Radeon HD 8790M vs Radeon Vega 6

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 8790M vs Radeon Vega 6 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 8790M vs Radeon Vega 6: 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 8790M

2013

Why buy it

✅100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (2 GB vs Unknown).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon Vega 6 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2013 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Radeon Vega 6

2021

Why buy it

✅52.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Radeon HD 8790M is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon Vega 6 is the less risky modern option long term.
✅More future proof: GCN 5.1 (2018−2022) on 7nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 2 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.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon Vega 6 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 52.0% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 0.2% in PassMark G3D (1,309 vs 1,306), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

Radeon Vega 6 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 7nm process instead of 28nm and a newer 2021 generation instead of 2013. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon Vega 6 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

Radeon HD 8790M vs Radeon Vega 6 Technical Specifications

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

Radeon HD 8790M

The Radeon HD 8790M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 1 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 850 MHz to 900 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,306 points.

Radeon Vega 6

The Radeon Vega 6 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: 1,309 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon HD 8790M scores 1,306 and the Radeon Vega 6 reaches 1,309 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 8790M is built on GCN 1.0 while the Radeon Vega 6 uses GCN 5.1, both on 28 nm vs 7 nm. Shader units: 384 (Radeon HD 8790M) vs 448 (Radeon Vega 6). Raw compute: 0.6912 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 8790M) vs 1.702 TFLOPS (Radeon Vega 6). Boost clocks: 900 MHz vs 1900 MHz.

Feature	Radeon HD 8790M	Radeon Vega 6
G3D Mark Score	1,306	1,309
Architecture	GCN 1.0	GCN 5.1
Process Node	28 nm	7 nm
Shading Units	384	448+17%
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.6912 TFLOPS	1.702 TFLOPS+146%
Boost Clock	900 MHz	1900 MHz+111%
ROPs	8	8
TMUs	24	28+17%
Frame Generation	FSR upscaling	FSR upscaling

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon HD 8790M	Radeon Vega 6
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

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon HD 8790M has 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon Vega 6 carries 0 MB. Radeon HD 8790M gives you 100+% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is System on the Radeon HD 8790M and System on the Radeon Vega 6.

Feature	Radeon HD 8790M	Radeon Vega 6
VRAM Capacity	2 GB	Shared System RAM
Memory Type	Shared	Shared
Memory Bandwidth	System	System
Bus Width	System	System

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD 8790M draws 50W versus the Radeon Vega 6's 45W — a 10.5% difference. The Radeon Vega 6 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon HD 8790M) vs 1W (Radeon Vega 6). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs Integrated.

Feature	Radeon HD 8790M	Radeon Vega 6
TDP	50W	45W-10%
Recommended PSU	350W	1W-100%
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	Integrated
Length	0mm	—
Height	0mm	—
Slots	0	—
Temp (Load)	75	—
Perf/Watt	26.1	29.1+11%

💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is Radeon Vega 6 (2021 vs 2013).

Feature	Radeon HD 8790M	Radeon Vega 6
MSRP	—	$0
Codename	Mars	Cezanne
Release	April 1 2013	April 13 2021
Ranking	#797	#601

Search Radeon HD 8790M on Amazon

Search Radeon Vega 6 on Amazon

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.