GeForce RTX 4070 vs Radeon HD 6490M

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 4070 vs Radeon HD 6490M 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 4070 vs Radeon HD 6490M: 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 4070

2023

Why buy it

✅2233.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.9 vs 0 G3D/$ ($599 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
✅2300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 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

❌166.7% higher power demand at 200W vs 75W.

Radeon HD 6490M

2011

Why buy it

✅Draws 75W instead of 200W, a 125W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 4070 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
❌2011 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 0 vs 44.9 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $599 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce RTX 4070 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 2233.0% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 7021.4% in PassMark G3D (26,919 vs 378), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

GeForce RTX 4070 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 12 GB vs 512 MB of VRAM, native frame generation with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023), while Radeon HD 6490M has no comparable frame-generation support, a 5nm process instead of 40nm, and 46 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 4070 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce RTX 4070 vs Radeon HD 6490M Technical Specifications

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

GeForce RTX 4070

The GeForce RTX 4070 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in April 12 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 1920 MHz to 2475 MHz. It has 5888 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 46 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 26,919 points. Launch price was $599.

Radeon HD 6490M

The Radeon HD 6490M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 4 2011. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 680 MHz. It has 960 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 378 points.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 4070 scores 26,919 versus the Radeon HD 6490M's 378 — the GeForce RTX 4070 leads by 7021.4%. The GeForce RTX 4070 is built on Ada Lovelace while the Radeon HD 6490M uses TeraScale 2, both on 5 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 5,888 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 960 (Radeon HD 6490M). Raw compute: 29.15 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 1.306 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 6490M).

Feature	GeForce RTX 4070	Radeon HD 6490M
G3D Mark Score	26,919+7021%	378
Architecture	Ada Lovelace	TeraScale 2
Process Node	5 nm	40 nm
Shading Units	5888+513%	960
Compute (TFLOPS)	29.15 TFLOPS+2132%	1.306 TFLOPS
ROPs	64+100%	32
TMUs	184+283%	48
L1 Cache	5.8 MB+2953%	0.19 MB
L2 Cache	36 MB+7100%	0.5 MB

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the GeForce RTX 4070 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 6490M does not have comparable native support in the same tier.The GeForce RTX 4070 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon HD 6490M leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4070	Radeon HD 6490M
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 4070 has 12 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 6490M carries 512 MB. GeForce RTX 4070 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 4070 and System on the Radeon HD 6490M. L2 Cache: 36 MB (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon HD 6490M) — the GeForce RTX 4070 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4070	Radeon HD 6490M
VRAM Capacity	12 GB+2300%	0.5 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6X	Shared
Memory Bandwidth	504 GB/s	System
Bus Width	192-bit	System
L2 Cache	36 MB+7100%	0.5 MB

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 4070 draws 200W versus the Radeon HD 6490M's 75W — a 90.9% difference. The Radeon HD 6490M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 350W (Radeon HD 6490M). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 1x 6-pin.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4070	Radeon HD 6490M
TDP	200W	75W-63%
Recommended PSU	650W	350W-46%
Power Connector	8-pin	1x 6-pin
Length	304mm	—
Height	137mm	—
Slots	3	—
Temp (Load)	80°C	—
Perf/Watt	134.6+2592%	5.0

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Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce RTX 4070 (2023 vs 2011).

Feature	GeForce RTX 4070	Radeon HD 6490M
MSRP	$599	—
Codename	AD104	Blackcomb
Release	April 12 2023	January 4 2011
Ranking	#32	#654

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