Radeon Steam Deck 8CU vs Radeon HD 7790
Radeon Steam Deck 8CU
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Radeon HD 7790
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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.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The Radeon Steam Deck 8CU is significantly newer (2023 vs 2013). The Radeon Steam Deck 8CU likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon HD 7790 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon HD 7790 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 3% higher G3D Mark score. This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon Steam Deck 8CU.
| Insight | Radeon Steam Deck 8CU | Radeon HD 7790 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-3%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+3%) |
| Longevity | RDNA 2 (2022−2023) (6nm) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / GCN 2.0 (2013−2017)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+0%) |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
While current pricing data is unavailable, the Radeon HD 7790 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 Steam Deck 8CU and Radeon HD 7790
Radeon Steam Deck 8CU
The Radeon Steam Deck 8CU is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 9 2023. It features the RDNA 2 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1900 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 30W. Manufactured using 6 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,000 points.
Radeon HD 7790
The Radeon HD 7790 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in March 22 2013. It features the GCN 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 1000 MHz. It has 896 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 85W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,090 points. Launch price was $149.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon Steam Deck 8CU scores 3,000 and the Radeon HD 7790 reaches 3,090 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 3% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon Steam Deck 8CU is built on RDNA 2 while the Radeon HD 7790 uses GCN 2.0, both on 6 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 512 (Radeon Steam Deck 8CU) vs 896 (Radeon HD 7790).
| Feature | Radeon Steam Deck 8CU | Radeon HD 7790 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 3,000 | 3,090+3% |
| Architecture | RDNA 2 | GCN 2.0 |
| Process Node | 6 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 512 | 896+75% |
| L1 Cache | 512 KB+129% | 224 KB |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+300% | 0.25 MB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon Steam Deck 8CU | Radeon HD 7790 |
|---|---|---|
| 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)
Both cards feature 2 GB of GDDR5. Bus width: 64-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 1 MB (Radeon Steam Deck 8CU) vs 0.25 MB (Radeon HD 7790) — the Radeon Steam Deck 8CU has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon Steam Deck 8CU | Radeon HD 7790 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 2 GB | 2 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Bus Width | 64-bit | 128-bit+100% |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+300% | 0.25 MB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12_0 (Radeon Steam Deck 8CU) vs 12 (12_0) (Radeon HD 7790). Maximum simultaneous displays: 0 vs 5.
| Feature | Radeon Steam Deck 8CU | Radeon HD 7790 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12_0 | 12 (12_0) |
| Max Displays | 0 | 5 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: VCN 3.0 (Radeon Steam Deck 8CU) vs VCE 2.0 (Radeon HD 7790). Decoder: VCN 3.0 vs UVD 4.2.
| Feature | Radeon Steam Deck 8CU | Radeon HD 7790 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | VCN 3.0 | VCE 2.0 |
| Decoder | VCN 3.0 | UVD 4.2 |
| Codecs | — | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon Steam Deck 8CU draws 30W versus the Radeon HD 7790's 85W — a 95.7% difference. The Radeon Steam Deck 8CU is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon Steam Deck 8CU) vs 400W (Radeon HD 7790). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 1x 6-pin. Card length: 1mm vs 183mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots.
| Feature | Radeon Steam Deck 8CU | Radeon HD 7790 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 30W-65% | 85W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W-13% | 400W |
| Power Connector | PCIe-powered | 1x 6-pin |
| Length | 1mm | 183mm |
| Height | — | 111mm |
| Slots | 0-100% | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | — | 70 |
| Perf/Watt | 100.0+175% | 36.4 |
Value Analysis
The Radeon Steam Deck 8CU launched at $0 MSRP and currently averages $0, while the Radeon HD 7790 launched at $149 and now averages $40. The Radeon Steam Deck 8CU costs 100+% less ($40 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): Infinity (Radeon Steam Deck 8CU) vs 77.3 (Radeon HD 7790) — the Radeon Steam Deck 8CU offers Infinity% better value. The Radeon Steam Deck 8CU is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2013).
| Feature | Radeon Steam Deck 8CU | Radeon HD 7790 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $0-100% | $149 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $0-100% | $40 |
| Performance per Dollar | Infinity | 77.3 |
| Codename | RDNA 2 Sephiroth | Bonaire |
| Release | November 9 2023 | March 22 2013 |
| Ranking | #480 | #579 |
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