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AMD Radeon HD 7790 Review | 118 Data compared

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  • Avg. price in UK: ~£130
  • Avg. price in US: ~$150
  • VRAM: 1 GB
  • Memory bus width: 128 bit
  • Thermal Design Power (TDP): 85 W

AMD Radeon HD 7790 review. Compare 118 technical specifications and user reviews to see how it ranks among graphics cards and if it is worth buying.

3.4

Overall score

What it is: An overall evaluation of the graphics card's quality, based on technical analyses and user reviews.

When it matters: When you need a quick reference to identify the best graphics cards on the market.

Score components:

90.0%

3.1

Technical Score

10.0%

7.0

User score

Poor
3.1

Technical Score

What it is: An assessment of the graphics card's technical performance, covering key areas such as gaming and rendering performance, ray tracing, memory configuration, power efficiency, cooling, connectivity, features, and build quality.

When it matters: When you want to compare graphics cards based on technical performance and available features.

Score components:

44.0%

1.4

Performance

24.0%

1.5

Memory

12.0%

7.1

Power & Cooling

11.0%

5.6

Platform & Features

5.0%

7.5

Design

4.0%

5.6

Connectivity & Media

Poor
7.0

User score

What it is: A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the graphics card.

When it matters: When you want to understand how a graphics card performs in real use and how reliable it is in terms of performance, temperatures, noise, stability, and long-term ownership.

Score components:

70.0%

8.2

User reviews

30.0%

4.3

Popularity

User score:
United Kingdom
amazon
3.7
(22)
amazon
4.4
(21)
amazon
5.0
(1)
United States
Amazon_logo.png
3.8
(25)
Amazon_logo.png
5.0
(1)

(Reviews last updated: June 2026)

Very good
  • 3.1
    Gaming

    Score components:

    45.0%

    1.0

    Floating-point performance

    25.0%

    1.0

    VRAM

    20.0%

    ?

    Ray tracing cores / units

    10.0%

    7.6

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 4.1
    Video editing

    Score components:

    35.0%

    7.0

    AV1 encode

    30.0%

    1.0

    VRAM

    20.0%

    1.0

    Floating-point performance

    15.0%

    7.6

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 2.4
    1080p

    Score components:

    55.0%

    1.0

    Floating-point performance

    25.0%

    1.0

    VRAM

    10.0%

    ?

    Ray tracing cores / units

    10.0%

    7.6

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 2.4
    1440p

    Score components:

    50.0%

    1.0

    Floating-point performance

    30.0%

    1.0

    VRAM

    15.0%

    ?

    Ray tracing cores / units

    5.0%

    7.6

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 2.7
    4K

    Score components:

    40.0%

    1.0

    Floating-point performance

    35.0%

    1.0

    VRAM

    20.0%

    ?

    Ray tracing cores / units

    5.0%

    7.6

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

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  • amd-radeon-hd-7790
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Best rankings

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Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).
All: ranking among all products in the database.

Verdict

Released in March 2013, the AMD Radeon HD 7790 is a mid-range graphics card based on the 28nm 'Bonaire' architecture, specifically the Bonaire XT variant with 2.08 billion transistors. It features 896 stream processors, 56 texture units, and 16 ROPs, operating at a reference core clock of 1 GHz and a memory clock of 1.5 GHz (6 Gbps effective). The card typically carries 1 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit interface, delivering a bandwidth of 96 GB/s, and supports DirectX 12 (feature level 12.0) and Vulkan. Its main advantages include high power efficiency with a low 85W TDP requiring only a single 6-pin connector, quiet operation, and strong 1080p performance for its era. However, it is primarily hindered by its limited 1 GB of VRAM, which causes crashes in many modern titles, and it now relies on legacy drivers with no recent official support.

Technical Specifications of AMD Radeon HD 7790

Technical Score

What it is: An assessment of the graphics card's technical performance, covering key areas such as gaming and rendering performance, ray tracing, memory configuration, power efficiency, cooling, connectivity, features, and build quality.

When it matters: When you want to compare graphics cards based on technical performance and available features.

Score components:

44.0%

1.4

Performance

24.0%

1.5

Memory

12.0%

7.1

Power & Cooling

11.0%

5.6

Platform & Features

5.0%

7.5

Design

4.0%

5.6

Connectivity & Media

3.1
AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a technical score of 3.05 points, which is lower than that of 97% of products in this category.
User score

What it is: A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the graphics card.

When it matters: When you want to understand how a graphics card performs in real use and how reliable it is in terms of performance, temperatures, noise, stability, and long-term ownership.

Score components:

70.0%

8.2

User reviews

30.0%

4.3

Popularity

User score:
United Kingdom
amazon
3.7
(22)
amazon
4.4
(21)
amazon
5.0
(1)
United States
Amazon_logo.png
3.8
(25)
Amazon_logo.png
5.0
(1)

(Reviews last updated: June 2026)

7.0
AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a user score of 7.02 points, which is lower than that of 91.3% of products in this category.
Popularity
What it is: An indicator based on the number of reviews received by the graphics card.
When it matters: When you prefer a graphics card that has already been chosen and reviewed by many other users.
4.3
AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a popularity of 4.3 points, which is higher than 59.3% of products in this category.
Ratio quality/price

What it is: An indicator that combines the graphics card's overall rating with its cost.

