Radeon R9 255 vs Radeon RX Vega 8

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.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

⚠️ Generational Difference

The Radeon RX Vega 8 uses modern memory architecture. The Radeon RX Vega 8 likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon R9 255 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.

🚀 Performance Leadership

The Radeon RX Vega 8 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 2.6% higher G3D Mark score. However, the Radeon R9 255 offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.

Insight	Radeon R9 255	Radeon RX Vega 8
Performance	❌Lower raw frame rates (-2.6%)	✅Leading raw performance (+2.6%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / GCN 3.0 (2014−2019))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2018 / GCN 5.0 (2017−2020))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	✅ More VRAM (+100+%)	❌ Less VRAM capacity
Efficiency	⚡ Higher Power Consumption	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt
Case Fit	—	—

💎 Value Proposition

While current pricing data is unavailable, the Radeon RX Vega 8 remains the clear technical winner. Check real-time availability to determine if the performance gap justifies the market price.

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.

Radeon R9 255 Benchmark Check

Radeon RX Vega 8 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

No prediction data available

Path of Exile 2

No prediction data available

Counter-Strike 2

No prediction data available

Counter-Strike 2

No prediction data available

League of Legends

No prediction data available

League of Legends

No prediction data available

Valorant

No prediction data available

Valorant

No prediction data available

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Radeon R9 255 and Radeon RX Vega 8

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.

Radeon RX Vega 8

The Radeon RX Vega 8 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in February 1 2018. It features the GCN 5.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 720 MHz to 1190 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 15W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,540 points.

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Graphics Performance

The Radeon R9 255 scores 1,501 and the Radeon RX Vega 8 reaches 1,540 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.6% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon R9 255 is built on GCN 3.0 while the Radeon RX Vega 8 uses GCN 5.0, both on 28 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 1,792 (Radeon R9 255) vs 512 (Radeon RX Vega 8).

Feature	Radeon R9 255	Radeon RX Vega 8
G3D Mark Score	1,501	1,540+3%
Architecture	GCN 3.0	GCN 5.0
Process Node	28 nm	14 nm
Shading Units	1792+250%	512
ROPs	32+300%	8
TMUs	112+250%	32

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon R9 255	Radeon RX Vega 8
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 R9 255 comes with 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon RX Vega 8 has 0 MB. The Radeon R9 255 offers 100+% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs System.

Feature	Radeon R9 255	Radeon RX Vega 8
VRAM Capacity	2 GB	Shared System RAM
Memory Type	GDDR5	Shared
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	System
Bus Width	128-bit	System

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon R9 255 draws 190W versus the Radeon RX Vega 8's 15W — a 170.7% difference. The Radeon RX Vega 8 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (Radeon R9 255) vs 1W (Radeon RX Vega 8). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs Integrated.

Feature	Radeon R9 255	Radeon RX Vega 8
TDP	190W	15W-92%
Recommended PSU	400W	1W-100%
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	Integrated
Temp (Load)	—	85°C
Perf/Watt	7.9	102.7+1200%

💰

Value Analysis

The Radeon R9 255 launched at $139 MSRP and currently averages $30, while the Radeon RX Vega 8 launched at $0 and now averages $0. The Radeon RX Vega 8 costs 100+% less ($30 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 50.0 (Radeon R9 255) vs Infinity (Radeon RX Vega 8) — the Radeon RX Vega 8 offers Infinity% better value. The Radeon RX Vega 8 is the newer GPU (2018 vs 2014).