AMD Radeon R5 A240

The AMD Radeon R5 A240 is an entry-level graphics card built on the GCN 1.0 architecture, fabricated by TSMC on a 28 nm process. It uses the 'Jet' chip with 690 million transistors on a 56 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 12.3M / mm². The card belongs to the All-In-One (Rx 200) generation, and its production status is End-of-life. With a 50th-percentile rank among all GPUs in the database, it sits exactly at the median — a card that handles basic rendering tasks but shows its limits under demanding workloads.

Benchmark Performance

The R5 A240's benchmark data places it at the 50th percentile of all GPUs tracked, but the average benchmark score is 0, indicating that no standardized benchmark runs have been logged for this part. The percentile ranking is therefore derived from the hardware specifications and the known behavior of the GCN 1.0 architecture rather than from direct measurements. The compute capacity is 659.2 GFLOPS of FP32 throughput, delivered by 320 shading units operating across 20 texture mapping units and 8 raster output units. The pixel rate is 8.240 GPixel/s and the texture rate is 20.60 GTexel/s.

These numbers tell a coherent story. The FP32 figure of 659.2 GFLOPS is consistent with the hardware configuration of the Jet chip, and the pixel and texture rates align with a card designed for standard-definition gaming at low to medium detail, not for high-refresh or high-resolution workloads. The 50th-percentile ranking confirms this interpretation — 50% of the GPUs in the database are faster, 50% are slower, and the R5 A240 sits exactly at the median. This symmetry for an entry-level part suggests that the database's GPU population includes a substantial number of even less capable integrated and legacy discrete parts.

In practical terms, the data indicates the card can drive older titles at playable frame rates, but it will struggle with modern games that demand more than 1024 MB of VRAM or higher memory bandwidth. The 659.2 GFLOPS compute throughput is sufficient for pixel shader workloads of its era, but the 8 ROPs limit fill-rate-heavy scenarios, and the 20 TMUs cap texture-heavy scenes. The 8.240 GPixel/s pixel rate, in particular, means that at standard resolutions, the card can theoretically output 8.240 GPixel/s — but the actual frame rate will be governed by the memory bandwidth and shader workload, not the pixel throughput. The 20.60 GTexel/s texture rate is similarly a theoretical ceiling; in practice, the 14.40 GB/s memory bandwidth will throttle texture fetches well before the TMUs reach their limit.

Who Should Consider It

Given the hardware specifications, the R5 A240 is best suited for users who play lightweight or legacy games. The 1024 MB DDR3 frame buffer is the primary constraint — at standard high-definition resolutions, many recent games will exceed this capacity, causing texture thrashing or outright refusal to run at higher settings. The 14.40 GB/s memory bandwidth is a further bottleneck, as even modest texture loads can saturate the 64-bit bus.

The pixel rate of 8.240 GPixel/s and texture rate of 20.60 GTexel/s indicate that the card can handle lower resolutions comfortably across a wide range of titles, and standard resolutions for esports or older games at low settings. For users who primarily play 2D games, indie titles, or older AAA releases, the R5 A240 is a functional choice. It is not suited for higher resolutions, where the memory bandwidth and VRAM capacity would be overwhelmed. The DirectX 12 (11_1) API support means it can run modern API titles, but the hardware limitations will cap performance well below what the API allows. Users building a simple system for office work, media playback, or light gaming will find the card adequate; those expecting smooth modern AAA performance should look elsewhere in the database.

Memory Subsystem

The memory subsystem consists of 1024 MB of DDR3 VRAM on a 64-bit bus, with a memory clock of 900 MHz (1800 Mbps effective). This yields a total bandwidth of 14.40 GB/s. This bandwidth is a fraction of what contemporary cards offer, and it directly limits how much texture data the GPU can fetch per second. The 64-bit bus width is the key constraint — even if the memory clock were higher, the narrow bus would cap throughput.

At standard high-definition resolutions, games with large, high-resolution textures will exceed the 1024 MB VRAM capacity, forcing the card to spill over into system memory via PCIe 3.0 x8 — a slow fallback that causes stuttering. At higher resolutions, the 14.40 GB/s bandwidth becomes the limiting factor, as the pixel and texture rates cannot keep up with the increased data demands. The DDR3 type, rather than a faster memory standard, further compounds the issue, as DDR3's lower efficiency per pin means the 64-bit bus delivers less effective bandwidth than a similarly sized bus using a faster memory type. For users considering this card, the memory subsystem is the single biggest reason to temper expectations — 1024 MB was marginal even when the card was current, and it is severely restrictive for modern titles.

FAQ

Q: What architecture does the Radeon R5 A240 use?

A: It uses the GCN 1.0 architecture, manufactured by TSMC on a 28 nm process, with the 'Jet' chip containing 690 million transistors on a 56 mm² die.

Q: How much VRAM does the R5 A240 have?

A: It has 1024 MB of DDR3 memory on a 64-bit bus, yielding 14.40 GB/s of bandwidth.

Q: What is the memory clock speed?

A: The memory runs at 900 MHz, which translates to 1800 Mbps effective.

Q: Does the card support DirectX 12?

A: Yes, it supports DirectX 12 (11_1), along with OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.2.170.

Q: What is the bus interface?

A: The card uses PCIe 3.0 x8.

Q: Is the R5 A240 still in production?

A: No, its production status is listed as End-of-life.

How It Compares

The nearestRivals data for this GPU is empty in the database, meaning no direct rival comparisons with specific score deltas are available. However, the 50th-percentile rank provides a reference point: the R5 A240 sits at the median of all GPUs tracked. Within the All-In-One (Rx 200) generation, the R5 A240 is positioned at the entry level, distinguished by its 320 shading units and 8 ROPs. Compared to the broader GCN 1.0 family, the 'Jet' chip's 56 mm² die size and 690 million transistors place it at the small end of the spectrum, which correlates with lower compute and fill rates. The transistor density of 12.3M / mm² reflects the 28 nm process maturity. Without named rivals, the most meaningful comparison is against the database median — and the R5 A240 is exactly that.

Power and Cooling

Power and cooling data for the R5 A240 is sparse: the database does not list a TDP, a suggested PSU, or power connector requirements. The only power-related indicators are the 28 nm manufacturing process and the 690 million transistor count on a 56 mm² die. These figures point to a design that does not require exotic cooling — a simple air cooler would suffice, though the database does not specify the slot width or cooler dimensions. The card's End-of-life production status means that any unit purchased second-hand may have aged thermal paste or a dusty heatsink, which could affect thermal performance. Users should ensure adequate case airflow, as the card's small die and entry-level positioning do not suggest high heat output, but the lack of official TDP data means this is an inference from the silicon characteristics rather than a measured specification. The PCIe 3.0 x8 interface is the only connection detail provided, and it is sufficient for the card's bandwidth needs.