Radeon HD 6790 vs Radeon 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 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 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

✅4.9% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $1 less on MSRP ($149 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
✅100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (1 GB vs Unknown).

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.
❌233.3% higher power demand at 150W vs 45W.

Radeon Vega 8

2021

Why buy it

✅Radeon HD 6790 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon Vega 8 is the less risky modern option long term.
✅Draws 45W instead of 150W, a 105W reduction.
✅More future proof: GCN 5.1 (2018−2022) on 7nm 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.
❌2021 hardware with Unknown of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
0.7% HIGHER MSRP
$150 MSRPvs$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 4.9% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward Radeon Vega 8 instead at 1,569 vs 1,567, so for this question the real-game FPS result matters more than the synthetic split.

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

Radeon Vega 8 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 7nm process instead of 40nm and a newer 2021 generation instead of 2011. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon HD 6790 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $1 cheaper on MSRP at $149 vs $150, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 0.5% (10.5 vs 10.5), so the value case lines up with the gaming result. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon HD 6790 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p headroom, Radeon Vega 8 has the stronger long-term case.

Radeon HD 6790 vs Radeon 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 Vega 8

The Radeon Vega 8 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 13 2021. It features the GCN 5.1 architecture. The core clock ranges from 300 MHz to 1900 MHz. It has 448 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 45W. Manufactured using 7 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,569 points.

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Graphics Performance

The Radeon HD 6790 scores 1,567 and the Radeon Vega 8 reaches 1,569 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 6790 is built on TeraScale 2 while the Radeon Vega 8 uses GCN 5.1, both on 40 nm vs 7 nm. Shader units: 800 (Radeon HD 6790) vs 448 (Radeon Vega 8). Raw compute: 1.344 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 6790) vs 1.702 TFLOPS (Radeon Vega 8).

Feature	Radeon HD 6790	Radeon Vega 8
G3D Mark Score	1,567	1,569
Architecture	TeraScale 2	GCN 5.1
Process Node	40 nm	7 nm
Shading Units	800+79%	448
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.344 TFLOPS	1.702 TFLOPS+27%
ROPs	16+100%	8
TMUs	40+43%	28
Frame Generation	FSR upscaling	FSR upscaling

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon HD 6790	Radeon 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 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 Vega 8.

Feature	Radeon HD 6790	Radeon 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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Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD 6790 draws 150W versus the Radeon Vega 8's 45W — a 107.7% difference. The Radeon Vega 8 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 450W (Radeon HD 6790) vs 1W (Radeon Vega 8). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs Integrated.

Feature	Radeon HD 6790	Radeon Vega 8
TDP	150W	45W-70%
Recommended PSU	450W	1W-100%
Power Connector	2x 6-pin	Integrated
Length	240mm	—
Height	111mm	—
Slots	2	—
Temp (Load)	80	—
Perf/Watt	10.4	34.9+236%

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Value Analysis

At launch, the Radeon HD 6790 came in at $149, while the Radeon Vega 8 launched at $150. On MSRP, Radeon HD 6790 was 0.7% cheaper ($1 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 10.5 (Radeon HD 6790) vs 10.5 (Radeon Vega 8) — the Radeon Vega 8 offers 0% better value. The newer card here is Radeon Vega 8 (2021 vs 2011).

Feature	Radeon HD 6790	Radeon Vega 8
MSRP	$149	$150
Performance per Dollar	10.5	10.5
Codename	Barts	Cezanne
Release	April 4 2011	April 13 2021
Ranking	#759	#601

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