Radeon HD 6790
GPU·Budget

Radeon HD 6790

AMD

G3D Mark

1,567

MSRP

$149

AVG Price

$149

April 4 2011
150 Watt
TeraScale 2 (2009−2015)

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.

Overview

The Radeon HD 6790 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 4 2011. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 840 MHz. It has 800 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,567 points. Launch price was $149.

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.

Technical Analysis

Detailed breakdown of Radeon HD 6790 specifications and capabilities.

Graphics Performance

The Radeon HD 6790 scores 1,567 in the G3D Mark benchmark (the standard measure of rasterization GPU performance), placing it in the Entry Level tier as a Legacy generation graphics card. It is built on the TeraScale 2 (2009−2015) architecture (codename: Barts), manufactured on a 40 nm process— smaller process nodes improve power efficiency and transistor density. It packs 800 shader units (the primary compute units for rendering pixels), 40 TMUs (texture mapping units), and 16 ROPs (render output units that handle final pixel output). Raw FP32 compute power: 1.344 TFLOPS — this measures the theoretical peak floating-point performance.

SpecificationRadeon HD 6790
G3D MarkPassMark 3D graphics benchmark score1,567
ArchitectureGPU microarchitecture generationTeraScale 2 (2009−2015)
CodenameInternal GPU die codenameBarts
Manufacturing ProcessFabrication node — smaller = more efficient40 nm
Shader UnitsCore compute units for rendering/compute800
TMUsTexture Mapping Units — handle texture sampling40
ROPsRender Output Units — final pixel/color blending16
Base ClockGuaranteed minimum GPU frequency840 MHz
Compute (FP32)Peak single-precision floating-point performance1.344 TFLOPS
Texture Fill RateTextures processed per second33.60 GTexel/s
PCIe InterfaceCPU↔GPU data link generationPCIe 2.1 x16
Transistor Count1,700 million
Performance RankPosition in global GPU performance ranking#759
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Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon HD 6790 is equipped with 1 GB of GDDR5 video memory connected via a 128-bit memory bus, delivering Unknown of bandwidth. Memory operates at 8 Gbps effective speed.

SpecificationRadeon HD 6790
VRAM SizeVideo memory capacity — more = better for high-res textures1 GB
VRAM TypeMemory technology generationGDDR5
Memory BusWidth of data path — wider = more bandwidth128-bit
Memory SpeedEffective memory data rate8 Gbps
BandwidthMaximum data throughput between GPU and VRAMUnknown
L1 Cache160 kB
L2 Cache512 kB

Advanced Features & APIs

The Radeon HD 6790 supports modern upscaling and frame generation technologies: FidelityFX Super Resolution — these can dramatically boost effective FPS by generating intermediate frames or upscaling from lower internal resolution. Graphics API support: DirectX 11.2 (11_0), Vulkan N/A, OpenGL 4.4— latest API versions enable the most advanced rendering features like ray tracing and mesh shaders.

SpecificationRadeon HD 6790
FSR Frame Generation❌ Not Supported
AMD Fluid Motion Frames❌ Not Supported
FidelityFX Super Resolution✅ Supported
DirectXMicrosoft graphics API version11.2 (11_0)
OpenGLLegacy graphics API4.4
Compute APIGPGPU framework (CUDA/ROCm/OpenCL)OpenCL 1.2
Multi-GPUSLI/CrossFire/NVLink supportCrossFire
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Display & Media

Display outputs: DVIx 0, HDMI 1.4ax 1, DisplayPortx 2 — supports up to 3 simultaneous displays. Hardware encoder: None, decoder: UVD 3.0— dedicated hardware for video encoding/decoding accelerates streaming, recording, and video playback. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4.

SpecificationRadeon HD 6790
0 PortsNumber of 0 display connectorsDVIx
1 PortsNumber of 1 display connectorsHDMI 1.4ax
2 PortsNumber of 2 display connectorsDisplayPortx
Max DisplaysMaximum simultaneously connected monitors3
Hardware EncoderVideo encoding engine versionNone
Hardware DecoderVideo decoding engine versionUVD 3.0
CodecsSupported video compression formatsH.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4
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Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD 6790 draws 150 Watt under load (TDP) — a 450W PSU minimum is recommended. Power connector: 2x 6-pin. Physical size: 240mm long, 111mm tall, occupying 2 expansion slots, weighing 700g— verify your case has clearance before purchasing. Typical temperatures: 45 at idle, 80 under load.

SpecificationRadeon HD 6790
TDPPower consumption under load150 Watt
Recommended PSUMinimum power supply wattage450W
Power ConnectorRequired PCIe power cable type2x 6-pin
Card LengthGPU card length — check case clearance240mm
Card Height111mm
Slot WidthExpansion slots occupied2-slot
Weight700g
Idle TemperatureTypical temperature at desktop idle45
Load TemperatureTypical temperature under gaming load80
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Value Analysis

At an average price of $149, the Radeon HD 6790 delivers 11 G3D Mark points per dollar. Overall performance ranking position: #759 among all indexed GPUs.

SpecificationRadeon HD 6790
MSRPManufacturer's Suggested Retail Price$149
Avg Price (30d)Average market price over the last 30 days$149
Performance RankPosition in global GPU performance ranking#759
Release DateApril 4 2011
Release Year2011

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