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.

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 RTXA5000-6Q

#357

Tesla K20m

MSRP: $3199|Avg: $55

24218%

#372

Quadro 6000

MSRP: $4399|Avg: $150

100%

#373

GRID M6-0B

MSRP: $1500|Avg: $100

100%

#374

RTXA5000-6Q

MSRP: $2500|Avg: $2500

100%

#375

GRID M10-1B

MSRP: $2500|Avg: $150

98%

#376

Tesla K40c

MSRP: $7699|Avg: $500

95%

#377

Quadro FX 4800

MSRP: $1799|Avg: $80

92%

#378

Tesla M2090

MSRP: $2500|Avg: $40

92%

#379

GRID K180Q

MSRP: $1000|Avg: $1000

87%

#380

GRID K2

MSRP: $5199|Avg: $80

87%

#381

Quadro CX

MSRP: $1999|Avg: $500

77%

#382

GRID P100-8Q

MSRP: $7374|Avg: $550

72%

#383

Quadro FX 550

MSRP: $150|Avg: $10

70%

#384

Quadro FX 350

MSRP: $199|Avg: $15

70%

#385

Tesla M2070

MSRP: $3099|Avg: $50

69%

#386

GRID V100D-8Q

MSRP: $10000|Avg: $10000

69%

#387

GRID M10-0Q

MSRP: $2000|Avg: $150

66%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

⚠️ Generational Difference

The RTXA5000-6Q is significantly newer (2021 vs 2014). The RTXA5000-6Q 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 RTXA5000-6Q is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.4% 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	RTXA5000-6Q
Performance	❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.4%)	✅Leading raw performance (+1.4%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / GCN 3.0 (2014−2019))	🏆Elite Architecture (Ampere (2020−2025) / 8nm)
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	✨ DLSS 3/4 + Frame Gen Support
VRAM	✅ More VRAM (+300%)	❌ Less VRAM capacity
Efficiency	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt	⚡ Higher Power Consumption
Case Fit	—	—

💎 Value Proposition

The Radeon R9 255 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Priced at $30 versus $2,500 for the RTXA5000-6Q, it costs 99% less. While it maintains basic entry-level capabilities, this results in a 8118.4% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	Radeon R9 255	RTXA5000-6Q
Cost Efficiency	✅Better overall value (+8118.4%)	❌Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅More affordable ($30)	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($2,500)

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

RTXA5000-6Q Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Radeon R9 255 and RTXA5000-6Q

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)

Feature	Radeon R9 255	RTXA5000-6Q
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	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon R9 255 comes with 2 GB of VRAM, while the RTXA5000-6Q has 512 MB. The Radeon R9 255 offers 300% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 64-bit. 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

The Radeon R9 255 launched at $139 MSRP and currently averages $30, while the RTXA5000-6Q launched at $2500 and now averages $2500. The Radeon R9 255 costs 98.8% less ($2470 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 50.0 (Radeon R9 255) vs 0.6 (RTXA5000-6Q) — the Radeon R9 255 offers 8233.3% better value. The RTXA5000-6Q is the newer GPU (2021 vs 2014).