GeForce RTX 3060 Ti vs Radeon HD 4290
GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
Popular choices:
Radeon HD 4290
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.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
Performance Per Dollar Radeon HD 4290
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is significantly newer (2020 vs 2009). The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon HD 4290 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 14305.7% higher G3D Mark score and 1500% more VRAM (8 GB vs 512 MB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon HD 4290.
| Insight | GeForce RTX 3060 Ti | Radeon HD 4290 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+14305.7%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-14305.7%) |
| Longevity | 🔮Strong Longevity (Ampere (2020−2025) / 8nm) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2009 / TeraScale (2005−2013)) |
| Ecosystem | ✨ DLSS 2 Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | 🎮 High Capacity (8 GB) | ❌ Less VRAM capacity |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Although it costs $280 (vs $10), its significant performance lead justifies the premium, offering 414.5% better value per dollar than the Radeon HD 4290.
| Insight | GeForce RTX 3060 Ti | Radeon HD 4290 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+414.5%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($280) | ✅More affordable ($10) |
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 GeForce RTX 3060 Ti and Radeon HD 4290
GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in December 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1410 MHz to 1665 MHz. It has 4864 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 38 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 20,312 points. Launch price was $399.
Radeon HD 4290
The Radeon HD 4290 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: 141 points. Launch price was $249.
Graphics Performance
In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti scores 20,312 versus the Radeon HD 4290's 141 — the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti leads by 14305.7%. The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is built on Ampere while the Radeon HD 4290 uses TeraScale, both on 8 nm vs 55 nm. Shader units: 4,864 (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 800 (Radeon HD 4290). Raw compute: 16.2 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 1.36 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 4290).
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 Ti | Radeon HD 4290 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 20,312+14306% | 141 |
| Architecture | Ampere | TeraScale |
| Process Node | 8 nm | 55 nm |
| Shading Units | 4864+508% | 800 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 16.2 TFLOPS+1091% | 1.36 TFLOPS |
| ROPs | 80+400% | 16 |
| TMUs | 152+280% | 40 |
| L1 Cache | 4.8 MB+2900% | 0.16 MB |
| L2 Cache | 4 MB+1500% | 0.25 MB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Radeon HD 4290 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 Ti | Radeon HD 4290 |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | DLSS 2.0 | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| Frame Generation | FSR 3 / AFMF (Compatible) | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | NVIDIA Reflex | AMD Anti-Lag |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 4290 has 512 MB. The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti offers 1500% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 256-bit vs 64-bit. L2 Cache: 4 MB (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 0.25 MB (Radeon HD 4290) — the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 Ti | Radeon HD 4290 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 8 GB+1500% | 0.5 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 448 GB/s | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 256-bit+300% | 64-bit |
| L2 Cache | 4 MB+1500% | 0.25 MB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (12_2) (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 10.1 (Radeon HD 4290). Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 2.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 Ti | Radeon HD 4290 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 Ultimate (12_2)+19% | 10.1 |
| Max Displays | 4+100% | 2 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: NVENC (Ampere) (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs UVD 2 (Radeon HD 4290). Decoder: NVDEC (Ampere) vs UVD 2.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 Ti | Radeon HD 4290 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | NVENC (Ampere) | UVD 2 |
| Decoder | NVDEC (Ampere) | UVD 2 |
| Codecs | H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1 | — |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti draws 200W versus the Radeon HD 4290's 190W — a 5.1% difference. The Radeon HD 4290 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 600W (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 350W (Radeon HD 4290). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 1x 6-pin. Card length: 242mm vs 1mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 Ti | Radeon HD 4290 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 200W | 190W-5% |
| Recommended PSU | 600W | 350W-42% |
| Power Connector | 8-pin | 1x 6-pin |
| Length | 242mm | 1mm |
| Height | 112mm | — |
| Slots | 2 | 0-100% |
| Temp (Load) | 75 | — |
| Perf/Watt | 101.6+14414% | 0.7 |
Value Analysis
The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti launched at $399 MSRP and currently averages $280, while the Radeon HD 4290 launched at $60 and now averages $10. The Radeon HD 4290 costs 96.4% less ($270 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 72.5 (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 14.1 (Radeon HD 4290) — the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti offers 414.2% better value. The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the newer GPU (2020 vs 2009).
| Feature | GeForce RTX 3060 Ti | Radeon HD 4290 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $399 | $60-85% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $280 | $10-96% |
| Performance per Dollar | 72.5+414% | 14.1 |
| Codename | GA104 | RV790 |
| Release | December 1 2020 | April 2 2009 |
| Ranking | #73 | #762 |
Top Performing GPUs
The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
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