Radeon R9 M485X vs Radeon 680M
Radeon R9 M485X
Popular choices:
Radeon 680M
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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. The Radeon R9 M485X is positioned at rank 393 and the Radeon 680M is on rank 331, so the Radeon 680M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Radeon R9 M485X
Performance Per Dollar Radeon 680M
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The Radeon 680M is significantly newer (2023 vs 2016). The Radeon 680M likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon R9 M485X lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon 680M is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.9% higher G3D Mark score. This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon R9 M485X.
| Insight | Radeon R9 M485X | Radeon 680M |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.9%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.9%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2016 / GCN 3.0 (2014−2019)) | RDNA 2.0 (2020−2025) (6nm) |
| 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 680M offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Priced at $80 versus $150 for the Radeon R9 M485X, it costs 47% less. While it maintains basic entry-level capabilities, this results in a 89.2% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon R9 M485X | Radeon 680M |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+89.2%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($150) | ✅More affordable ($80) |
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 M485X and Radeon 680M
Radeon R9 M485X
The Radeon R9 M485X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in May 15 2016. It features the GCN 3.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 723 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 250W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,801 points.
Radeon 680M
The Radeon 680M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 3 2023. It features the RDNA 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 2000 MHz to 2200 MHz. It has 768 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 6 nm process technology. It features 12 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,836 points.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon R9 M485X scores 3,801 and the Radeon 680M reaches 3,836 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon R9 M485X is built on GCN 3.0 while the Radeon 680M uses RDNA 2.0, both on 28 nm vs 6 nm. Shader units: 2,048 (Radeon R9 M485X) vs 768 (Radeon 680M). Raw compute: 2.961 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 M485X) vs 3.379 TFLOPS (Radeon 680M).
| Feature | Radeon R9 M485X | Radeon 680M |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 3,801 | 3,836 |
| Architecture | GCN 3.0 | RDNA 2.0 |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 6 nm |
| Shading Units | 2048+167% | 768 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 2.961 TFLOPS | 3.379 TFLOPS+14% |
| ROPs | 32 | 32 |
| TMUs | 128+167% | 48 |
| L1 Cache | 512 KB+100% | 256 KB |
| L2 Cache | 0.5 MB | 2 MB+300% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon R9 M485X | Radeon 680M |
|---|---|---|
| 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 video memory. Bus width: 128-bit vs System. L2 Cache: 0.5 MB (Radeon R9 M485X) vs 2 MB (Radeon 680M) — the Radeon 680M has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon R9 M485X | Radeon 680M |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 2 GB | 2 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | Shared |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | System |
| Bus Width | 128-bit | System |
| L2 Cache | 0.5 MB | 2 MB+300% |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 (Radeon R9 M485X) vs 12_2 (Radeon 680M). Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 0.
| Feature | Radeon R9 M485X | Radeon 680M |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 | 12_2 |
| Max Displays | 4 | 0 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: VCE 3.0 (Radeon R9 M485X) vs VCN 3.1 (Radeon 680M). Decoder: UVD 6.0 vs VCN 3.1.
| Feature | Radeon R9 M485X | Radeon 680M |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | VCE 3.0 | VCN 3.1 |
| Decoder | UVD 6.0 | VCN 3.1 |
| Codecs | H.264,HEVC,VP9 | — |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon R9 M485X draws 250W versus the Radeon 680M's 50W — a 133.3% difference. The Radeon 680M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon R9 M485X) vs 350W (Radeon 680M). Power connectors: Mobile vs PCIe-powered.
| Feature | Radeon R9 M485X | Radeon 680M |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 250W | 50W-80% |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 350W |
| Power Connector | Mobile | PCIe-powered |
| Length | — | 1mm |
| Slots | — | 0 |
| Temp (Load) | 80°C | — |
| Perf/Watt | 15.2 | 76.7+405% |
Value Analysis
The Radeon 680M costs 46.7% less ($70 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 25.3 (Radeon R9 M485X) vs 48.0 (Radeon 680M) — the Radeon 680M offers 89.7% better value. The Radeon 680M is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2016).
| Feature | Radeon R9 M485X | Radeon 680M |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $450 | — |
| Avg Price (30d) | $150 | $80-47% |
| Performance per Dollar | 25.3 | 48.0+90% |
| Codename | Amethyst | Rembrandt+ |
| Release | May 15 2016 | January 3 2023 |
| Ranking | #519 | #512 |
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