GeForce 6800 vs Radeon HD 7290
GeForce 6800
Popular choices:
Radeon HD 7290
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 6800 is positioned at rank 726 and the Radeon HD 7290 is on rank 211, so the Radeon HD 7290 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar GeForce 6800
Performance Per Dollar Radeon HD 7290
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce 6800 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.9% higher G3D Mark score. However, the Radeon HD 7290 offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.
| Insight | GeForce 6800 | Radeon HD 7290 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.9%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.9%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / Maxwell (2014−2017)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | — |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon HD 7290 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon HD 7290 holds the technical lead. Priced at $5 (vs $50), it costs 90% less, resulting in a 891.2% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | GeForce 6800 | Radeon HD 7290 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+891.2%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($50) | ✅More affordable ($5) |
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of GeForce 6800 and Radeon HD 7290
GeForce 6800
The GeForce 6800 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in July 22 2014. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 1082 MHz to 1150 MHz. It has 256 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 33W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 113 points.
Radeon HD 7290
The Radeon HD 7290 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 24 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 950 MHz to 1000 MHz. It has 2048 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 375W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 112 points. Launch price was $999.
Graphics Performance
The GeForce 6800 scores 113 and the Radeon HD 7290 reaches 112 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce 6800 is built on Maxwell while the Radeon HD 7290 uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 256 (GeForce 6800) vs 2,048 (Radeon HD 7290). Raw compute: 0.5888 TFLOPS (GeForce 6800) vs 4.096 TFLOPS ×2 (Radeon HD 7290). Boost clocks: 1150 MHz vs 1000 MHz.
| Feature | GeForce 6800 | Radeon HD 7290 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 113 | 112 |
| Architecture | Maxwell | GCN 1.0 |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 256 | 2048 ×2+700% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 0.5888 TFLOPS | 4.096 TFLOPS ×2+596% |
| Boost Clock | 1150 MHz+15% | 1000 MHz |
| ROPs | 8 | 32 ×2+300% |
| TMUs | 16 | 128 ×2+700% |
| L1 Cache | 128 KB | 512 KB+300% |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+33% | 0.75 MB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | GeForce 6800 | Radeon HD 7290 |
|---|---|---|
| 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)
The GeForce 6800 comes with 256 MB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 7290 has 512 MB. The Radeon HD 7290 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 1 MB (GeForce 6800) vs 0.75 MB (Radeon HD 7290) — the GeForce 6800 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | GeForce 6800 | Radeon HD 7290 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 0.25 GB | 0.5 GB+100% |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 128-bit | 128-bit |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+33% | 0.75 MB |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce 6800 draws 33W versus the Radeon HD 7290's 375W — a 167.6% difference. The GeForce 6800 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 6800) vs 350W (Radeon HD 7290). Power connectors: Legacy vs 1x 6-pin.
| Feature | GeForce 6800 | Radeon HD 7290 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 33W-91% | 375W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 350W |
| Power Connector | Legacy | 1x 6-pin |
| Length | 198mm | — |
| Height | 111mm | — |
| Slots | 1 | — |
| Temp (Load) | 80 | — |
| Perf/Watt | 3.4+1033% | 0.3 |
Value Analysis
The GeForce 6800 launched at $299 MSRP and currently averages $50, while the Radeon HD 7290 launched at $20 and now averages $5. The Radeon HD 7290 costs 90% less ($45 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 2.3 (GeForce 6800) vs 22.4 (Radeon HD 7290) — the Radeon HD 7290 offers 873.9% better value. The GeForce 6800 is the newer GPU (2014 vs 2013).
| Feature | GeForce 6800 | Radeon HD 7290 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $299 | $20-93% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $50 | $5-90% |
| Performance per Dollar | 2.3 | 22.4+874% |
| Codename | GM108 | Malta |
| Release | July 22 2014 | April 24 2013 |
| Ranking | #832 | #412 |
Top Performing GPUs
The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
You May Also Compare
Similar GPU comparisons based on GeForce 6800 and Radeon HD 7290
