GeForce RTX 4060 Ti vs Radeon HD 4290

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4060 Ti

2023Core: 2310 MHzBoost: 2535 MHz
RTX family
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VS
AMD

Radeon HD 4290

2009Core: 850 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce RTX 4060 Ti vs Radeon HD 4290 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 RTX 4060 Ti vs Radeon HD 4290 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 Ti vs Radeon HD 4290: 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 Ti

2023

Why buy it

  • 6396.5% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 2315.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 56.8 vs 2.4 G3D/$ ($399 MSRP vs $60 MSRP).
  • 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

  • 23900% longer card at 240mm vs 1mm.

Radeon HD 4290

2009

Why buy it

  • Costs $339 less on MSRP ($60 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).
  • Measures 1mm instead of 240mm, a 239mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 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).
  • 2009 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 2.4 vs 56.8 G3D/$ ($60 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 6396.5% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 15964.5% in PassMark G3D (22,651 vs 141), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 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 4290 has no comparable frame-generation support, a 5nm process instead of 55nm, 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 Ti makes the most sense to buy today. It is $339 more expensive on MSRP at $399 vs $60, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 2315.7% (56.8 vs 2.4), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce RTX 4060 Ti vs Radeon HD 4290 Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4060 Ti

The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 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: 22,651 points. Launch price was $399.

AMD

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

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti scores 22,651 versus the Radeon HD 4290's 141 — the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti leads by 15964.5%. The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is built on Ada Lovelace while the Radeon HD 4290 uses TeraScale, both on 5 nm vs 55 nm. Shader units: 4,352 (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti) vs 800 (Radeon HD 4290). Raw compute: 22.06 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti) vs 1.36 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 4290).

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060 TiRadeon HD 4290
G3D Mark Score
22,651+15965%
141
Architecture
Ada Lovelace
TeraScale
Process Node
5 nm
55 nm
Shading Units
4352+444%
800
Compute (TFLOPS)
22.06 TFLOPS+1522%
1.36 TFLOPS
ROPs
48+200%
16
TMUs
136+240%
40
L1 Cache
4.3 MB+2587%
0.16 MB
L2 Cache
32 MB+12700%
0.25 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 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 4290 does not have comparable native support in the same tier.The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon HD 4290 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060 TiRadeon HD 4290
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
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti has 8 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 4290 carries 512 MB. GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 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 Ti and 64-bit on the Radeon HD 4290. L2 Cache: 32 MB (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti) vs 0.25 MB (Radeon HD 4290) — the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060 TiRadeon HD 4290
VRAM Capacity
8 GB+1500%
0.5 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
288 GB/s
Unknown
Bus Width
128-bit+100%
64-bit
L2 Cache
32 MB+12700%
0.25 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.2 (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti) vs 10.1 (Radeon HD 4290). Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 2.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060 TiRadeon HD 4290
DirectX
12.2+21%
10.1
Max Displays
4+100%
2
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: 8th Gen NVENC (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti) vs UVD 2 (Radeon HD 4290). Decoder: 5th Gen NVDEC vs UVD 2.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060 TiRadeon HD 4290
Encoder
8th Gen NVENC
UVD 2
Decoder
5th Gen NVDEC
UVD 2
Codecs
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti draws 160W versus the Radeon HD 4290's 190W — a 17.1% difference. The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti) vs 350W (Radeon HD 4290). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 1x 6-pin. Card length: 240mm vs 1mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060 TiRadeon HD 4290
TDP
160W-16%
190W
Recommended PSU
550W
350W-36%
Power Connector
8-pin
1x 6-pin
Length
240mm
1mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
0-100%
Temp (Load)
70°C
Perf/Watt
141.6+20129%
0.7
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti came in at $399, while the Radeon HD 4290 launched at $60. On MSRP, Radeon HD 4290 was 85% cheaper ($339 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 56.8 (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti) vs 2.4 (Radeon HD 4290) — the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti offers 2266.7% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 4060 Ti (2023 vs 2009).

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060 TiRadeon HD 4290
MSRP
$399
$60-85%
Performance per Dollar
56.8+2267%
2.4
Codename
AD106
RV790
Release
May 18 2023
April 2 2009
Ranking
#59
#762

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