Radeon R9 255 vs RTXA5000-6Q

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 R9 255 vs RTXA5000-6Q 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 R9 255 vs RTXA5000-6Q: 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 R9 255

2014

Why buy it

✅Costs $2,361 less on MSRP ($139 MSRP vs $2,500 MSRP).
✅Delivers 1673.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 10.8 vs 0.6 G3D/$ ($139 MSRP vs $2,500 MSRP).
✅300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (2 GB vs 512 MB).
✅Draws 190W instead of 230W, a 40W reduction.

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.

RTXA5000-6Q

2021

Why buy it

✅Radeon R9 255 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so RTXA5000-6Q is the less risky modern option long term.
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 2 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Older hardware, 512 MB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in newer AAA releases.
❌
1698.6% HIGHER MSRP
$2,500 MSRPvs$139 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.6 vs 10.8 G3D/$ ($2,500 MSRP vs $139 MSRP).
❌21.1% higher power demand at 230W vs 190W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

RTXA5000-6Q is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 1.4% in PassMark G3D (1,522 vs 1,501), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.

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

RTXA5000-6Q is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 8nm process instead of 28nm, 64 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2021 generation instead of 2014. That gives it the more rounded hardware package for newer games.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon R9 255 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $2,361 cheaper on MSRP at $139 vs $2,500, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 1673.7% (10.8 vs 0.6), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon R9 255 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, RTXA5000-6Q has the stronger long-term case.

Radeon R9 255 vs RTXA5000-6Q Technical Specifications

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

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.

RTXA5000-6Q

The RTXA5000-6Q is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in April 12 2021. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1170 MHz to 1695 MHz. It has 8192 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 230W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 64 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,522 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon R9 255 scores 1,501 and the RTXA5000-6Q reaches 1,522 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon R9 255 is built on GCN 3.0 while the RTXA5000-6Q uses Ampere, both on 28 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 1,792 (Radeon R9 255) vs 8,192 (RTXA5000-6Q). Raw compute: 3.29 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 255) vs 27.77 TFLOPS (RTXA5000-6Q).

Feature	Radeon R9 255	RTXA5000-6Q
G3D Mark Score	1,501	1,522+1%
Architecture	GCN 3.0	Ampere
Process Node	28 nm	8 nm
Shading Units	1792	8192+357%
Compute (TFLOPS)	3.29 TFLOPS	27.77 TFLOPS+744%
ROPs	32	96+200%
TMUs	112	256+129%
L1 Cache	0.44 MB	8 MB+1718%
L2 Cache	0.5 MB	6 MB+1100%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The RTXA5000-6Q gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon R9 255 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	Radeon R9 255	RTXA5000-6Q
Upscaling Tech	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	AMD Anti-Lag	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon R9 255 has 2 GB of VRAM, while the RTXA5000-6Q carries 512 MB. 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 R9 255 and 64-bit on the RTXA5000-6Q. L2 Cache: 0.5 MB (Radeon R9 255) vs 6 MB (RTXA5000-6Q) — the RTXA5000-6Q has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Radeon R9 255	RTXA5000-6Q
VRAM Capacity	2 GB+300%	0.5 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	128-bit+100%	64-bit
L2 Cache	0.5 MB	6 MB+1100%

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon R9 255 draws 190W versus the RTXA5000-6Q's 230W — a 19% difference. The Radeon R9 255 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (Radeon R9 255) vs 350W (RTXA5000-6Q). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered.

Feature	Radeon R9 255	RTXA5000-6Q
TDP	190W-17%	230W
Recommended PSU	400W	350W-13%
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	PCIe-powered
Perf/Watt	7.9+20%	6.6

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Radeon R9 255 came in at $139, while the RTXA5000-6Q launched at $2500. On MSRP, Radeon R9 255 was 94.4% cheaper ($2361 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 10.8 (Radeon R9 255) vs 0.6 (RTXA5000-6Q) — the Radeon R9 255 offers 1700% better value. The newer card here is RTXA5000-6Q (2021 vs 2014).

Feature	Radeon R9 255	RTXA5000-6Q
MSRP	$139-94%	$2500
Performance per Dollar	10.8+1700%	0.6
Codename	Tonga	GA102
Release	September 2 2014	April 12 2021
Ranking	#365	#53

Search Radeon R9 255 on Amazon

Search RTXA5000-6Q on Amazon

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.