NVIDIA
GeForce RTX 4090 vs ATI Radeon HD 3850
Full comparison of specs, performance and benchmarks
AMD
ATI Radeon HD 3850
Aggregate performance score
We've compared RTX 4090 and ATI Radeon HD 3850 across specs and all relevant benchmarks.
↗RTX 4090 outperforms ATI Radeon HD 3850 by 126% based on our aggregate benchmark results.+126%
Scores are normalized on the Head to Head scale. Higher is better.GeForce RTX 4090 vs ATI Radeon HD 3850: key takeaway
The comparison of RTX 4090 and ATI Radeon HD 3850 shows a 126% advantage for RTX 4090 in gaming performance, while ATI Radeon HD 3850 may still be stronger in value for money. Use the sections below to check whether that lead comes from real FPS, specifications, efficiency, price or platform features.
SUMMARY PROFILE
Verified-metrics radar
Axes with missing data are hidden; every value uses a fixed scale.
NVIDIA
AMDPerformance
Efficiency
Price / performance
Memory capacity
8839
65100
71100
10013
COMPARISON RESULT
RTX 4090 is the best overall choice
RTX 4090 leads in combined game performance. ATI Radeon HD 3850 offers the better price per frame, while the final choice depends on the required features, memory, and games.
RTX 4090 leads in the combined performance index
ATI Radeon HD 3850 costs less
CATALOG POSITION
Full ranking →Graphics card ranking
Positions 2–7of 317
COMPARISON VERDICT
Which should you choose?
Two practical conclusions based on community votes and gaming value.
GeForce RTX 4090
131 likesHead to Head visitors currently choose this model more often.
ATI Radeon HD 3850
100/100 · Price $119The choice is based on the price-to-performance index and launch price.
OVERALL SCORE
Overview
Scores are calculated from specifications, performance, and efficiency.
The Summary score section compares RTX 4090 and ATI Radeon HD 3850 with normalized H2H data, turning specifications, tests and value signals into practical buying context.
GamesDirectX, OpenCL, and Vulkan performance
88Better
39
Professional applications3D modeling, video editing, and rendering
70Better
34
AI and machine learningMachine-learning and AI capabilities
67Better
32
Power efficiencyPower consumption across workloads
65
100Better
Head to Head scoreOverall catalog score
80Better
62
FULL COMPARISON
Specifications
The better numeric value is highlighted in green, taking the metric direction into account.
The Specifications section compares RTX 4090 and ATI Radeon HD 3850 with normalized H2H data, turning specifications, tests and value signals into practical buying context.
Device classDesktopDesktop
UpscalingDLSS 3—
DisplayPortDisplayPort 1.4a—
HDMIHDMI 2.1—
TFLOPS82.58Better0.427
DirectX12.210.1
Vulkan1.4—
OpenGL4.63.3
Power consumption450 W75 WBetter
Memory typeGDDR6XGDDR3
Power connector16 pin6 pin
Release date20222007
ArchitectureAda LovelaceTeraScale
ThicknessTriple-slotSingle-slot
Compute APIOpenCL 3.0, CUDA 8.9—
Launch price$1599$119Better
Shader units / cores16384Better320
Clock speed2235 - 2520 MHzBetter670 MHz
Base clock2235 MHzBetter670 MHz
Boost clock2520 MHzBetter670 MHz
VRAM24 GB GDDR6X512 MB GDDR3Better
Memory frequency21 GHzBetter1,66 GHz
Memory bus384 bitBetter256 bit
Memory bandwidth1008 GB/sBetter53 GB/s
InterfacePCIe 4x16PCIe 2x16
Power consumption450 W75 WBetter
Process node5 nmBetter55 nm
Recommended PSU850 W250 WBetter
Length304 mm208 mmBetter
Die size609 mm²192 mm²Better
Memory cacheL1 128 KB, L2 72 MBL2 0.25 MBBetter
Transistor count76300 millionBetter666 million
Max monitors43
Max resolution7680 × 43202560 × 1600
USB Type-CNoNo
GAME TEST BENCH
Gaming FPS
Available results are shown separately; missing data is not treated as zero.
The Gaming FPS section compares RTX 4090 and ATI Radeon HD 3850 across curated H2H Lab game presets. The useful signal is not only average FPS, but also how each device behaves at 1440p and 4K, how memory capacity and bus width affect heavy textures, and whether the game engine favors raster performance, ray tracing, or driver maturity.
