CPU
GPU
Radeon HD 4290
Popular choices:
GeForce 6600 GT
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. The Radeon HD 4290 is positioned at rank 304 and the GeForce 6600 GT is on rank 340, so the Radeon HD 4290 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 4290
Performance Per Dollar GeForce 6600 GT
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce 6600 GT is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.4% higher G3D Mark score. However, the Radeon HD 4290 offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.
| Insight | Radeon HD 4290 | GeForce 6600 GT |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.4%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+1.4%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2009 / TeraScale (2005−2013)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / Kepler (2012−2018)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) | ❌ Less VRAM capacity |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon HD 4290 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon HD 4290 holds the technical lead. Priced at $10 (vs $50), it costs 80% less, resulting in a 393% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon HD 4290 | GeForce 6600 GT |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+393%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($10) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($50) |
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 4290 and GeForce 6600 GT
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.
GeForce 6600 GT
The GeForce 6600 GT is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 16 2012. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 915 MHz to 980 MHz. It has 1344 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 143 points. Launch price was $299.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 4290 scores 141 and the GeForce 6600 GT reaches 143 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 4290 is built on TeraScale while the GeForce 6600 GT uses Kepler, both on 55 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 800 (Radeon HD 4290) vs 1,344 (GeForce 6600 GT). Raw compute: 1.36 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 4290) vs 2.634 TFLOPS (GeForce 6600 GT).
| Feature | Radeon HD 4290 | GeForce 6600 GT |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 141 | 143+1% |
| Architecture | TeraScale | Kepler |
| Process Node | 55 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 800 | 1344+68% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 1.36 TFLOPS | 2.634 TFLOPS+94% |
| ROPs | 16 | 24+50% |
| TMUs | 40 | 112+180% |
| L1 Cache | 160 KB+43% | 112 KB |
| L2 Cache | 256 KB | 384 KB+50% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 4290 | GeForce 6600 GT |
|---|---|---|
| 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 4290 comes with 512 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce 6600 GT has 256 MB. The Radeon HD 4290 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 64-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 256 KB (Radeon HD 4290) vs 384 KB (GeForce 6600 GT) — the GeForce 6600 GT has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon HD 4290 | GeForce 6600 GT |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 0.5 GB+100% | 0.25 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 64-bit | 128-bit+100% |
| L2 Cache | 256 KB | 384 KB+50% |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 10.1 (Radeon HD 4290) vs 9.0c (GeForce 6600 GT). Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.
| Feature | Radeon HD 4290 | GeForce 6600 GT |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 10.1+12% | 9.0c |
| Max Displays | 2 | 2 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: UVD 2 (Radeon HD 4290) vs No (GeForce 6600 GT). Decoder: UVD 2 vs PureVideo.
| Feature | Radeon HD 4290 | GeForce 6600 GT |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | UVD 2 | No |
| Decoder | UVD 2 | PureVideo |
| Codecs | — | MPEG-2 |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 4290 draws 190W versus the GeForce 6600 GT's 150W — a 23.5% difference. The GeForce 6600 GT is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon HD 4290) vs 350W (GeForce 6600 GT). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs Legacy. Card length: 1mm vs 183mm, occupying 0 vs 1 slots.
| Feature | Radeon HD 4290 | GeForce 6600 GT |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 190W | 150W-21% |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 350W |
| Power Connector | 1x 6-pin | Legacy |
| Length | 1mm | 183mm |
| Height | — | 111mm |
| Slots | 0-100% | 1 |
| Temp (Load) | — | 75°C |
| Perf/Watt | 0.7 | 1.0+43% |
Value Analysis
The Radeon HD 4290 launched at $60 MSRP and currently averages $10, while the GeForce 6600 GT launched at $199 and now averages $50. The Radeon HD 4290 costs 80% less ($40 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 14.1 (Radeon HD 4290) vs 2.9 (GeForce 6600 GT) — the Radeon HD 4290 offers 386.2% better value. The GeForce 6600 GT is the newer GPU (2012 vs 2009).
| Feature | Radeon HD 4290 | GeForce 6600 GT |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $60-70% | $199 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $10-80% | $50 |
| Performance per Dollar | 14.1+386% | 2.9 |
| Codename | RV790 | GK104 |
| Release | April 2 2009 | August 16 2012 |
| Ranking | #762 | #472 |
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