GeForce RTX 4070 vs Radeon HD 8490

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4070

2023Core: 1920 MHzBoost: 2475 MHz
RTX family
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VS
AMD

Radeon HD 8490

2009Core: 850 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce RTX 4070 vs Radeon HD 8490 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 4070 vs Radeon HD 8490 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 8490: 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

  • 3729.5% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 1591.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.9 vs 2.7 G3D/$ ($599 MSRP vs $99 MSRP).
  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • 1100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 1 GB).
  • Better long-term bet: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 81% longer card at 304mm vs 168mm.

Radeon HD 8490

2009

Why buy it

  • Costs $500 less on MSRP ($99 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
  • Measures 168mm instead of 304mm, a 136mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 4070 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 1 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • 2009 hardware with 1 GB 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 2.7 vs 44.9 G3D/$ ($99 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 3729.5% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 10135.4% in PassMark G3D (26,919 vs 263), 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 1 GB of VRAM, native frame generation with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023), while Radeon HD 8490 has no comparable frame-generation support, a 5nm process instead of 55nm, 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 to buy today. It is $500 more expensive on MSRP at $599 vs $99, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 1591.7% (44.9 vs 2.7), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce RTX 4070 vs Radeon HD 8490 Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

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.

AMD

Radeon HD 8490

The Radeon HD 8490 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: 263 points. Launch price was $249.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 4070 scores 26,919 versus the Radeon HD 8490's 263 — the GeForce RTX 4070 leads by 10135.4%. The GeForce RTX 4070 is built on Ada Lovelace while the Radeon HD 8490 uses TeraScale, both on 5 nm vs 55 nm. Shader units: 5,888 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 800 (Radeon HD 8490). Raw compute: 29.15 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 1.36 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 8490).

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070Radeon HD 8490
G3D Mark Score
26,919+10135%
263
Architecture
Ada Lovelace
TeraScale
Process Node
5 nm
55 nm
Shading Units
5888+636%
800
Compute (TFLOPS)
29.15 TFLOPS+2043%
1.36 TFLOPS
ROPs
64+300%
16
TMUs
184+360%
40
L1 Cache
5.8 MB+3525%
0.16 MB
L2 Cache
36 MB+14300%
0.25 MB

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 8490 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 8490 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070Radeon HD 8490
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 4070 has 12 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 8490 carries 1 GB. GeForce RTX 4070 gives you 1100% 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 64-bit on the Radeon HD 8490. L2 Cache: 36 MB (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 0.25 MB (Radeon HD 8490) — the GeForce RTX 4070 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070Radeon HD 8490
VRAM Capacity
12 GB+1100%
1 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6X
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
504 GB/s
Unknown
Bus Width
192-bit+200%
64-bit
L2 Cache
36 MB+14300%
0.25 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.2 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 11.2 (Radeon HD 8490). OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.4. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 2.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070Radeon HD 8490
DirectX
12.2+9%
11.2
OpenGL
4.6+5%
4.4
Max Displays
4+100%
2
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: 8th Gen NVENC (2x) (GeForce RTX 4070) vs UVD 3.1 (Radeon HD 8490). Decoder: 5th Gen NVDEC vs UVD 3.1. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (Radeon HD 8490).

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070Radeon HD 8490
Encoder
8th Gen NVENC (2x)
UVD 3.1
Decoder
5th Gen NVDEC
UVD 3.1
Codecs
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1
H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 4070 draws 200W versus the Radeon HD 8490's 190W — a 5.1% difference. The Radeon HD 8490 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 350W (Radeon HD 8490). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 1x 6-pin. Card length: 304mm vs 168mm, occupying 3 vs 1 slots.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070Radeon HD 8490
TDP
200W
190W-5%
Recommended PSU
650W
350W-46%
Power Connector
8-pin
1x 6-pin
Length
304mm
168mm
Height
137mm
Slots
3
1-67%
Temp (Load)
80°C
Perf/Watt
134.6+9514%
1.4
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce RTX 4070 came in at $599, while the Radeon HD 8490 launched at $99. On MSRP, Radeon HD 8490 was 83.5% cheaper ($500 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 44.9 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 2.7 (Radeon HD 8490) — the GeForce RTX 4070 offers 1563% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 4070 (2023 vs 2009).

FeatureGeForce RTX 4070Radeon HD 8490
MSRP
$599
$99-83%
Performance per Dollar
44.9+1563%
2.7
Codename
AD104
RV790
Release
April 12 2023
April 2 2009
Ranking
#32
#762

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