CPU
GPU
GeForce 310
Popular choices:
Radeon HD 4290
Popular choices:
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. The GeForce 310 is positioned at rank 577 and the Radeon HD 4290 is on rank 304, so the Radeon HD 4290 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar GeForce 310
Performance Per Dollar Radeon HD 4290
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The GeForce 310 is significantly newer (2015 vs 2009). The GeForce 310 likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon HD 4290 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce 310 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.4% higher G3D Mark score. This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon HD 4290.
| Insight | GeForce 310 | Radeon HD 4290 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+1.4%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.4%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / Maxwell (2014−2017)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2009 / TeraScale (2005−2013)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+0%) |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
The GeForce 310 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the GeForce 310 holds the technical lead. Priced at $5 (vs $10), it costs 50% less, resulting in a 102.8% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | GeForce 310 | Radeon HD 4290 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+102.8%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($5) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($10) |
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.
Path of Exile 2
Counter-Strike 2
League of Legends
Valorant
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of GeForce 310 and Radeon HD 4290
GeForce 310
The GeForce 310 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 13 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 928 MHz to 941 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 33W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 143 points.
Radeon HD 4290
The Radeon HD 4290 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 2 2009. It features the TeraScale architecture. The core clock speed is 850 MHz. It has 800 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 190W. Manufactured using 55 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 141 points. Launch price was $249.
Graphics Performance
The GeForce 310 scores 143 and the Radeon HD 4290 reaches 141 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce 310 is built on Maxwell while the Radeon HD 4290 uses TeraScale, both on 28 nm vs 55 nm. Shader units: 384 (GeForce 310) vs 800 (Radeon HD 4290). Raw compute: 0.7227 TFLOPS (GeForce 310) vs 1.36 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 4290).
| Feature | GeForce 310 | Radeon HD 4290 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 143+1% | 141 |
| Architecture | Maxwell | TeraScale |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 55 nm |
| Shading Units | 384 | 800+108% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 0.7227 TFLOPS | 1.36 TFLOPS+88% |
| ROPs | 8 | 16+100% |
| TMUs | 24 | 40+67% |
| L1 Cache | 192 KB+20% | 160 KB |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+300% | 0.25 MB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | GeForce 310 | Radeon HD 4290 |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 1.0 (Software) | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | Standard | AMD Anti-Lag |
Video Memory (VRAM)
Both cards feature 512 MB of GDDR5. Bus width: 128-bit vs 64-bit. L2 Cache: 1 MB (GeForce 310) vs 0.25 MB (Radeon HD 4290) — the GeForce 310 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | GeForce 310 | Radeon HD 4290 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 0.5 GB | 0.5 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 128-bit+100% | 64-bit |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+300% | 0.25 MB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 10.1 (GeForce 310) vs 10.1 (Radeon HD 4290). Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.
| Feature | GeForce 310 | Radeon HD 4290 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 10.1 | 10.1 |
| Max Displays | 2 | 2 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: None (GeForce 310) vs UVD 2 (Radeon HD 4290). Decoder: PureVideo VP4 vs UVD 2.
| Feature | GeForce 310 | Radeon HD 4290 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | None | UVD 2 |
| Decoder | PureVideo VP4 | UVD 2 |
| Codecs | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 Part 2 | — |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce 310 draws 33W versus the Radeon HD 4290's 190W — a 140.8% difference. The GeForce 310 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 310) vs 350W (Radeon HD 4290). Power connectors: Legacy vs 1x 6-pin. Card length: 168mm vs 1mm, occupying 1 vs 0 slots.
| Feature | GeForce 310 | Radeon HD 4290 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 33W-83% | 190W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 350W |
| Power Connector | Legacy | 1x 6-pin |
| Length | 168mm | 1mm |
| Height | 69mm | — |
| Slots | 1 | 0-100% |
| Temp (Load) | 80°C | — |
| Perf/Watt | 4.3+514% | 0.7 |
Value Analysis
The GeForce 310 launched at $45 MSRP and currently averages $5, while the Radeon HD 4290 launched at $60 and now averages $10. The GeForce 310 costs 50% less ($5 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 28.6 (GeForce 310) vs 14.1 (Radeon HD 4290) — the GeForce 310 offers 102.8% better value. The GeForce 310 is the newer GPU (2015 vs 2009).
| Feature | GeForce 310 | Radeon HD 4290 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $45-25% | $60 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $5-50% | $10 |
| Performance per Dollar | 28.6+103% | 14.1 |
| Codename | GM108 | RV790 |
| Release | March 13 2015 | April 2 2009 |
| Ranking | #810 | #762 |
Top Performing GPUs
The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
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