Radeon HD 7990 vs GeForce GTX 690

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.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

The Radeon HD 7990 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.5% higher G3D Mark score and 50% more VRAM (3 GB vs 2 GB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the GeForce GTX 690.

Insight	Radeon HD 7990	GeForce GTX 690
Performance	✅Leading raw performance (+0.5%)	❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.5%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / Kepler (2012−2018))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	✅ More VRAM (+50%)	❌ Less VRAM capacity
Efficiency	⚡ Higher Power Consumption	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt
Case Fit	Standard Size (305mm)	Standard Size (279mm)

💎 Value Proposition

The GeForce GTX 690 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the GeForce GTX 690 holds the technical lead. Priced at $45 (vs $999), it costs 95% less, resulting in a 2108% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	Radeon HD 7990	GeForce GTX 690
Cost Efficiency	❌Lower cost efficiency	✅Better overall value (+2108%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($999)	✅More affordable ($45)

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.

Radeon HD 7990 Benchmark Check

GeForce GTX 690 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Radeon HD 7990 and GeForce GTX 690

Radeon HD 7990

The Radeon HD 7990 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: 5,566 points. Launch price was $999.

GeForce GTX 690

The GeForce GTX 690 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 3 2012. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 915 MHz to 1019 MHz. It has 3072 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 300W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,536 points. Launch price was $999.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon HD 7990 scores 5,566 and the GeForce GTX 690 reaches 5,536 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.5% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 7990 is built on GCN 1.0 while the GeForce GTX 690 uses Kepler, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 2,048 (Radeon HD 7990) vs 3,072 (GeForce GTX 690). Raw compute: 4.096 TFLOPS ×2 (Radeon HD 7990) vs 3.13 TFLOPS ×2 (GeForce GTX 690). Boost clocks: 1000 MHz vs 1019 MHz.

Feature	Radeon HD 7990	GeForce GTX 690
G3D Mark Score	5,566	5,536
Architecture	GCN 1.0	Kepler
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	2048 ×2	3072 ×2+50%
Compute (TFLOPS)	4.096 TFLOPS ×2+31%	3.13 TFLOPS ×2
Boost Clock	1000 MHz	1019 MHz+2%
ROPs	32 ×2	32 ×2
TMUs	128 ×2	128 ×2
L1 Cache	512 KB+300%	128 KB
L2 Cache	768 KB+50%	512 KB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon HD 7990	GeForce GTX 690
Upscaling Tech	FSR 1.0 (Software)	FSR 2.1 (Compatible)
Frame Generation	Not Supported	FSR 3 (Compatible)
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	AMD Anti-Lag	Standard

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon HD 7990 comes with 3 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 690 has 2 GB. The Radeon HD 7990 offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 288 GB/s x2 (Radeon HD 7990) vs 192.2 GB/s x2 (GeForce GTX 690) — a 1399.3% advantage for the Radeon HD 7990. Bus width: 384-bit x2 vs 256-bit x2. L2 Cache: 768 KB (Radeon HD 7990) vs 512 KB (GeForce GTX 690) — the Radeon HD 7990 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Radeon HD 7990	GeForce GTX 690
VRAM Capacity	3 GB+50%	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	288 GB/s x2+50%	192.2 GB/s x2
Bus Width	384-bit x2+50%	256-bit x2
L2 Cache	768 KB+50%	512 KB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_1) (Radeon HD 7990) vs 12_0 (GeForce GTX 690). Maximum simultaneous displays: 5 vs 4.

Feature	Radeon HD 7990	GeForce GTX 690
DirectX	12 (11_1)	12_0
Max Displays	5+25%	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: VCE 1.0 (Radeon HD 7990) vs NVENC 1st Gen (GeForce GTX 690). Decoder: UVD 3.2 vs VP5.

Feature	Radeon HD 7990	GeForce GTX 690
Encoder	VCE 1.0	NVENC 1st Gen
Decoder	UVD 3.2	VP5
Codecs	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1	—

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD 7990 draws 375W versus the GeForce GTX 690's 300W — a 22.2% difference. The GeForce GTX 690 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 750W (Radeon HD 7990) vs 650W (GeForce GTX 690). Power connectors: 2x 8-pin vs 2x 8-pin. Card length: 305mm vs 279mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

Feature	Radeon HD 7990	GeForce GTX 690
TDP	375W	300W-20%
Recommended PSU	750W	650W-13%
Power Connector	2x 8-pin	2x 8-pin
Length	305mm	279mm
Height	111mm	—
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	85	—
Perf/Watt	14.8	18.5+25%

💰

Value Analysis

The Radeon HD 7990 launched at $999 MSRP and currently averages $999, while the GeForce GTX 690 launched at $999 and now averages $45. The GeForce GTX 690 costs 95.5% less ($954 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 5.6 (Radeon HD 7990) vs 123.0 (GeForce GTX 690) — the GeForce GTX 690 offers 2096.4% better value. The Radeon HD 7990 is the newer GPU (2013 vs 2012).