Radeon HD 6790 vs Radeon RX Vega 8

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.

Radeon HD 6790 vs Radeon RX Vega 8 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.

Radeon HD 6790 vs Radeon RX Vega 8: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

Radeon HD 6790

2011

Why buy it

✅3.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 10.5 vs 0 G3D/$ ($149 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (1 GB vs Unknown).
✅Radeon RX Vega 8 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon HD 6790 is the less risky modern option long term.

Trade-offs

❌2011 hardware with 1 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌900% higher power demand at 150W vs 15W.

Radeon RX Vega 8

2018

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 150W, a 135W reduction.
✅More future proof: GCN 5.0 (2017−2020) on 14nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon HD 6790 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 1 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2018 hardware with Unknown 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 0 vs 10.5 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $149 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon HD 6790 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 3.0% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 1.8% in PassMark G3D (1,567 vs 1,540), so the answer here is pretty clean.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

Radeon HD 6790 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 1 GB vs Unknown of VRAM. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon HD 6790 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

Radeon HD 6790 vs Radeon RX Vega 8 Technical Specifications

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

Radeon HD 6790

The Radeon HD 6790 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 4 2011. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 840 MHz. It has 800 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,567 points. Launch price was $149.

Radeon RX Vega 8

The Radeon RX Vega 8 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in February 1 2018. It features the GCN 5.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 720 MHz to 1190 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 15W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,540 points.

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Graphics Performance

The Radeon HD 6790 scores 1,567 and the Radeon RX Vega 8 reaches 1,540 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.8% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 6790 is built on TeraScale 2 while the Radeon RX Vega 8 uses GCN 5.0, both on 40 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 800 (Radeon HD 6790) vs 512 (Radeon RX Vega 8).

Feature	Radeon HD 6790	Radeon RX Vega 8
G3D Mark Score	1,567+2%	1,540
Architecture	TeraScale 2	GCN 5.0
Process Node	40 nm	14 nm
Shading Units	800+56%	512
ROPs	16+100%	8
TMUs	40+25%	32
Frame Generation	FSR upscaling	FSR upscaling

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon HD 6790	Radeon RX Vega 8
Upscaling Tech	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	AMD Anti-Lag	AMD Anti-Lag

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon HD 6790 has 1 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon RX Vega 8 carries 0 MB. Radeon HD 6790 gives you 100+% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the Radeon HD 6790 and System on the Radeon RX Vega 8.

Feature	Radeon HD 6790	Radeon RX Vega 8
VRAM Capacity	1 GB	Shared System RAM
Memory Type	GDDR5	Shared
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	System
Bus Width	128-bit	System

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Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11.2 (11_0) (Radeon HD 6790) vs 12 (Radeon RX Vega 8). Vulkan: N/A vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.4 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 3 vs 3.

Feature	Radeon HD 6790	Radeon RX Vega 8
DirectX	11.2 (11_0)	12+7%
Vulkan	N/A	1.2
OpenGL	4.4	4.6+5%
Max Displays	3	3

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: None (Radeon HD 6790) vs VCN 1.0 (Radeon RX Vega 8). Decoder: UVD 3.0 vs VCN 1.0. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 (Radeon HD 6790) vs H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Radeon RX Vega 8).

Feature	Radeon HD 6790	Radeon RX Vega 8
Encoder	None	VCN 1.0
Decoder	UVD 3.0	VCN 1.0
Codecs	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4	H.264,HEVC,VP9

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Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD 6790 draws 150W versus the Radeon RX Vega 8's 15W — a 163.6% difference. The Radeon RX Vega 8 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 450W (Radeon HD 6790) vs 1W (Radeon RX Vega 8). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs Integrated. Typical load temperature: 80 vs 85°C.

Feature	Radeon HD 6790	Radeon RX Vega 8
TDP	150W	15W-90%
Recommended PSU	450W	1W-100%
Power Connector	2x 6-pin	Integrated
Length	240mm	—
Height	111mm	—
Slots	2	—
Temp (Load)	80-6%	85°C
Perf/Watt	10.4	102.7+888%

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Value Analysis

At launch, the Radeon HD 6790 came in at $149, while the Radeon RX Vega 8 launched at $0. On MSRP, Radeon RX Vega 8 was 100+% cheaper ($149 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 10.5 (Radeon HD 6790) vs Infinity (Radeon RX Vega 8) — the Radeon RX Vega 8 offers Infinity% better value. The newer card here is Radeon RX Vega 8 (2018 vs 2011).

Feature	Radeon HD 6790	Radeon RX Vega 8
MSRP	$149	$0-100%
Performance per Dollar	10.5	Infinity
Codename	Barts	Vega
Release	April 4 2011	February 1 2018
Ranking	#759	#372

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