Radeon RX Vega 8
VS
Radeon HD 4890

Radeon RX Vega 8 vs Radeon HD 4890

AMD

Radeon RX Vega 8

2018Core: 720 MHzBoost: 1190 MHz
VS
AMD

Radeon HD 4890

2009Core: 850 MHz

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.

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

⚠️ Generational Difference

The Radeon RX Vega 8 is significantly newer (2018 vs 2009). The Radeon RX Vega 8 likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon HD 4890 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.

🚀 Performance Leadership

The Radeon HD 4890 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.4% 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 RX Vega 8.

InsightRadeon RX Vega 8Radeon HD 4890
Performance
Lower raw frame rates (-0.4%)
Leading raw performance (+0.4%)
Longevity
🛑Obsolete Architecture (2018 / GCN 5.0 (2017−2020))
🛑Obsolete Architecture (2009 / TeraScale (2005−2013))
Ecosystem
Supports FSR Upscaling
Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM
❌ Less VRAM capacity
✅ More VRAM (+100+%)
Efficiency
💡 Excellent Perf/Watt
⚡ Higher Power Consumption
Case Fit

💎 Value Proposition

While current pricing data is unavailable, the Radeon HD 4890 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 RX Vega 8 and Radeon HD 4890

AMD

Radeon RX Vega 8

The Radeon RX Vega 8 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in February 1 2018. It features the GCN 5.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 720 MHz to 1190 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 15W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,540 points.

AMD

Radeon HD 4890

The Radeon HD 4890 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 2 2009. It features the TeraScale architecture. The core clock speed is 850 MHz. It has 800 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 190W. Manufactured using 55 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,546 points. Launch price was $249.

Graphics Performance

The Radeon RX Vega 8 scores 1,540 and the Radeon HD 4890 reaches 1,546 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon RX Vega 8 is built on GCN 5.0 while the Radeon HD 4890 uses TeraScale, both on 14 nm vs 55 nm. Shader units: 512 (Radeon RX Vega 8) vs 800 (Radeon HD 4890).

FeatureRadeon RX Vega 8Radeon HD 4890
G3D Mark Score
1,540
1,546
Architecture
GCN 5.0
TeraScale
Process Node
14 nm
55 nm
Shading Units
512
800+56%
ROPs
8
16+100%
TMUs
32
40+25%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureRadeon RX Vega 8Radeon HD 4890
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 RX Vega 8 comes with 0 MB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 4890 has 2 GB. The Radeon HD 4890 offers 100+% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: System vs 64-bit.

FeatureRadeon RX Vega 8Radeon HD 4890
VRAM Capacity
Shared System RAM
2 GB
Memory Type
Shared
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
System
Unknown
Bus Width
System
64-bit
🎬

Media & Encoding

Supported codecs: H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Radeon RX Vega 8) vs H.264 (Radeon HD 4890).

FeatureRadeon RX Vega 8Radeon HD 4890
Encoder
VCN 1.0
Decoder
VCN 1.0
Codecs
H.264,HEVC,VP9
H.264
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon RX Vega 8 draws 15W versus the Radeon HD 4890's 190W — a 170.7% difference. The Radeon RX Vega 8 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 1W (Radeon RX Vega 8) vs 500W (Radeon HD 4890). Power connectors: Integrated vs 2x 6-pin.

FeatureRadeon RX Vega 8Radeon HD 4890
TDP
15W-92%
190W
Recommended PSU
1W-100%
500W
Power Connector
Integrated
2x 6-pin
Temp (Load)
85°C
Perf/Watt
102.7+1168%
8.1
💰

Value Analysis

The Radeon RX Vega 8 launched at $0 MSRP and currently averages $0, while the Radeon HD 4890 launched at $249 and now averages $25. The Radeon RX Vega 8 costs 100+% less ($25 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): Infinity (Radeon RX Vega 8) vs 61.8 (Radeon HD 4890) — the Radeon RX Vega 8 offers Infinity% better value. The Radeon RX Vega 8 is the newer GPU (2018 vs 2009).

FeatureRadeon RX Vega 8Radeon HD 4890
MSRP
$0-100%
$249
Avg Price (30d)
$0-100%
$25
Performance per Dollar
Infinity
61.8
Codename
Vega
RV790
Release
February 1 2018
April 2 2009
Ranking
#372
#762