Radeon HD 2900 XT vs GeForce GT 720
Radeon HD 2900 XT
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GeForce GT 720
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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. The Radeon HD 2900 XT is positioned at rank 666 and the GeForce GT 720 is on rank 102, so the GeForce GT 720 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Radeon HD 2900 XT
Performance Per Dollar GeForce GT 720
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon HD 2900 XT is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.2% higher G3D Mark score. However, the GeForce GT 720 offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.
| Insight | Radeon HD 2900 XT | GeForce GT 720 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.2%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.2%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / TeraScale 2 (2009−2015)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / Kepler (2012−2018)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon HD 2900 XT offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon HD 2900 XT holds the technical lead. Priced at $20 (vs $49), it costs 59% less, resulting in a 145.4% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon HD 2900 XT | GeForce GT 720 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+145.4%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($20) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($49) |
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 Radeon HD 2900 XT and GeForce GT 720
Radeon HD 2900 XT
The Radeon HD 2900 XT is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 7 2013. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 725 MHz. It has 480 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 25W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 660 points.
GeForce GT 720
The GeForce GT 720 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 29 2014. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock speed is 993 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 64W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 659 points. Launch price was $89.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 2900 XT scores 660 and the GeForce GT 720 reaches 659 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 2900 XT is built on TeraScale 2 while the GeForce GT 720 uses Kepler, both on 40 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 480 (Radeon HD 2900 XT) vs 384 (GeForce GT 720). Raw compute: 0.696 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 2900 XT) vs 0.7626 TFLOPS (GeForce GT 720).
| Feature | Radeon HD 2900 XT | GeForce GT 720 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 660 | 659 |
| Architecture | TeraScale 2 | Kepler |
| Process Node | 40 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 480+25% | 384 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 0.696 TFLOPS | 0.7626 TFLOPS+10% |
| ROPs | 8 | 16+100% |
| TMUs | 24 | 32+33% |
| L1 Cache | 48 KB+50% | 32 KB |
| L2 Cache | 256 KB | 256 KB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 2900 XT | GeForce GT 720 |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 1.0 (Software) | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | AMD Anti-Lag | Standard |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The Radeon HD 2900 XT comes with 1 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GT 720 has 2 GB. The GeForce GT 720 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 64-bit.
| Feature | Radeon HD 2900 XT | GeForce GT 720 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 1 GB | 2 GB+100% |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 128-bit+100% | 64-bit |
| L2 Cache | 256 KB | 256 KB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 10.0 (Radeon HD 2900 XT) vs 11.0 (GeForce GT 720). Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 3.
| Feature | Radeon HD 2900 XT | GeForce GT 720 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 10.0 | 11.0+10% |
| Max Displays | 2 | 3+50% |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: UVD+ (Radeon HD 2900 XT) vs NVENC 1.0 (GeForce GT 720). Decoder: UVD+ vs PureVideo HD VP5. Supported codecs: H.264 (Radeon HD 2900 XT) vs MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP (GeForce GT 720).
| Feature | Radeon HD 2900 XT | GeForce GT 720 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | UVD+ | NVENC 1.0 |
| Decoder | UVD+ | PureVideo HD VP5 |
| Codecs | H.264 | MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 2900 XT draws 25W versus the GeForce GT 720's 64W — a 87.6% difference. The Radeon HD 2900 XT is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon HD 2900 XT) vs 250W (GeForce GT 720). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs None. Card length: 241mm vs 145mm, occupying 2 vs 1 slots.
| Feature | Radeon HD 2900 XT | GeForce GT 720 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 25W-61% | 64W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 250W-29% |
| Power Connector | 1x 6-pin | None |
| Length | 241mm | 145mm |
| Height | — | 69mm |
| Slots | 2 | 1-50% |
| Temp (Load) | — | 55°C |
| Perf/Watt | 26.4+156% | 10.3 |
Value Analysis
The Radeon HD 2900 XT launched at $399 MSRP and currently averages $20, while the GeForce GT 720 launched at $49 and now averages $49. The Radeon HD 2900 XT costs 59.2% less ($29 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 33.0 (Radeon HD 2900 XT) vs 13.4 (GeForce GT 720) — the Radeon HD 2900 XT offers 146.3% better value. The GeForce GT 720 is the newer GPU (2014 vs 2013).
| Feature | Radeon HD 2900 XT | GeForce GT 720 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $399 | $49-88% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $20-59% | $49 |
| Performance per Dollar | 33.0+146% | 13.4 |
| Codename | Thames | GK107 |
| Release | January 7 2013 | May 29 2014 |
| Ranking | #883 | #777 |
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