When it matters: When you are looking for a graphics card that offers a strong balance of performance, features, and price.

Score components:

60.0%

3.4

Overall score

40.0%

9.8

Price

5.4
AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a quality-to-price ratio of 5.4 points, which is lower than 92.1% of products in this category.
3DMark Time Spy benchmark score
What it is: Benchmark result from 3DMark Time Spy, a synthetic DirectX 12 test often used as a quick gaming-performance reference.
When it matters: When you need a fast rough performance sort before digging into game-specific reviews and frame-rate data.

Importance: LOW

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3DMark Port Royal score
What it is: Benchmark result from 3DMark Port Royal, a synthetic test focused on ray tracing performance.
When it matters: When ray tracing matters in the games you actually play and you want one quick way to separate stronger and weaker RT cards.

Importance: LOW

N/A
PassMark (G3D) result
What it is: Overall GPU performance score in PassMark G3D benchmark
When it matters: When you need one broad score to sort cards into rough performance tiers.

Importance: LOW

?
PassMark (DirectCompute) result
What it is: PassMark score for DirectCompute performance tests
When it matters: When compute workloads matter alongside gaming performance.

Importance: LOW

1,560 points
AMD Radeon HD 7790 scores 1560 points in PassMark DirectCompute, which is lower than 81.2% of graphics cards.
Floating-point performance
What it is: Theoretical floating-point compute performance of the GPU.
When it matters: When rendering, AI, or heavy compute work needs strong single-precision throughput.

Importance: LOW

1.792 TFLOPS
AMD Radeon HD 7790 delivers 1.792 TFLOPS floating-point performance, which is lower than that of 97.3% of graphics cards and equal to that of 0.1% of graphics cards.
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VRAM
What it is: Total video memory available on the graphics card
When it matters: When you play at high settings, use texture mods, or work with large creative projects.

Importance: HIGH

1 GB
AMD Radeon HD 7790 has 1 GB of VRAM, which is less than 98.5% of graphics cards and equal to 1.5% of graphics cards.
Memory type
What it is: Type of graphics memory used (GDDR6, HBM2e, etc.)
When it matters: When memory technology is part of the buying decision because it affects bandwidth class, power use, and product positioning.

Importance: LOW

GDDR5
GDDR version
What it is: Generation of GDDR memory used by the graphics card.
When it matters: When you want to separate older memory generations from newer ones before comparing bandwidth, power behavior, and market tier.

Importance: LOW

GDDR5
AMD Radeon HD 7790 uses GDDR5 memory, which is older than on 85% of graphics cards and equal to 13.2% of graphics cards.
Memory bus width
What it is: Width of the memory interface bus in bits
When it matters: When you care about steadier performance at higher resolutions, heavier texture settings, or ray-traced workloads that stress memory traffic.

Importance: HIGH

128 bit
AMD Radeon HD 7790 uses a 128 bit memory bus, which is narrower than that of 69.8% of graphics cards and equal to that of 26.1% of graphics cards.
Maximum memory bandwidth
What it is: Maximum data transfer rate between GPU and its memory
When it matters: When 4K gaming, ray tracing, or creator work can choke a slower memory subsystem.

Importance: HIGH

96 GB/s
AMD Radeon HD 7790 reaches 96 GB/s memory bandwidth, which is lower than that of 96.5% of graphics cards and equal to that of 0.3% of graphics cards.
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PCI Express (PCIe) version
What it is: Version of PCI Express interface supported
When it matters: When you are pairing the card with an older motherboard and want to avoid leaving bandwidth or future compatibility on the table.

Importance: LOW

3.0
AMD Radeon HD 7790 supports PCIe 3.0, which is older than on 77.6% of graphics cards and equal to 20.3% of graphics cards.
PCIe lanes
What it is: Number of PCI Express lanes used for communication
When it matters: When limited lane width could bottleneck the card in some systems.

Importance: LOW

x16
AMD Radeon HD 7790 uses x16 PCIe lanes, which is more than 31.5% of graphics cards and equal to 68.6% of graphics cards.
DirectX version
What it is: Highest supported DirectX API version
When it matters: When you play newer Windows games that depend on the latest graphics features.

Importance: LOW

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Vulkan version
What it is: Highest supported Vulkan API version
When it matters: When modern games, emulators, or creative apps lean on Vulkan support.

Importance: LOW

1.2
AMD Radeon HD 7790 supports Vulkan 1.2, which is older than on 96% of graphics cards and equal to 2.5% of graphics cards.
OpenGL version
What it is: Highest supported OpenGL API version
When it matters: When older games or pro apps still depend on OpenGL compatibility.

Importance: LOW

?
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Max displays supported
What it is: Total number of external displays supported simultaneously
When it matters: When you run a multi-monitor desk for sim racing, trading, or editing.

