Radeon HD 8790M vs Tesla M2070

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 Tesla M2070 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 Tesla M2070: 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

✅300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (2 GB vs 512 MB).
✅Draws 50W instead of 225W, a 175W reduction.
✅More future proof: GCN 1.0 (2012−2020) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌2013 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 0.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $3,099 MSRP).

Tesla M2070

2011

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 0.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($3,099 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 2 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2011 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌350% higher power demand at 225W vs 50W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon HD 8790M is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 0.1% in PassMark G3D (1,306 vs 1,305), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.

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

Radeon HD 8790M is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 2 GB vs 512 MB of VRAM, the newer upscaling stack, FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, a 28nm process instead of 40nm, and a newer 2013 generation instead of 2011. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Tesla M2070 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Tesla M2070 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Radeon HD 8790M has the stronger long-term case.

Radeon HD 8790M vs Tesla M2070 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.

Tesla M2070

The Tesla M2070 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in July 25 2011. It features the Fermi architecture. The core clock speed is 574 MHz. It has 448 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 225W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,305 points. Launch price was $3,099.

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Graphics Performance

The Radeon HD 8790M scores 1,306 and the Tesla M2070 reaches 1,305 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 8790M is built on GCN 1.0 while the Tesla M2070 uses Fermi, both on 28 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 384 (Radeon HD 8790M) vs 448 (Tesla M2070). Raw compute: 0.6912 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 8790M) vs 1.03 TFLOPS (Tesla M2070).

Feature	Radeon HD 8790M	Tesla M2070
G3D Mark Score	1,306	1,305
Architecture	GCN 1.0	Fermi
Process Node	28 nm	40 nm
Shading Units	384	448+17%
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.6912 TFLOPS	1.03 TFLOPS+49%
ROPs	8	48+500%
TMUs	24	56+133%
L1 Cache	96 KB	896 KB+833%
L2 Cache	256 KB	768 KB+200%

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon HD 8790M	Tesla M2070
Upscaling Tech	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	AMD Anti-Lag	Standard

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon HD 8790M has 2 GB of VRAM, while the Tesla M2070 carries 512 MB. Radeon HD 8790M gives you 300% 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 64-bit on the Tesla M2070. L2 Cache: 256 KB (Radeon HD 8790M) vs 768 KB (Tesla M2070) — the Tesla M2070 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Radeon HD 8790M	Tesla M2070
VRAM Capacity	2 GB+300%	0.5 GB
Memory Type	Shared	GDDR5
Bus Width	System	64-bit
L2 Cache	256 KB	768 KB+200%

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD 8790M draws 50W versus the Tesla M2070's 225W — a 127.3% difference. The Radeon HD 8790M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon HD 8790M) vs 350W (Tesla M2070). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered.

Feature	Radeon HD 8790M	Tesla M2070
TDP	50W-78%	225W
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	0mm	—
Height	0mm	—
Slots	0	—
Temp (Load)	75	—
Perf/Watt	26.1+350%	5.8

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Value Analysis

The newer card here is Radeon HD 8790M (2013 vs 2011).

Feature	Radeon HD 8790M	Tesla M2070
MSRP	—	$3099
Codename	Mars	GF100
Release	April 1 2013	July 25 2011
Ranking	#797	#698

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