Quadro NVS 420 vs Radeon HD 4290
Quadro NVS 420
Popular choices:
Radeon HD 4290
Popular choices:
Performance Spectrum - GPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Per Dollar Radeon HD 4290
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The Quadro NVS 420 is significantly newer (2018 vs 2009). The Quadro NVS 420 likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon HD 4290 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon HD 4290 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 2.9% higher G3D Mark score. However, the Quadro NVS 420 offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.
| Insight | Quadro NVS 420 | Radeon HD 4290 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-2.9%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+2.9%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2018 / Pascal (2016−2021)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2009 / TeraScale (2005−2013)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ✅ More VRAM (+700%) | ❌ Less VRAM capacity |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon HD 4290 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Priced at $10 versus $20 for the Quadro NVS 420, it costs 50% less. While it maintains basic entry-level capabilities, this results in a 105.8% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Quadro NVS 420 | Radeon HD 4290 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+105.8%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($20) | ✅More affordable ($10) |
Performance Check
Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 7800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.
Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Quadro NVS 420 and Radeon HD 4290
Quadro NVS 420
The Quadro NVS 420 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 21 2018. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1227 MHz to 1647 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 137 points.
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
The Quadro NVS 420 scores 137 and the Radeon HD 4290 reaches 141 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Quadro NVS 420 is built on Pascal while the Radeon HD 4290 uses TeraScale, both on 16 nm vs 55 nm. Shader units: 2,304 (Quadro NVS 420) vs 800 (Radeon HD 4290). Raw compute: 7.589 TFLOPS (Quadro NVS 420) vs 1.36 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 4290).
| Feature | Quadro NVS 420 | Radeon HD 4290 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 137 | 141+3% |
| Architecture | Pascal | TeraScale |
| Process Node | 16 nm | 55 nm |
| Shading Units | 2304+188% | 800 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 7.589 TFLOPS+458% | 1.36 TFLOPS |
| ROPs | 64+300% | 16 |
| TMUs | 144+260% | 40 |
| L1 Cache | 864 KB+440% | 160 KB |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB+700% | 0.25 MB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Quadro NVS 420 | Radeon HD 4290 |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 1.0 (Software) | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | Standard | AMD Anti-Lag |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The Quadro NVS 420 comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 4290 has 512 MB. The Quadro NVS 420 offers 700% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 64-bit vs 64-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (Quadro NVS 420) vs 0.25 MB (Radeon HD 4290) — the Quadro NVS 420 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Quadro NVS 420 | Radeon HD 4290 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 4 GB+700% | 0.5 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Bus Width | 64-bit | 64-bit |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB+700% | 0.25 MB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 10_0 (Quadro NVS 420) vs 10.1 (Radeon HD 4290). Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 2.
| Feature | Quadro NVS 420 | Radeon HD 4290 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 10_0 | 10.1 |
| Max Displays | 4+100% | 2 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: PureVideo HD (Quadro NVS 420) vs UVD 2 (Radeon HD 4290). Decoder: PureVideo HD vs UVD 2.
| Feature | Quadro NVS 420 | Radeon HD 4290 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | PureVideo HD | UVD 2 |
| Decoder | PureVideo HD | UVD 2 |
Power & Dimensions
The Quadro NVS 420 draws 100W versus the Radeon HD 4290's 190W — a 62.1% difference. The Quadro NVS 420 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Quadro NVS 420) vs 350W (Radeon HD 4290). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 1x 6-pin. Card length: 160mm vs 1mm, occupying 1 vs 0 slots.
| Feature | Quadro NVS 420 | Radeon HD 4290 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 100W-47% | 190W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 350W |
| Power Connector | PCIe-powered | 1x 6-pin |
| Length | 160mm | 1mm |
| Slots | 1 | 0-100% |
| Perf/Watt | 1.4+100% | 0.7 |
Value Analysis
The Quadro NVS 420 launched at $0 MSRP and currently averages $20, while the Radeon HD 4290 launched at $60 and now averages $10. The Radeon HD 4290 costs 50% less ($10 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 6.8 (Quadro NVS 420) vs 14.1 (Radeon HD 4290) — the Radeon HD 4290 offers 107.4% better value. The Quadro NVS 420 is the newer GPU (2018 vs 2009).
| Feature | Quadro NVS 420 | Radeon HD 4290 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $0-100% | $60 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $20 | $10-50% |
| Performance per Dollar | 6.8 | 14.1+107% |
| Codename | GP104 | RV790 |
| Release | February 21 2018 | April 2 2009 |
| Ranking | #266 | #762 |
Top Performing GPUs
The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
You May Also Compare
Similar GPU comparisons based on Quadro NVS 420 and Radeon HD 4290