RTX 4090ATI Radeon HD 3850
Verified H2HCommunity VerifiedEstimatedPredicted
Black Myth: Wukong
1080p High
45 FPSEstimated 66%
23 FPSEstimated 64%
1080p Ultra
38 FPSEstimated 66%
20 FPSEstimated 64%
1440p Ultra
29 FPSEstimated 66%
11 FPSEstimated 58%
4K Ultra
17 FPSEstimated 66%
5 FPSEstimated 55%
Black Myth: WukongRTX 409045 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 385023 FPSEstimated 64%RTX 409038 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 385020 FPSEstimated 64%RTX 409029 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 385011 FPSEstimated 58%RTX 409017 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 38505 FPSEstimated 55%
Call of Duty: WarzoneRTX 409045 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 385023 FPSEstimated 64%RTX 409038 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 385020 FPSEstimated 64%RTX 409029 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 385011 FPSEstimated 58%RTX 409017 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 38505 FPSEstimated 55%
Counter-Strike 2RTX 4090365 FPSEstimated 74%ATI Radeon HD 3850196 FPSEstimated 72%RTX 4090252 FPSEstimated 74%ATI Radeon HD 3850138 FPSEstimated 72%RTX 4090188 FPSEstimated 74%ATI Radeon HD 385077 FPSEstimated 66%RTX 409095 FPSEstimated 74%ATI Radeon HD 385029 FPSEstimated 63%
Cyberpunk 2077RTX 4090230 FPSEstimated 74%ATI Radeon HD 3850127 FPSEstimated 72%RTX 4090205 FPSEstimated 74%ATI Radeon HD 3850109 FPSEstimated 72%RTX 4090142 FPSEstimated 74%ATI Radeon HD 385056 FPSEstimated 66%RTX 409068 FPSEstimated 74%ATI Radeon HD 385020 FPSEstimated 63%
Forza Horizon 5RTX 4090284 FPSEstimated 80%ATI Radeon HD 3850160 FPSEstimated 78%RTX 4090194 FPSEstimated 74%ATI Radeon HD 3850104 FPSEstimated 72%RTX 4090172 FPSEstimated 74%ATI Radeon HD 385070 FPSEstimated 66%RTX 4090131 FPSEstimated 74%ATI Radeon HD 385043 FPSEstimated 63%
God of War RagnarökRTX 409045 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 385023 FPSEstimated 64%RTX 409038 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 385020 FPSEstimated 64%RTX 409029 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 385011 FPSEstimated 58%RTX 409017 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 38505 FPSEstimated 55%
Hogwarts LegacyRTX 4090187 FPSEstimated 74%ATI Radeon HD 3850104 FPSEstimated 72%RTX 4090157 FPSEstimated 74%ATI Radeon HD 385087 FPSEstimated 72%RTX 4090126 FPSEstimated 74%ATI Radeon HD 385050 FPSEstimated 66%RTX 409074 FPSEstimated 74%ATI Radeon HD 385020 FPSEstimated 63%
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024RTX 409045 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 385023 FPSEstimated 64%RTX 409038 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 385020 FPSEstimated 64%RTX 409029 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 385011 FPSEstimated 58%RTX 409017 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 38505 FPSEstimated 55%
Monster Hunter WildsRTX 409045 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 385023 FPSEstimated 64%RTX 409038 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 385020 FPSEstimated 64%RTX 409029 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 385011 FPSEstimated 58%RTX 409017 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 38505 FPSEstimated 55%
StarfieldRTX 409045 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 385023 FPSEstimated 64%RTX 409038 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 385020 FPSEstimated 64%RTX 409029 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 385011 FPSEstimated 58%RTX 409017 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 38505 FPSEstimated 55%
HEAD TO HEAD · CALCULATED INDEX
H2H workload indices
Comparable internal indices on a fixed 0–100 scale.
The Benchmarks section compares RTX 4090 and ATI Radeon HD 3850 with normalized H2H data, turning specifications, tests and value signals into practical buying context.
H2H Raster IndexH2H Index / 100883977%
H2H Compute IndexH2H Index / 100893392%
H2H Rendering IndexH2H Index / 100913296%
H2H Memory Workload IndexH2H Index / 10010013154%
H2H Efficiency IndexH2H Index / 1006510042%
These are versioned H2H calculated indices derived from normalized catalog data. They are not results from a third-party benchmark.
HEAD TO HEAD · CALCULATED INDEX
H2H AI workload indices
Estimated workload profiles based on available performance and memory data.
The Detailed comparison section compares RTX 4090 and ATI Radeon HD 3850 with normalized H2H data, turning specifications, tests and value signals into practical buying context.
H2H Image Generation IndexH2H Index / 1009327110%
H2H ML Training IndexH2H Index / 1009328107%
H2H Inference IndexH2H Index / 100913296%
H2H Local LLM IndexH2H Index / 1009524119%
H2H Computer Vision IndexH2H Index / 100923199%
These are versioned H2H calculated indices derived from normalized catalog data. They are not results from a third-party benchmark.
