AMD Radeon R9 260 OEM
AMD Radeon R9 260 OEM: Review of an Outdated Fighter in 2025
April 2025
Introduction
The AMD Radeon R9 260 OEM is a graphics card released over ten years ago, yet it still appears on the secondary market and in budget builds. Despite its venerable age, it remains of interest to enthusiasts looking to build a PC for basic tasks. In this article, we will analyze what this model is capable of in 2025 and who might find it useful.
1. Architecture and Key Features
Architecture: The R9 260 OEM is built on the GCN (Graphics Core Next) 2.0 microarchitecture (codename Bonaire). This is the second generation of GCN, optimized for a balance between performance and energy efficiency.
Manufacturing Process: It utilizes a 28-nm manufacturing technology, typical for its time. In comparison, modern GPUs are produced using 5-nm standards.
Unique Features:
- Support for Mantle API (the predecessor to Vulkan) — an outdated but historically significant technology.
- AMD Eyefinity for connecting multiple monitors.
- TrueAudio — hardware sound processing in games, though in 2025 this feature is hardly used.
Lack of Modern Technologies:
- No support for ray tracing (RTX/DXR) and analogs of DLSS/FidelityFX Super Resolution.
- Incompatible with DirectX 12 Ultimate.
2. Memory
Type and Capacity: The graphics card is equipped with 2 GB GDDR5 — a modest amount even for 2025. Modern games require at least 4–6 GB.
Bandwidth:
- Memory bus: 128-bit.
- Effective clock speed: 6 GHz (1500 MHz actual).
- Bandwidth: 96 GB/s.
Impact on Performance:
- In games from the 2010s (e.g., GTA V, The Witcher 3) at low settings, 2 GB is sufficient for 1080p, but in modern projects, lag may occur due to insufficient memory.
- For professional tasks, the capacity is inadequate: rendering three-layer scenes in Blender leads to buffer overflow.
3. Gaming Performance
1080p (Low/Medium):
- CS2: 45–60 FPS (Medium).
- Fortnite: 30–40 FPS (Low, without effects).
- GTA V: 50–60 FPS (Medium).
- Elden Ring: 15–25 FPS (Low, unplayable).
1440p and 4K:
- The card is not designed for these resolutions. Even in older projects, FPS drops below 30.
Ray Tracing:
- Not supported. Games compatible with RTX (e.g., Cyberpunk 2077) require an upgrade.
Recommendations:
- Ideal for indie games (Stardew Valley, Hollow Knight) and retro projects.
- Not suitable for modern AAA games.
4. Professional Tasks
Video Editing:
- In DaVinci Resolve or Premiere Pro, rendering 1080p video is possible but slow.
- Lack of hardware encoding for AV1/HEVC.
3D Modeling:
- Blender (Cycles): Rendering simple scenes takes 5–10 times longer than on modern GPUs.
- Support for OpenCL exists, but performance lags even behind integrated graphics cores from 2025.
Scientific Calculations:
- Not recommended: low computation speed and limited memory.
5. Power Consumption and Heat Output
TDP: 85 W — a modest figure even for 2025.
Cooling:
- The stock cooler manages under load but is noisy (up to 35 dB).
- A case with 1–2 fans is recommended for ventilation.
Power Supply:
- Minimum 400 W with a 6-pin PCIe connector.
- For builds with a Ryzen 5 5500-level processor, a PSU of 450–500 W is suitable.
6. Comparison with Competitors
Analogues from 2014–2015:
- NVIDIA GTX 750 Ti: Comparable in performance but consumes less (60 W).
- AMD R7 260X: A twin of the R9 260 OEM with slightly higher frequency.
In 2025:
- Intel Arc A310 (new, $120–150): 2–3 times faster, supports AV1 and DX12 Ultimate.
- AMD Radeon RX 6400 ($130–160): Modern RDNA 2 architecture, 4 GB GDDR6.
Conclusion: The R9 260 OEM lags behind even budget newcomers but may be cheaper on the secondary market.
7. Practical Tips
Compatibility:
- Platform: Requires a motherboard with PCIe 3.0 x16 (backward compatible with PCIe 2.0).
- Drivers: The latest version is Adrenalin 21.5.2 (2021). There may be issues on Windows 11.
Power Supply:
- Avoid cheap noname models. Optimal choices include Corsair CV450 or Be Quiet! System Power 9.
Build:
- Best suited for an office PC or HTPC for video playback (supports 4K via HDMI 1.4a with a 30 Hz limit).
8. Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Low power consumption.
- Quiet operation at idle.
- Support for 3–4 monitors through Eyefinity.
Cons:
- Outdated architecture.
- Only 2 GB of memory.
- No support for modern APIs and technologies.
9. Final Conclusion: Who is the R9 260 OEM For?
This graphics card is suitable for:
1. Retro PC enthusiasts building systems based on 2010s components.
2. Office builds needing output for images and web browsing.
3. Backup GPU in case of a primary card failure.
Price: New units are almost nonexistent. On the secondary market — $20–40.
Alternatives: If your budget allows for $100–150, it's better to opt for a new Intel Arc A310 or AMD RX 6400.
Conclusion
The Radeon R9 260 OEM is a relic of the past, reminiscent of the GCN architecture era. In 2025, it falls behind even budget GPUs but maintains a niche status. It should only be considered in extreme cases where price and minimalism take precedence over performance.