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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

CMP 40HX

2021

Why buy it

✅More future proof: Turing (2018−2022) on 12nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Measures 229mm instead of 240mm, a 11mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.
✅More future proof: Turing (2018−2022) on 12nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌
205.2% HIGHER MSRP
$699 MSRPvs$229 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 12.5 vs 37.3 G3D/$ ($699 MSRP vs $229 MSRP).
❌23.3% higher power demand at 185W vs 150W.

Radeon RX 480

2016

Why buy it

✅Costs $470 less on MSRP ($229 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
✅Delivers 198.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 37.3 vs 12.5 G3D/$ ($229 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).
✅Draws 150W instead of 185W, a 35W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 8 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

CMP 40HX

2021

Radeon RX 480

2016

Why buy it

✅More future proof: Turing (2018−2022) on 12nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Measures 229mm instead of 240mm, a 11mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.
✅More future proof: Turing (2018−2022) on 12nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Why buy it

✅Costs $470 less on MSRP ($229 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
✅Delivers 198.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 37.3 vs 12.5 G3D/$ ($229 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).
✅Draws 150W instead of 185W, a 35W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌
205.2% HIGHER MSRP
$699 MSRPvs$229 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 12.5 vs 37.3 G3D/$ ($699 MSRP vs $229 MSRP).
❌23.3% higher power demand at 185W vs 150W.

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2016-era hardware with 8 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

Quick Answers

So, is CMP 40HX better than Radeon RX 480?

Yes. CMP 40HX is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 8,749 vs 8,546 in G3D Mark. On top of that, CMP 40HX is a 2021 card with no meaningful modern upscaling stack, while Radeon RX 480 is a 2016 model from an older generation with FSR upscaling. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

CMP 40HX is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2021 generation instead of 2016, the stronger feature stack with no meaningful modern upscaling stack instead of FSR upscaling, and a 12nm process instead of 14nm. That broader feature stack should age better as more games lean on modern upscaling and frame-generation support.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

CMP 40HX is the smarter buy by a wide margin. CMP 40HX is about 205.2% more expensive on MSRP at $699 MSRP versus $229 MSRP, and you are getting 2.4% higher G3D Mark. Radeon RX 480 really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

Is Radeon RX 480 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

No, not for a fresh gaming build. Radeon RX 480 is 2016 hardware with 8 GB of VRAM, 8,546 in G3D Mark, and FSR upscaling. That is simply too far behind to be an easy modern recommendation.

Games Benchmarks

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 9800X3D 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.

CMP 40HX Benchmark Check

Radeon RX 480 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	CMP 40HX	Radeon RX 480
1080p
low	146 FPS	134 FPS
medium	135 FPS	113 FPS
high	114 FPS	97 FPS
ultra	86 FPS	58 FPS
1440p
low	129 FPS	114 FPS
medium	111 FPS	96 FPS
high	92 FPS	72 FPS
ultra	72 FPS	42 FPS
4K
low	58 FPS	39 FPS
medium	51 FPS	36 FPS
high	41 FPS	23 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	19 FPS

Open CMP 40HX Open Radeon RX 480

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	CMP 40HX	Radeon RX 480
1080p
low	313 FPS	156 FPS
medium	255 FPS	135 FPS
high	208 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	176 FPS	89 FPS
1440p
low	212 FPS	91 FPS
medium	170 FPS	71 FPS
high	141 FPS	56 FPS
ultra	115 FPS	44 FPS
4K
low	116 FPS	37 FPS
medium	95 FPS	29 FPS
high	78 FPS	23 FPS
ultra	59 FPS	18 FPS

Open CMP 40HX Open Radeon RX 480

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	CMP 40HX	Radeon RX 480
1080p
low	394 FPS	385 FPS
medium	315 FPS	308 FPS
high	262 FPS	256 FPS
ultra	197 FPS	192 FPS
1440p
low	295 FPS	288 FPS
medium	236 FPS	231 FPS
high	197 FPS	192 FPS
ultra	148 FPS	144 FPS
4K
low	197 FPS	192 FPS
medium	157 FPS	154 FPS
high	131 FPS	128 FPS
ultra	98 FPS	96 FPS

