Radeon R9 285
VS
Radeon RX Vega M GH

Radeon R9 285 vs Radeon RX Vega M GH

AMD

Radeon R9 285

2014Core: 918 MHz
VS
AMD

Radeon RX Vega M GH

2018Core: 1063 MHzBoost: 1190 MHz

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.

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 M GH uses modern memory architecture. The Radeon RX Vega M GH likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon R9 285 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.

🚀 Performance Leadership

The Radeon R9 285 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 2% higher G3D Mark score and 100+% more VRAM (4 GB vs 0 MB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon RX Vega M GH.

InsightRadeon R9 285Radeon RX Vega M GH
Performance
Leading raw performance (+2%)
Lower raw frame rates (-2%)
Longevity
🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / GCN 3.0 (2014−2019))
🛑Obsolete Architecture (2018 / GCN 4.0 (2016−2020))
Ecosystem
Supports FSR Upscaling
Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM
✅ More VRAM (+100+%)
❌ Less VRAM capacity
Efficiency
⚡ Higher Power Consumption
💡 Excellent Perf/Watt
Case Fit
📏 Compact / SFF Friendly
📏 Compact / SFF Friendly

💎 Value Proposition

While current pricing data is unavailable, the Radeon R9 285 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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Radeon R9 285 and Radeon RX Vega M GH

AMD

Radeon R9 285

The Radeon R9 285 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: 6,680 points. Launch price was $249.

AMD

Radeon RX Vega M GH

The Radeon RX Vega M GH is manufactured by AMD. It was released in February 1 2018. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1063 MHz to 1190 MHz. It has 1536 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 6,548 points.

Graphics Performance

The Radeon R9 285 scores 6,680 and the Radeon RX Vega M GH reaches 6,548 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon R9 285 is built on GCN 3.0 while the Radeon RX Vega M GH uses GCN 4.0, both on 28 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 1,792 (Radeon R9 285) vs 1,536 (Radeon RX Vega M GH). Raw compute: 3.29 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 285) vs 3.656 TFLOPS (Radeon RX Vega M GH).

FeatureRadeon R9 285Radeon RX Vega M GH
G3D Mark Score
6,680+2%
6,548
Architecture
GCN 3.0
GCN 4.0
Process Node
28 nm
14 nm
Shading Units
1792+17%
1536
Compute (TFLOPS)
3.29 TFLOPS
3.656 TFLOPS+11%
ROPs
32
64+100%
TMUs
112+17%
96
L1 Cache
448 KB+17%
384 KB
L2 Cache
0.5 MB
1 MB+100%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureRadeon R9 285Radeon RX Vega M GH
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 285 comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon RX Vega M GH has 0 MB. The Radeon R9 285 offers 100+% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 176 GB/s (Radeon R9 285) vs 204.8 GB/s (Radeon RX Vega M GH) — a 16.4% advantage for the Radeon RX Vega M GH. Bus width: 256-bit vs 1024-bit. L2 Cache: 0.5 MB (Radeon R9 285) vs 1 MB (Radeon RX Vega M GH) — the Radeon RX Vega M GH has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureRadeon R9 285Radeon RX Vega M GH
VRAM Capacity
4 GB
Shared System RAM
Memory Type
GDDR5
HBM2
Memory Bandwidth
176 GB/s
204.8 GB/s+16%
Bus Width
256-bit
1024-bit+300%
L2 Cache
0.5 MB
1 MB+100%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.0 (Radeon R9 285) vs 12_1 (Radeon RX Vega M GH). Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 0.

FeatureRadeon R9 285Radeon RX Vega M GH
DirectX
12.0
12_1
Max Displays
4
0
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: VCE 3.0 (Radeon R9 285) vs VCE 3.0 (Radeon RX Vega M GH). Decoder: UVD 5.0 vs UVD 6.3.

FeatureRadeon R9 285Radeon RX Vega M GH
Encoder
VCE 3.0
VCE 3.0
Decoder
UVD 5.0
UVD 6.3
Codecs
MPEG-2,H.264
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon R9 285 draws 190W versus the Radeon RX Vega M GH's 100W — a 62.1% difference. The Radeon RX Vega M GH is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Radeon R9 285) vs 1W (Radeon RX Vega M GH). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs Integrated. Card length: 221mm vs 1mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots.

FeatureRadeon R9 285Radeon RX Vega M GH
TDP
190W
100W-47%
Recommended PSU
500W
1W-100%
Power Connector
2x 6-pin
Integrated
Length
221mm
1mm
Height
109mm
Slots
2
0-100%
Temp (Load)
65°C
Perf/Watt
35.2
65.5+86%
💰

Value Analysis

The Radeon R9 285 launched at $249 MSRP and currently averages $40, while the Radeon RX Vega M GH launched at $0 and now averages $0. The Radeon RX Vega M GH costs 100+% less ($40 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 167.0 (Radeon R9 285) vs Infinity (Radeon RX Vega M GH) — the Radeon RX Vega M GH offers Infinity% better value. The Radeon RX Vega M GH is the newer GPU (2018 vs 2014).

FeatureRadeon R9 285Radeon RX Vega M GH
MSRP
$249
$0-100%
Avg Price (30d)
$40
$0-100%
Performance per Dollar
167.0
Infinity
Codename
Tonga
Polaris 22
Release
September 2 2014
February 1 2018
Ranking
#365
#373