GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU vs Radeon HD 7290M

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 4060 Laptop GPU vs Radeon HD 7290M 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 4060 Laptop GPU vs Radeon HD 7290M: 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 4060 Laptop GPU

2023

Why buy it

✅5712.7% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
✅1500% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 512 MB).
✅Better long-term bet: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌60% higher power demand at 160W vs 100W.

Radeon HD 7290M

2012

Why buy it

✅Draws 100W instead of 160W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
❌2012 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 5712.7% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 14046.3% in PassMark G3D (17,400 vs 123), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 8 GB vs 512 MB of VRAM, native frame generation with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023), while Radeon HD 7290M has no comparable frame-generation support, a 5nm process instead of 28nm, and 34 vs 0 ray-tracing units. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU vs Radeon HD 7290M Technical Specifications

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

GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU

The GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 18 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 2310 MHz to 2535 MHz. It has 4352 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 160W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 34 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 17,400 points. Launch price was $399.

Radeon HD 7290M

The Radeon HD 7290M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 24 2012. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 850 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 123 points.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU scores 17,400 versus the Radeon HD 7290M's 123 — the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU leads by 14046.3%. The GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU is built on Ada Lovelace while the Radeon HD 7290M uses GCN 1.0, both on 5 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 4,352 (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU) vs 1,280 (Radeon HD 7290M). Raw compute: 22.06 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU) vs 2.176 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7290M).

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU	Radeon HD 7290M
G3D Mark Score	17,400+14046%	123
Architecture	Ada Lovelace	GCN 1.0
Process Node	5 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	4352+240%	1280
Compute (TFLOPS)	22.06 TFLOPS+914%	2.176 TFLOPS
ROPs	48+50%	32
TMUs	136+70%	80
L1 Cache	4.3 MB+1287%	0.31 MB
L2 Cache	32 MB+6300%	0.5 MB

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU is support for DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation. In games that support it, that can smooth out motion and lift perceived FPS. The Radeon HD 7290M does not have comparable native support in the same tier.The GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon HD 7290M leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU	Radeon HD 7290M
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	Yes (DLSS 3.5)	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	AMD Anti-Lag

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU has 8 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 7290M carries 512 MB. GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU gives you 1500% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU and System on the Radeon HD 7290M. L2 Cache: 32 MB (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon HD 7290M) — the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU	Radeon HD 7290M
VRAM Capacity	8 GB+1500%	0.5 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	Shared
Memory Bandwidth	256 GB/s	System
Bus Width	128-bit	System
L2 Cache	32 MB+6300%	0.5 MB

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Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU) vs 11.2 (11_0) (Radeon HD 7290M). OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.4. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 2.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU	Radeon HD 7290M
DirectX	12 Ultimate+7%	11.2 (11_0)
OpenGL	4.6+5%	4.4
Max Displays	4+100%	2

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Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (8th Gen) (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU) vs UVD 3 (Radeon HD 7290M). Decoder: NVDEC (5th Gen) vs UVD 3. Supported codecs: H.264,HEVC,AV1,VP9 (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,DivX,Xvid (Radeon HD 7290M).

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU	Radeon HD 7290M
Encoder	NVENC (8th Gen)	UVD 3
Decoder	NVDEC (5th Gen)	UVD 3
Codecs	H.264,HEVC,AV1,VP9	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,DivX,Xvid

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU draws 160W versus the Radeon HD 7290M's 100W — a 46.2% difference. The Radeon HD 7290M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU) vs 350W (Radeon HD 7290M). Power connectors: Mobile vs 1x 6-pin. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 75°C.