Radeon R9 350 vs Radeon HD 5850

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 R9 350 is significantly newer (2015 vs 2009). The Radeon R9 350 likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon HD 5850 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.

🚀 Performance Leadership

The Radeon R9 350 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 2.2% higher G3D Mark score. This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon HD 5850.

Insight	Radeon R9 350	Radeon HD 5850
Performance	✅Leading raw performance (+2.2%)	❌Lower raw frame rates (-2.2%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / GCN 2.0 (2013−2017))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2009 / TeraScale 2 (2009−2015))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	❌ Less VRAM capacity	✅ More VRAM (+0%)
Efficiency	⚡ Higher Power Consumption	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt
Case Fit	📏 Compact / SFF Friendly	—

💎 Value Proposition

The Radeon HD 5850 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon HD 5850 holds the technical lead. Priced at $30 (vs $50), it costs 40% less, resulting in a 63.1% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	Radeon R9 350	Radeon HD 5850
Cost Efficiency	❌Lower cost efficiency	✅Better overall value (+63.1%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($50)	✅More affordable ($30)

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 350 Benchmark Check

Radeon HD 5850 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Radeon R9 350 and Radeon HD 5850

Radeon R9 350

The Radeon R9 350 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in June 18 2015. It features the GCN 2.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1000 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 300W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,998 points. Launch price was $329.

Radeon HD 5850

The Radeon HD 5850 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in September 30 2009. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 725 MHz. It has 1440 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 151W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,955 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon R9 350 scores 1,998 and the Radeon HD 5850 reaches 1,955 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon R9 350 is built on GCN 2.0 while the Radeon HD 5850 uses TeraScale 2, both on 28 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 2,560 (Radeon R9 350) vs 1,440 (Radeon HD 5850). Raw compute: 5.12 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 350) vs 2.088 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 5850).

Feature	Radeon R9 350	Radeon HD 5850
G3D Mark Score	1,998+2%	1,955
Architecture	GCN 2.0	TeraScale 2
Process Node	28 nm	40 nm
Shading Units	2560+78%	1440
Compute (TFLOPS)	5.12 TFLOPS+145%	2.088 TFLOPS
ROPs	64+100%	32
TMUs	160+122%	72
L1 Cache	640 KB+344%	144 KB
L2 Cache	1 MB+100%	0.5 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon R9 350	Radeon HD 5850
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)

Both cards feature 2 GB of GDDR5. Bus width: 128-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 1 MB (Radeon R9 350) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon HD 5850) — the Radeon R9 350 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Radeon R9 350	Radeon HD 5850
VRAM Capacity	2 GB	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	128 GB/s
Bus Width	128-bit	256-bit+100%
L2 Cache	1 MB+100%	0.5 MB

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon R9 350 draws 300W versus the Radeon HD 5850's 151W — a 66.1% difference. The Radeon HD 5850 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (Radeon R9 350) vs 500W (Radeon HD 5850). Power connectors: None vs 2x 6-pin.

Feature	Radeon R9 350	Radeon HD 5850
TDP	300W	151W-50%
Recommended PSU	300W-40%	500W
Power Connector	None	2x 6-pin
Length	168mm	—
Slots	1	—
Perf/Watt	6.7	12.9+93%

💰

Value Analysis

The Radeon R9 350 launched at $99 MSRP and currently averages $50, while the Radeon HD 5850 launched at $299 and now averages $30. The Radeon HD 5850 costs 40% less ($20 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 40.0 (Radeon R9 350) vs 65.2 (Radeon HD 5850) — the Radeon HD 5850 offers 63% better value. The Radeon R9 350 is the newer GPU (2015 vs 2009).