CPU
GPU
Radeon HD 8790M
Popular choices:
Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3450U
Popular choices:
Performance Spectrum - GPU
About G3D Mark
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. The Radeon HD 8790M is positioned at rank 207 and the Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3450U is on rank 387, so the Radeon HD 8790M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Radeon HD 8790M
Performance Per Dollar Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3450U
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3450U is significantly newer (2020 vs 2013). The Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3450U likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon HD 8790M lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon HD 8790M is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.2% higher G3D Mark score and 100+% more VRAM (2 GB vs 0 MB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3450U.
| Insight | Radeon HD 8790M | Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3450U |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.2%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.2%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) | Vega (2017−2020) (7nm) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ✅ More VRAM (+100+%) | ❌ Less VRAM capacity |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | — | — |
💎 Value Proposition
While current pricing data is unavailable, the Radeon HD 8790M remains the clear technical winner. Check real-time availability to determine if the performance gap justifies the market price.
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Radeon HD 8790M and Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3450U
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 8 Ryzen 5 3450U
The Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3450U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 7 2020. It features the Vega architecture. The boost clock speed is 2100 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 15W. Manufactured using 7 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,304 points.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 8790M scores 1,306 and the Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3450U reaches 1,304 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 8 Ryzen 5 3450U uses Vega, both on 28 nm vs 7 nm. Shader units: 384 (Radeon HD 8790M) vs 512 (Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3450U). Boost clocks: 900 MHz vs 2100 MHz.
| Feature | Radeon HD 8790M | Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3450U |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 1,306 | 1,304 |
| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | Vega |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 7 nm |
| Shading Units | 384 | 512+33% |
| Boost Clock | 900 MHz | 2100 MHz+133% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 8790M | Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3450U |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 1.0 (Software) | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| 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 comes with 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3450U has 0 MB. The Radeon HD 8790M offers 100+% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: System vs System.
| Feature | Radeon HD 8790M | Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3450U |
|---|---|---|
| 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 8 Ryzen 5 3450U's 15W — a 107.7% difference. The Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3450U is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon HD 8790M) vs 1W (Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3450U). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs Integrated.
| Feature | Radeon HD 8790M | Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3450U |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 50W | 15W-70% |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 1W-100% |
| Power Connector | 1x 6-pin | Integrated |
| Length | 0mm | — |
| Height | 0mm | — |
| Slots | 0 | — |
| Temp (Load) | 75 | — |
| Perf/Watt | 26.1 | 86.9+233% |
Value Analysis
The Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3450U is the newer GPU (2020 vs 2013).
| Feature | Radeon HD 8790M | Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3450U |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | — | $150 |
| Avg Price (30d) | — | $40 |
| Codename | Mars | Vega |
| Release | April 1 2013 | January 7 2020 |
| Ranking | #797 | #545 |
Top Performing GPUs
The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
You May Also Compare
Similar GPU comparisons based on Radeon HD 8790M and Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3450U