Open CMP 40HX Open Radeon RX 480

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	CMP 40HX	Radeon RX 480
1080p
low	341 FPS	290 FPS
medium	273 FPS	252 FPS
high	241 FPS	210 FPS
ultra	197 FPS	166 FPS
1440p
low	263 FPS	213 FPS
medium	213 FPS	190 FPS
high	183 FPS	153 FPS
ultra	148 FPS	118 FPS
4K
low	139 FPS	120 FPS
medium	111 FPS	98 FPS
high	102 FPS	80 FPS
ultra	81 FPS	62 FPS

Open CMP 40HX Open Radeon RX 480

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of CMP 40HX and Radeon RX 480

CMP 40HX

The CMP 40HX is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 25 2021. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 1470 MHz to 1650 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 185W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. It features 36 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 8,749 points. Launch price was $699.

Radeon RX 480

The Radeon RX 480 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in June 29 2016. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1120 MHz to 1266 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 8,546 points. Launch price was $229.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The CMP 40HX scores 8,749 and the Radeon RX 480 reaches 8,546 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The CMP 40HX is built on Turing while the Radeon RX 480 uses GCN 4.0, both on 12 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 2,304 (CMP 40HX) vs 2,304 (Radeon RX 480). Raw compute: 7.603 TFLOPS (CMP 40HX) vs 5.834 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 480). Boost clocks: 1650 MHz vs 1266 MHz.

Feature	CMP 40HX	Radeon RX 480
G3D Mark Score	8,749+2%	8,546
Architecture	Turing	GCN 4.0
Process Node	12 nm	14 nm
Shading Units	2304	2304
Compute (TFLOPS)	7.603 TFLOPS+30%	5.834 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1650 MHz+30%	1266 MHz
ROPs	64+100%	32
TMUs	144	144
L1 Cache	2.3 MB+311%	0.56 MB
L2 Cache	4 MB+100%	2 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	CMP 40HX	Radeon RX 480
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	Standard	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The CMP 40HX comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon RX 480 has 8 GB. The Radeon RX 480 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 4 MB (CMP 40HX) vs 2 MB (Radeon RX 480) — the CMP 40HX has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	CMP 40HX	Radeon RX 480
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	8 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR5
Bus Width	128-bit	256-bit+100%
L2 Cache	4 MB+100%	2 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (CMP 40HX) vs 12.0 (Radeon RX 480). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 0 vs 4.

Feature	CMP 40HX	Radeon RX 480
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12.0
Vulkan	1.2	1.3+8%
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	0	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: No (CMP 40HX) vs VCE 3.4 (Radeon RX 480). Decoder: No vs UVD 6.3.

Feature	CMP 40HX	Radeon RX 480
Encoder	No	VCE 3.4
Decoder	No	UVD 6.3
Codecs		MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The CMP 40HX draws 185W versus the Radeon RX 480's 150W — a 20.9% difference. The Radeon RX 480 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (CMP 40HX) vs 500W (Radeon RX 480). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 8-pin. Card length: 229mm vs 240mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 85°C.

Feature	CMP 40HX	Radeon RX 480
TDP	185W	150W-19%
Recommended PSU	500W	500W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	8-pin
Length	229mm	240mm
Height	111mm	95mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	80°C-6%	85°C
Perf/Watt	47.3	57.0+21%

💰

Value Analysis

The CMP 40HX launched at $699 MSRP, while the Radeon RX 480 launched at $229. The Radeon RX 480 costs 67.2% less ($470 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 12.5 (CMP 40HX) vs 37.3 (Radeon RX 480) — the Radeon RX 480 offers 198.4% better value. The CMP 40HX is the newer GPU (2021 vs 2016).