Radeon R9 M485X vs Radeon RX 560

AMD

Radeon R9 M485X

2016Core: 723 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
AMD

Radeon RX 560

2017Core: 1175 MHzBoost: 1275 MHz
Similar parts
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Radeon R9 M485X vs Radeon RX 560 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 M485X vs Radeon RX 560 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Radeon R9 M485X vs Radeon RX 560: 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 M485X

2016

Why buy it

  • 30.4% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation (2023).
  • 2016 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 354.5% HIGHER MSRP
    $450 MSRPvs$99 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 8.4 vs 37.2 G3D/$ ($450 MSRP vs $99 MSRP).

Radeon RX 560

2017

Why buy it

  • Costs $351 less on MSRP ($99 MSRP vs $450 MSRP).
  • Delivers 340.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 37.2 vs 8.4 G3D/$ ($99 MSRP vs $450 MSRP).
  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation (2023).
  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 2 GB).
  • Radeon R9 M485X is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon RX 560 is the less risky modern option long term.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than Radeon R9 M485X across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • 2017 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Radeon R9 M485X is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 30.4% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 3.2% in PassMark G3D (3,801 vs 3,682), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
Radeon RX 560 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 4 GB vs 2 GB of VRAM, native frame generation with FSR Frame Generation (2023), while Radeon R9 M485X has no comparable frame-generation support, a 14nm process instead of 28nm, and a newer 2017 generation instead of 2016. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Radeon RX 560 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $351 cheaper on MSRP at $99 vs $450, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 340.3% (37.2 vs 8.4), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. Radeon R9 M485X still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

Radeon R9 M485X vs Radeon RX 560 Technical Specifications

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

AMD

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.

AMD

Radeon RX 560

The Radeon RX 560 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 18 2017. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1175 MHz to 1275 MHz. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,682 points. Launch price was $99.

Graphics Performance

The Radeon R9 M485X scores 3,801 and the Radeon RX 560 reaches 3,682 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 3.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon R9 M485X is built on GCN 3.0 while the Radeon RX 560 uses GCN 4.0, both on 28 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 2,048 (Radeon R9 M485X) vs 1,024 (Radeon RX 560). Raw compute: 2.961 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 M485X) vs 2.611 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 560).

FeatureRadeon R9 M485XRadeon RX 560
G3D Mark Score
3,801+3%
3,682
Architecture
GCN 3.0
GCN 4.0
Process Node
28 nm
14 nm
Shading Units
2048+100%
1024
Compute (TFLOPS)
2.961 TFLOPS+13%
2.611 TFLOPS
ROPs
32+100%
16
TMUs
128+100%
64
L1 Cache
512 KB+100%
256 KB
L2 Cache
0.5 MB
1 MB+100%
Frame Generation
FSR upscaling
FSR upscaling + limited Frame Generation

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the Radeon RX 560 is support for FSR Frame Generation. In games that support it, that can smooth out motion and lift perceived FPS. The Radeon R9 M485X does not have comparable native support in the same tier.

FeatureRadeon R9 M485XRadeon RX 560
Upscaling Tech
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
Not Supported
FSR Frame Generation
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
AMD Anti-Lag
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon R9 M485X has 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon RX 560 carries 4 GB. Radeon RX 560 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 M485X and 256-bit on the Radeon RX 560. L2 Cache: 0.5 MB (Radeon R9 M485X) vs 1 MB (Radeon RX 560) — the Radeon RX 560 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureRadeon R9 M485XRadeon RX 560
VRAM Capacity
2 GB
4 GB+100%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
Unknown
Unknown
Bus Width
128-bit
256-bit+100%
L2 Cache
0.5 MB
1 MB+100%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (Radeon R9 M485X) vs 12 (12_0) (Radeon RX 560). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 3.

FeatureRadeon R9 M485XRadeon RX 560
DirectX
12
12 (12_0)
Vulkan
1.2
1.3+8%
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4+33%
3
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: VCE 3.0 (Radeon R9 M485X) vs VCE 3.4 (Radeon RX 560). Decoder: UVD 6.0 vs UVD 6.3. Supported codecs: H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Radeon R9 M485X) vs HEVC,H.264,VP9,MPEG-4 (Radeon RX 560).

FeatureRadeon R9 M485XRadeon RX 560
Encoder
VCE 3.0
VCE 3.4
Decoder
UVD 6.0
UVD 6.3
Codecs
H.264,HEVC,VP9
HEVC,H.264,VP9,MPEG-4
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon R9 M485X draws 250W versus the Radeon RX 560's 75W — a 107.7% difference. The Radeon RX 560 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon R9 M485X) vs 450W (Radeon RX 560). Power connectors: Mobile vs None. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 70 C.

FeatureRadeon R9 M485XRadeon RX 560
TDP
250W
75W-70%
Recommended PSU
350W-22%
450W
Power Connector
Mobile
None
Length
170mm
Height
112mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
80°C
70 C-13%
Perf/Watt
15.2
49.1+223%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Radeon R9 M485X came in at $450, while the Radeon RX 560 launched at $99. On MSRP, Radeon RX 560 was 78% cheaper ($351 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 8.4 (Radeon R9 M485X) vs 37.2 (Radeon RX 560) — the Radeon RX 560 offers 342.9% better value. The newer card here is Radeon RX 560 (2017 vs 2016).

FeatureRadeon R9 M485XRadeon RX 560
MSRP
$450
$99-78%
Performance per Dollar
8.4
37.2+343%
Codename
Amethyst
Polaris 21
Release
May 15 2016
April 18 2017
Ranking
#519
#527

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