Radeon HD 4290 vs Radeon X1900 GT
Radeon HD 4290
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Radeon X1900 GT
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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 4290 is positioned at rank 304 and the Radeon X1900 GT is on rank 354, 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 Radeon X1900 GT
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The Radeon X1900 GT is significantly newer (2022 vs 2009). The Radeon X1900 GT 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 X1900 GT is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 3.5% 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 | Radeon X1900 GT |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-3.5%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+3.5%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2009 / TeraScale (2005−2013)) | RDNA 3.0 (2022−2026) (5nm) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) | ❌ Less VRAM capacity |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | — |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon HD 4290 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Priced at $10 versus $20 for the Radeon X1900 GT, it costs 50% less. While it maintains basic entry-level capabilities, this results in a 93.2% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon HD 4290 | Radeon X1900 GT |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+93.2%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($10) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($20) |
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 Radeon X1900 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.
Radeon X1900 GT
The Radeon X1900 GT is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 3 2022. It features the RDNA 3.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1387 MHz to 2394 MHz. It has 5376 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 300W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 84 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 146 points. Launch price was $899.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 4290 scores 141 and the Radeon X1900 GT reaches 146 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 3.5% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 4290 is built on TeraScale while the Radeon X1900 GT uses RDNA 3.0, both on 55 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 800 (Radeon HD 4290) vs 5,376 (Radeon X1900 GT). Raw compute: 1.36 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 4290) vs 51.48 TFLOPS (Radeon X1900 GT).
| Feature | Radeon HD 4290 | Radeon X1900 GT |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 141 | 146+4% |
| Architecture | TeraScale | RDNA 3.0 |
| Process Node | 55 nm | 5 nm |
| Shading Units | 800 | 5376+572% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 1.36 TFLOPS | 51.48 TFLOPS+3685% |
| ROPs | 16 | 192+1100% |
| TMUs | 40 | 336+740% |
| L1 Cache | 0.16 MB | 3 MB+1775% |
| L2 Cache | 0.25 MB | 6 MB+2300% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 4290 | Radeon X1900 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 | AMD Anti-Lag |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The Radeon HD 4290 comes with 512 MB of VRAM, while the Radeon X1900 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 64-bit. L2 Cache: 0.25 MB (Radeon HD 4290) vs 6 MB (Radeon X1900 GT) — the Radeon X1900 GT has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon HD 4290 | Radeon X1900 GT |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 0.5 GB+100% | 0.25 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Bus Width | 64-bit | 64-bit |
| L2 Cache | 0.25 MB | 6 MB+2300% |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 4290 draws 190W versus the Radeon X1900 GT's 300W — a 44.9% difference. The Radeon HD 4290 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon HD 4290) vs 350W (Radeon X1900 GT). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered.
| Feature | Radeon HD 4290 | Radeon X1900 GT |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 190W-37% | 300W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 350W |
| Power Connector | 1x 6-pin | PCIe-powered |
| Length | 1mm | — |
| Slots | 0 | — |
| Perf/Watt | 0.7+40% | 0.5 |
Value Analysis
The Radeon HD 4290 launched at $60 MSRP and currently averages $10, while the Radeon X1900 GT launched at $299 and now averages $20. The Radeon HD 4290 costs 50% less ($10 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 14.1 (Radeon HD 4290) vs 7.3 (Radeon X1900 GT) — the Radeon HD 4290 offers 93.2% better value. The Radeon X1900 GT is the newer GPU (2022 vs 2009).
| Feature | Radeon HD 4290 | Radeon X1900 GT |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $60-80% | $299 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $10-50% | $20 |
| Performance per Dollar | 14.1+93% | 7.3 |
| Codename | RV790 | Navi 31 |
| Release | April 2 2009 | November 3 2022 |
| Ranking | #762 | #21 |
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