Radeon HD 7290 vs Radeon X1950 GT

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 7290 vs Radeon X1950 GT 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 7290 vs Radeon X1950 GT: 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 7290

2013

Why buy it

✅50.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $120 less on MSRP ($20 MSRP vs $140 MSRP).
✅Delivers 639.6% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 5.6 vs 0.8 G3D/$ ($20 MSRP vs $140 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌2013 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Radeon X1950 GT

2022

Why buy it

✅Radeon HD 7290 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon X1950 GT is the less risky modern option long term.
✅More future proof: RDNA 2.0 (2020−2025) on 7nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon HD 7290 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Older hardware, 512 MB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in newer AAA releases.
❌
600% HIGHER MSRP
$140 MSRPvs$20 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.8 vs 5.6 G3D/$ ($140 MSRP vs $20 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon HD 7290 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 50.0% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 5.7% in PassMark G3D (112 vs 106), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

Radeon X1950 GT is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 7nm process instead of 28nm, 80 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2022 generation instead of 2013. That gives it the more rounded hardware package for newer games.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon HD 7290 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $120 cheaper on MSRP at $20 vs $140, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 639.6% (5.6 vs 0.8), so the value case lines up with the gaming result. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon HD 7290 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Radeon X1950 GT has the stronger long-term case.

Radeon HD 7290 vs Radeon X1950 GT Technical Specifications

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

Radeon HD 7290

The Radeon HD 7290 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 24 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 950 MHz to 1000 MHz. It has 2048 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 375W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 112 points. Launch price was $999.

Radeon X1950 GT

The Radeon X1950 GT is manufactured by AMD. It was released in May 10 2022. It features the RDNA 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1925 MHz to 2324 MHz. It has 5120 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 335W. Manufactured using 7 nm process technology. It features 80 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 106 points. Launch price was $1,099.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the Radeon HD 7290 scores 112 versus the Radeon X1950 GT's 106 — the Radeon HD 7290 leads by 5.7%. The Radeon HD 7290 is built on GCN 1.0 while the Radeon X1950 GT uses RDNA 2.0, both on 28 nm vs 7 nm. Shader units: 2,048 (Radeon HD 7290) vs 5,120 (Radeon X1950 GT). Raw compute: 4.096 TFLOPS ×2 (Radeon HD 7290) vs 23.8 TFLOPS (Radeon X1950 GT). Boost clocks: 1000 MHz vs 2324 MHz.

Feature	Radeon HD 7290	Radeon X1950 GT
G3D Mark Score	112+6%	106
Architecture	GCN 1.0	RDNA 2.0
Process Node	28 nm	7 nm
Shading Units	2048 ×2	5120+150%
Compute (TFLOPS)	4.096 TFLOPS ×2	23.8 TFLOPS+481%
Boost Clock	1000 MHz	2324 MHz+132%
ROPs	32 ×2	128+300%
TMUs	128 ×2	320+150%
L1 Cache	0.5 MB	1 MB+100%
L2 Cache	0.75 MB	4 MB+433%
Frame Generation	FSR upscaling	FSR upscaling + RSR

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon HD 7290	Radeon X1950 GT
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)

Both cards ship with 512 MB of GDDR5. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the Radeon HD 7290 and 64-bit on the Radeon X1950 GT. L2 Cache: 0.75 MB (Radeon HD 7290) vs 4 MB (Radeon X1950 GT) — the Radeon X1950 GT has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Radeon HD 7290	Radeon X1950 GT
VRAM Capacity	0.5 GB	0.5 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	128-bit+100%	64-bit
L2 Cache	0.75 MB	4 MB+433%

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD 7290 draws 375W versus the Radeon X1950 GT's 335W — a 11.3% difference. The Radeon X1950 GT is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon HD 7290) vs 350W (Radeon X1950 GT). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered.

Feature	Radeon HD 7290	Radeon X1950 GT
TDP	375W	335W-11%
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	—	230mm
Slots	—	1
Perf/Watt	0.3	0.3

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Radeon HD 7290 came in at $20, while the Radeon X1950 GT launched at $140. On MSRP, Radeon HD 7290 was 85.7% cheaper ($120 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 5.6 (Radeon HD 7290) vs 0.8 (Radeon X1950 GT) — the Radeon HD 7290 offers 600% better value. The newer card here is Radeon X1950 GT (2022 vs 2013).

Feature	Radeon HD 7290	Radeon X1950 GT
MSRP	$20-86%	$140
Performance per Dollar	5.6+600%	0.8
Codename	Malta	Navi 21
Release	April 24 2013	May 10 2022
Ranking	#412	#25

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