Radeon R9 255 vs UHD Graphics 32EUs (Alder Lake)

AMD

Radeon R9 255

2014Core: 918 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
Intel

UHD Graphics 32EUs (Alder Lake)

Core: 1250 MHz
Similar parts
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Radeon R9 255 vs UHD Graphics 32EUs (Alder Lake) Performance Spectrum

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.

Radeon R9 255 vs UHD Graphics 32EUs (Alder Lake): 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

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 10.8 vs 0 G3D/$ ($139 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • 100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (2 GB vs Unknown).
  • UHD Graphics 32EUs (Alder Lake) is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon R9 255 is the less risky modern option long term.

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.
  • 1166.7% higher power demand at 190W vs 15W.

UHD Graphics 32EUs (Alder Lake)

Why buy it

  • Draws 15W instead of 190W, a 175W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 2 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • Older hardware with Unknown of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 10.8 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $139 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Radeon R9 255 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 0.1% in PassMark G3D (1,501 vs 1,500), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
Radeon R9 255 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 2 GB vs Unknown of VRAM, the newer upscaling stack, FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, a 28nm process instead of Unknown node, and a newer 2014 generation instead of 0. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Radeon R9 255 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

Radeon R9 255 vs UHD Graphics 32EUs (Alder Lake) Technical Specifications

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

AMD

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.

Intel

UHD Graphics 32EUs (Alder Lake)

The UHD Graphics 32EUs (Alder Lake) is manufactured by Intel. It was released in sem dados. The core clock speed is 1250 MHz. It has 32 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 15W. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,500 points.

Graphics Performance

The Radeon R9 255 scores 1,501 and the UHD Graphics 32EUs (Alder Lake) reaches 1,500 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. Shader units: 1,792 (Radeon R9 255) vs 32 (UHD Graphics 32EUs (Alder Lake)).

FeatureRadeon R9 255UHD Graphics 32EUs (Alder Lake)
G3D Mark Score
1,501
1,500
Shading Units
1792+5500%
32

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureRadeon R9 255UHD Graphics 32EUs (Alder Lake)
Upscaling Tech
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Upscaling support
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
AMD Anti-Lag
Standard
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon R9 255 has 2 GB of VRAM, while the UHD Graphics 32EUs (Alder Lake) carries 0 MB. Radeon R9 255 gives you 100+% 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 System on the UHD Graphics 32EUs (Alder Lake).

FeatureRadeon R9 255UHD Graphics 32EUs (Alder Lake)
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 UHD Graphics 32EUs (Alder Lake)'s 15W — a 170.7% difference. The UHD Graphics 32EUs (Alder Lake) is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (Radeon R9 255) vs 1W (UHD Graphics 32EUs (Alder Lake)). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs Integrated.

FeatureRadeon R9 255UHD Graphics 32EUs (Alder Lake)
TDP
190W
15W-92%
Recommended PSU
400W
1W-100%
Power Connector
1x 6-pin
Integrated
Perf/Watt
7.9
100.0+1166%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Radeon R9 255 came in at $139, while the UHD Graphics 32EUs (Alder Lake) launched at $0. On MSRP, UHD Graphics 32EUs (Alder Lake) was 100+% cheaper ($139 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 10.8 (Radeon R9 255) vs Infinity (UHD Graphics 32EUs (Alder Lake)) — the UHD Graphics 32EUs (Alder Lake) offers Infinity% better value.

FeatureRadeon R9 255UHD Graphics 32EUs (Alder Lake)
MSRP
$139
$0-100%
Performance per Dollar
10.8
Infinity
Codename
Tonga
Release
September 2 2014
sem dados
Ranking
#365
#776

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