Radeon Steam Deck 8CU vs Radeon R7 260
Radeon Steam Deck 8CU
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Radeon R7 260
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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.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The Radeon Steam Deck 8CU is significantly newer (2023 vs 2013). The Radeon Steam Deck 8CU likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon R7 260 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon Steam Deck 8CU is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 3.7% higher G3D Mark score and 100% more VRAM (2 GB vs 1 GB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon R7 260.
| Insight | Radeon Steam Deck 8CU | Radeon R7 260 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+3.7%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-3.7%) |
| Longevity | RDNA 2 (2022−2023) (6nm) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / GCN 2.0 (2013−2017)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) | ❌ Less VRAM capacity |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
While current pricing data is unavailable, the Radeon Steam Deck 8CU 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 Steam Deck 8CU and Radeon R7 260
Radeon Steam Deck 8CU
The Radeon Steam Deck 8CU is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 9 2023. It features the RDNA 2 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1900 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 30W. Manufactured using 6 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,000 points.
Radeon R7 260
The Radeon R7 260 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in December 17 2013. It features the GCN 2.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1100 MHz. It has 768 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 95W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,892 points. Launch price was $109.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon Steam Deck 8CU scores 3,000 and the Radeon R7 260 reaches 2,892 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 3.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon Steam Deck 8CU is built on RDNA 2 while the Radeon R7 260 uses GCN 2.0, both on 6 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 512 (Radeon Steam Deck 8CU) vs 768 (Radeon R7 260). Boost clocks: 1900 MHz vs 1100 MHz.
| Feature | Radeon Steam Deck 8CU | Radeon R7 260 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 3,000+4% | 2,892 |
| Architecture | RDNA 2 | GCN 2.0 |
| Process Node | 6 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 512 | 768+50% |
| Boost Clock | 1900 MHz+73% | 1100 MHz |
| L1 Cache | 512 KB+167% | 192 KB |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+300% | 0.25 MB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon Steam Deck 8CU | Radeon R7 260 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Steam Deck 8CU comes with 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R7 260 has 1 GB. The Radeon Steam Deck 8CU offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 64-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 1 MB (Radeon Steam Deck 8CU) vs 0.25 MB (Radeon R7 260) — the Radeon Steam Deck 8CU has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon Steam Deck 8CU | Radeon R7 260 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 2 GB+100% | 1 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Bus Width | 64-bit | 128-bit+100% |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+300% | 0.25 MB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12_0 (Radeon Steam Deck 8CU) vs 12 (12_0) (Radeon R7 260). Maximum simultaneous displays: 0 vs 3.
| Feature | Radeon Steam Deck 8CU | Radeon R7 260 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12_0 | 12 (12_0) |
| Max Displays | 0 | 3 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: VCN 3.0 (Radeon Steam Deck 8CU) vs VCE 2.0 (Radeon R7 260). Decoder: VCN 3.0 vs UVD 4.2.
| Feature | Radeon Steam Deck 8CU | Radeon R7 260 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | VCN 3.0 | VCE 2.0 |
| Decoder | VCN 3.0 | UVD 4.2 |
| Codecs | — | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MVC |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon Steam Deck 8CU draws 30W versus the Radeon R7 260's 95W — a 104% difference. The Radeon Steam Deck 8CU is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon Steam Deck 8CU) vs 400W (Radeon R7 260). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 1x 6-pin. Card length: 1mm vs 170mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots.
| Feature | Radeon Steam Deck 8CU | Radeon R7 260 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 30W-68% | 95W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W-13% | 400W |
| Power Connector | PCIe-powered | 1x 6-pin |
| Length | 1mm | 170mm |
| Height | — | 112mm |
| Slots | 0-100% | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | — | 80 |
| Perf/Watt | 100.0+229% | 30.4 |
Value Analysis
The Radeon Steam Deck 8CU launched at $0 MSRP and currently averages $0, while the Radeon R7 260 launched at $109 and now averages $110. The Radeon Steam Deck 8CU costs 100+% less ($110 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): Infinity (Radeon Steam Deck 8CU) vs 26.3 (Radeon R7 260) — the Radeon Steam Deck 8CU offers Infinity% better value. The Radeon Steam Deck 8CU is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2013).
| Feature | Radeon Steam Deck 8CU | Radeon R7 260 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $0-100% | $109 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $0-100% | $110 |
| Performance per Dollar | Infinity | 26.3 |
| Codename | RDNA 2 Sephiroth | Bonaire |
| Release | November 9 2023 | December 17 2013 |
| Ranking | #480 | #591 |
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