GeForce RTX 3060 vs Radeon HD 7290

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 RTX 3060 vs Radeon HD 7290 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 RTX 3060 vs Radeon HD 7290: 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 RTX 3060

2021

Why buy it

✅4782.7% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 822.4% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 51.7 vs 5.6 G3D/$ ($329 MSRP vs $20 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅2300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 512 MB).
✅Better long-term bet: Ampere on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

Radeon HD 7290

2013

Why buy it

✅Costs $309 less on MSRP ($20 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
❌2013 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 5.6 vs 51.7 G3D/$ ($20 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce RTX 3060 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 4782.7% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 15074.1% in PassMark G3D (16,995 vs 112), so the answer here is pretty clean.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce RTX 3060 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 12 GB vs 512 MB of VRAM, a 8nm process instead of 28nm, 28 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2021 generation instead of 2013. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce RTX 3060 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $309 more expensive on MSRP at $329 vs $20, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 822.4% (51.7 vs 5.6), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce RTX 3060 vs Radeon HD 7290 Technical Specifications

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

GeForce RTX 3060

The GeForce RTX 3060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 12 2021. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1320 MHz to 1777 MHz. It has 3584 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 170W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 28 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 16,995 points. Launch price was $329.

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

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 scores 16,995 versus the Radeon HD 7290's 112 — the GeForce RTX 3060 leads by 15074.1%. The GeForce RTX 3060 is built on Ampere while the Radeon HD 7290 uses GCN 1.0, both on 8 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 3,584 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 2,048 (Radeon HD 7290). Raw compute: 12.74 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 4.096 TFLOPS ×2 (Radeon HD 7290). Boost clocks: 1777 MHz vs 1000 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon HD 7290
G3D Mark Score	16,995+15074%	112
Architecture	Ampere	GCN 1.0
Process Node	8 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	3584+75%	2048 ×2
Compute (TFLOPS)	12.74 TFLOPS+211%	4.096 TFLOPS ×2
Boost Clock	1777 MHz+78%	1000 MHz
ROPs	48+50%	32 ×2
TMUs	112	128 ×2+14%
L1 Cache	3.5 MB+600%	0.5 MB
L2 Cache	3 MB+300%	0.75 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon HD 7290 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon HD 7290
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 2 Super Resolution	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3060 has 12 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 7290 carries 512 MB. GeForce RTX 3060 gives you 2300% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 3060 and 128-bit on the Radeon HD 7290. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 0.75 MB (Radeon HD 7290) — the GeForce RTX 3060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon HD 7290
VRAM Capacity	12 GB+2300%	0.5 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	360 GB/s	Unknown
Bus Width	192-bit+50%	128-bit
L2 Cache	3 MB+300%	0.75 MB

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 draws 170W versus the Radeon HD 7290's 375W — a 75.2% difference. The GeForce RTX 3060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 350W (Radeon HD 7290). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 1x 6-pin.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon HD 7290
TDP	170W-55%	375W
Recommended PSU	550W	350W-36%
Power Connector	8-pin	1x 6-pin
Length	242mm	—
Height	112mm	—
Slots	2	—
Temp (Load)	75	—
Perf/Watt	100.0+33233%	0.3

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce RTX 3060 came in at $329, while the Radeon HD 7290 launched at $20. On MSRP, Radeon HD 7290 was 93.9% cheaper ($309 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 51.7 (GeForce RTX 3060) vs 5.6 (Radeon HD 7290) — the GeForce RTX 3060 offers 823.2% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3060 (2021 vs 2013).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060	Radeon HD 7290
MSRP	$329	$20-94%
Performance per Dollar	51.7+823%	5.6
Codename	GA106	Malta
Release	January 12 2021	April 24 2013
Ranking	#114	#412

Search GeForce RTX 3060 on Amazon

Search Radeon HD 7290 on Amazon

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.