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.6% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon R7 M260DX is built on GCN 1.0 while the Radeon HD 3850 X2 uses TeraScale 2, both on 28 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 384 (Radeon R7 M260DX) vs 960 (Radeon HD 3850 X2). Raw compute: 0.5491 TFLOPS (Radeon R7 M260DX) vs 1.536 TFLOPS ×2 (Radeon HD 3850 X2).
| Feature | Radeon R7 M260DX | Radeon HD 3850 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 817 | 822 |
| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | TeraScale 2 |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 40 nm |
| Shading Units | 384 | 960 ×2+150% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 0.5491 TFLOPS | 1.536 TFLOPS ×2+180% |
| ROPs | 8 | 32 ×2+300% |
| TMUs | 24 | 48 ×2+100% |
| L1 Cache | 96 KB | 192 KB+100% |
| L2 Cache | 256 KB | 512 KB+100% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon R7 M260DX | Radeon HD 3850 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 M260DX comes with 512 MB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 3850 X2 has 1 GB. The Radeon HD 3850 X2 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 256 KB (Radeon R7 M260DX) vs 512 KB (Radeon HD 3850 X2) — the Radeon HD 3850 X2 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon R7 M260DX | Radeon HD 3850 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 0.5 GB | 1 GB+100% |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 128-bit | 128-bit |
| L2 Cache | 256 KB | 512 KB+100% |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12_0 (Radeon R7 M260DX) vs 10.1 (Radeon HD 3850 X2). Maximum simultaneous displays: 0 vs 2.
| Feature | Radeon R7 M260DX | Radeon HD 3850 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12_0+19% | 10.1 |
| Max Displays | 0 | 2 |
Media & Encoding
Decoder: UVD 4.2 vs UVD+.
| Feature | Radeon R7 M260DX | Radeon HD 3850 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | VCE 2.0 | — |
| Decoder | UVD 4.2 | UVD+ |
| Codecs | — | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon R7 M260DX draws 75W versus the Radeon HD 3850 X2's 254W — a 108.8% difference. The Radeon R7 M260DX is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon R7 M260DX) vs 450W (Radeon HD 3850 X2). Power connectors: Mobile vs 2x 6-pin. Card length: 1mm vs 267mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots.
| Feature | Radeon R7 M260DX | Radeon HD 3850 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 75W-70% | 254W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W-22% | 450W |
| Power Connector | Mobile | 2x 6-pin |
| Length | 1mm | 267mm |
| Slots | 0-100% | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | — | 90°C |
| Perf/Watt | 10.9+241% | 3.2 |
Value Analysis
The Radeon R7 M260DX launched at $300 MSRP and currently averages $300, while the Radeon HD 3850 X2 launched at $349 and now averages $349. The Radeon R7 M260DX costs 14% less ($49 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 2.7 (Radeon R7 M260DX) vs 2.4 (Radeon HD 3850 X2) — the Radeon R7 M260DX offers 12.5% better value. The Radeon R7 M260DX is the newer GPU (2015 vs 2011).
| Feature | Radeon R7 M260DX | Radeon HD 3850 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $300-14% | $349 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $300-14% | $349 |
| Performance per Dollar | 2.7+13% | 2.4 |
| Codename | Opal | Barts |
| Release | December 6 2015 | September 19 2011 |
| Ranking | #878 | #630 |
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