Graphics APIs, SDKs and upscaling
The Graphics APIs, SDKs and upscaling section compares RTX 4090 and ATI Radeon HD 3850 with normalized H2H data, turning specifications, tests and value signals into practical buying context.
DirectX12.210.1
Vulkan1.4—
OpenGL4.63.3
UpscalingDLSS 3—
Compute APIOpenCL 3.0, CUDA 8.9—
Architecture and release
The Architecture and release section compares RTX 4090 and ATI Radeon HD 3850 with normalized H2H data, turning specifications, tests and value signals into practical buying context.
ArchitectureAda LovelaceTeraScale
Process node5 nmBetter55 nm
Release date20222007
Device classDesktopDesktop
GPU cores, die and clocks
The Core layout and clocks section compares RTX 4090 and ATI Radeon HD 3850 with normalized H2H data, turning specifications, tests and value signals into practical buying context.
Transistor count76300 millionBetter666 million
Die size609 mm²192 mm²Better
Shader units / cores16384Better320
Base clock2235 MHzBetter670 MHz
Boost clock2520 MHzBetter670 MHz
Board size, power and compatibility
The Form factor and compatibility section compares RTX 4090 and ATI Radeon HD 3850 with normalized H2H data, turning specifications, tests and value signals into practical buying context.
InterfacePCIe 4x16PCIe 2x16
Length304 mm208 mmBetter
ThicknessTriple-slotSingle-slot
Recommended PSU850 W250 WBetter
Power connector16 pin6 pin
Display outputs and limits
The Display outputs section compares RTX 4090 and ATI Radeon HD 3850 with normalized H2H data, turning specifications, tests and value signals into practical buying context.
HDMIHDMI 2.1—
DisplayPortDisplayPort 1.4a—
USB Type-CNoNo
Max monitors43
Max resolution7680 × 43202560 × 1600
Memory and compute throughput
The VRAM capacity and bandwidth section compares RTX 4090 and ATI Radeon HD 3850 with normalized H2H data, turning specifications, tests and value signals into practical buying context.
VRAM24 GB GDDR6X512 MB GDDR3Better
Memory typeGDDR6XGDDR3
Memory bus384 bitBetter256 bit
TFLOPS82.58Better0.427
HEAD TO HEAD · DISCOVER
6Other comparisons
Arc A310IntelReviews and questions
AI EXPLAIN · HEAD TO HEAD
Explain this comparison
Beyond percentages: causes, relevant specifications, and practical impact behind every chart.
What AI will explain
Overall score, radar, FPS, synthetic tests, specifications, efficiency, and value.
REAL CONFIGURATIONS
Owner experiences
Real builds, results, and community feedback.
♢Moderator reviewed☆Helpful to the community🏅Expert badges
Frequently asked comparison questions
Short recommendations based on performance, memory, power consumption, and intended use.
01Which is better for gaming: RTX 4090 or ATI Radeon HD 3850?+
RTX 4090 has the higher overall gaming score, while ATI Radeon HD 3850 offers the better price-to-performance ratio. The final choice depends on resolution and settings.
02Which is better for streaming?+
RTX 4090 is the stronger streaming choice thanks to performance, hardware encoding, and application support. Check AV1, H.264, and HEVC support before buying.
03Which is better for Blender?+
RTX 4090 is generally the better option for Blender and GPU rendering. Rendering-engine support and available VRAM also matter.
04Which is better for video editing?+
RTX 4090 offers more overall performance, while RTX 4090 offers more memory headroom. Codecs, hardware encoders, and editor optimization can change the result.
05Which is better for neural networks and AI?+
RTX 4090 is the more practical option for local AI workloads. VRAM capacity, compute libraries, and framework compatibility are especially important.
06Which is better for 1080p?+
ATI Radeon HD 3850 is the most rational 1080p choice, where high frame rates and cost per frame matter most.
07Which is better for 1440p?+
RTX 4090 leads in combined 1440p performance. RTX 4090 can be preferable for heavy textures and games with high VRAM usage.
08Which is better for 4K?+
RTX 4090 is preferable for 4K, where total performance, memory bandwidth, and VRAM capacity have the greatest impact.
09Which is better for a quiet PC?+
ATI Radeon HD 3850 is easier to use in a quiet build because of its lower estimated power and thermal load. Actual noise depends on the specific cooler.
10Which is better without replacing the power supply?+
ATI Radeon HD 3850 is the safer candidate because its stated power consumption is lower. Verify PSU wattage, age, and power connectors.
11Is it worth upgrading from the previous generation?+
Consider upgrading to RTX 4090 if your current device no longer delivers the required FPS, memory capacity, or feature support. A gain below 15–20% is usually worth waiting for a price cut.