GeForce 7900 GT vs Radeon R2

NVIDIA

GeForce 7900 GT

2008Core: 500 MHz
VS
AMD

Radeon R2

2019Core: 730 MHzBoost: 1024 MHz

GeForce 7900 GT vs Radeon R2 Performance Spectrum

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.

GeForce 7900 GT vs Radeon R2 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

GeForce 7900 GT vs Radeon R2: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

GeForce 7900 GT

2008

Why buy it

  • βœ…31.6% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • βœ…Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 0.9 vs 0 G3D/$ ($299 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • ❌Less VRAM, with 256 MB vs 512 MB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • ❌2008 hardware with 256 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • ❌200% higher power demand at 150W vs 50W.

Radeon R2

2019

Why buy it

  • βœ…100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (512 MB vs 256 MB).
  • βœ…GeForce 7900 GT is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon R2 is the less risky modern option long term.
  • βœ…Draws 50W instead of 150W, a 100W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Lower average FPS than GeForce 7900 GT across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • ❌2019 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
  • ❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 0.9 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $299 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce 7900 GT is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 31.6% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 1.6% in PassMark G3D (258 vs 254), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
Radeon R2 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 512 MB vs 256 MB of VRAM, the newer upscaling stack, FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, a 28nm process instead of 65nm, and a newer 2019 generation instead of 2008. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce 7900 GT makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, GeForce 7900 GT is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Radeon R2 has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce 7900 GT vs Radeon R2 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

NVIDIA

GeForce 7900 GT

The GeForce 7900 GT is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in July 15 2008. It features the G9x architecture. The core clock speed is 500 MHz. It has 224 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 65 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 258 points.

AMD

Radeon R2

The Radeon R2 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in May 13 2019. It features the GCN 3.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 730 MHz to 1024 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 254 points.

⚑

Graphics Performance

The GeForce 7900 GT scores 258 and the Radeon R2 reaches 254 in the G3D Mark benchmark β€” just a 1.6% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce 7900 GT is built on G9x while the Radeon R2 uses GCN 3.0, both on 65 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 224 (GeForce 7900 GT) vs 384 (Radeon R2).

FeatureGeForce 7900 GTRadeon R2
G3D Mark Score
258+2%
254
Architecture
G9x
GCN 3.0
Process Node
65 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
224
384+71%
✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce 7900 GT gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon R2 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce 7900 GTRadeon R2
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
AMD Anti-Lag
πŸ’Ύ

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce 7900 GT has 256 MB of VRAM, while the Radeon R2 carries 512 MB. Radeon R2 gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the GeForce 7900 GT and 64-bit on the Radeon R2.

FeatureGeForce 7900 GTRadeon R2
VRAM Capacity
0.25 GB
0.5 GB+100%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
64-bit
64-bit
πŸ–₯️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 9.0c (GeForce 7900 GT) vs 12_0 (Radeon R2). Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.

FeatureGeForce 7900 GTRadeon R2
DirectX
9.0c
12_0+33%
Max Displays
2
2
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: None (GeForce 7900 GT) vs VCE 2.0 (Radeon R2). Decoder: PureVideo vs UVD 4.2.

FeatureGeForce 7900 GTRadeon R2
Encoder
None
VCE 2.0
Decoder
PureVideo
UVD 4.2
Codecs
MPEG-2,WMV,H.264
β€”
πŸ”Œ

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 7900 GT draws 150W versus the Radeon R2's 50W β€” a 100% difference. The Radeon R2 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 7900 GT) vs 350W (Radeon R2). Power connectors: Legacy vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 198mm vs 0mm, occupying 1 vs 0 slots.

FeatureGeForce 7900 GTRadeon R2
TDP
150W
50W-67%
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
Legacy
PCIe-powered
Length
198mm
0mm
Height
111mm
β€”
Slots
1
0-100%
Temp (Load)
80
β€”
Perf/Watt
1.7
5.1+200%
πŸ’°

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce 7900 GT came in at $299, while the Radeon R2 launched at $0. On MSRP, Radeon R2 was 100+% cheaper ($299 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 0.9 (GeForce 7900 GT) vs Infinity (Radeon R2) β€” the Radeon R2 offers Infinity% better value. The newer card here is Radeon R2 (2019 vs 2008).

FeatureGeForce 7900 GTRadeon R2
MSRP
$299
$0-100%
Performance per Dollar
0.9
Infinity
Codename
NB9E-GTX
Polaris 24
Release
July 15 2008
May 13 2019
Ranking
#825
#858

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