Importance: LOW

3
AMD Radeon HD 7790 supports up to 3 displays, which is fewer than 92.3% of graphics cards and equal to 5.8% of graphics cards.
Max digital resolution
What it is: Maximum supported digital display resolution
When it matters: When you plan to drive 4K or 8K panels at their native resolution.

Importance: LOW

4096x2160
AMD Radeon HD 7790 supports a maximum digital resolution of 4096x2160, which is lower than that of 56.4% of graphics cards and equal to that of 2.4% of graphics cards.
DisplayPort outputs
What it is: Number of DisplayPort video outputs
When it matters: When your setup needs several high-refresh monitors without adapters.

Importance: LOW

?
DisplayPort version
What it is: Version of DisplayPort standard supported
When it matters: When your monitor setup depends on newer DisplayPort features for higher refresh rates, higher resolution, or better cable flexibility.

Importance: LOW

1.2
AMD Radeon HD 7790 supports DisplayPort 1.2, which is older than on 93.6% of graphics cards and equal to 4.8% of graphics cards.
DisplayPort link rates
What it is: Supported data link rates for DisplayPort connections
When it matters: When you are pushing high resolution and refresh rate over DisplayPort.

Importance: LOW

?
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Thermal Design Power (TDP)
What it is: Typical power consumption under full load (TDP)
When it matters: When you need a realistic idea of power draw before choosing a PSU or case.

Importance: MEDIUM

85 W
AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a TDP of 85 W, which is lower than that of 90.4% of graphics cards and equal to that of 0.1% of graphics cards.
Power consumption while under peak load
What it is: Peak power draw of the graphics card under maximum load.
When it matters: When transient-heavy gaming loads could stress your power supply.

Importance: LOW

85 W
AMD Radeon HD 7790 draws 85 W under peak load, which is lower than 90.5% of graphics cards and equal to 0.2% of graphics cards.
Recommended PSU wattage
What it is: Recommended wattage of the system power supply
When it matters: When you are checking whether your current power supply is enough.

Importance: LOW

500 W
AMD Radeon HD 7790 recommends a 500 W PSU, which is lower than that of 76.2% of graphics cards and equal to that of 9.6% of graphics cards.
Board power limit
What it is: Maximum configurable power limit for the GPU board
When it matters: When you care about how far the card can be pushed through tuning or factory power settings.

Importance: LOW

102 W
AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a board power limit of 102 W, which is lower than that of 90.1% of graphics cards.
PCIe power spec
What it is: PCIe power delivery specification followed
When it matters: When you are checking whether the slot and external cables match the card's intended power-delivery standard.

Importance: LOW

85 W
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Size
What it is: Physical size of the GPU card
When it matters: When you need the card to fit a compact case without blocking nearby hardware.

Importance: LOW

?
Length
What it is: Physical length of the GPU card
When it matters: When front radiators or drive cages leave only limited GPU clearance.

Importance: LOW

183 mm
AMD Radeon HD 7790 is 183 mm long, which is shorter than 93.1% of graphics cards and equal in length to 0.1% of graphics cards.
Height
What it is: Physical height of the GPU card
When it matters: When side panels, brackets, or tight case layouts reduce vertical clearance.

Importance: LOW

?
Slot width
What it is: Number of PCIe slots occupied by the card
When it matters: When you need room for another PCIe card or better airflow under the GPU.

Importance: LOW

2 slot/s
AMD Radeon HD 7790 occupies 2 slot/s, which is slimmer than 49.2% of graphics cards and equal in width to 47.3% of graphics cards.
Weight
What it is: Total weight of the graphics card
When it matters: When sag, bracket support, or shipping stress matters in your build.

Importance: LOW

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AMD Radeon HD 7790 vs the average graphics card

  • 60.5% lower TDP
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a lower TDP than the average graphics card (85 W vs 215 W). The average graphics card has a TDP of 215 W.
    What it is: Typical power consumption under full load (TDP)
    When it matters: When you need a realistic idea of power draw before choosing a PSU or case.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a lower TDP than the average graphics card (85 W vs 215 W). The average graphics card has a TDP of 215 W.85 W vs 215 W
  • 102.37 mm shorter card length
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 is shorter than the average graphics card (183 mm vs 285.37 mm). The average graphics card has a length of 285.37 mm.
    What it is: Physical length of the GPU card
    When it matters: When front radiators or drive cages leave only limited GPU clearance.

    Importance: LOW

    AMD Radeon HD 7790 is shorter than the average graphics card (183 mm vs 285.37 mm). The average graphics card has a length of 285.37 mm.183 mm vs 285.37 mm
  • 8x larger L2 cache
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has more L2 cache than the average graphics card (256 MB vs 32 MB). The average graphics card has 32 MB L2 cache.
    What it is: Total size of the GPU’s L2 cache memory
    When it matters: When cache size can help the GPU feed data faster in demanding scenes.

    Importance: LOW

    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has more L2 cache than the average graphics card (256 MB vs 32 MB). The average graphics card has 32 MB L2 cache.256 MB vs 32 MB
  • 23.1% lower PSU requirement
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a lower PSU requirement than the average graphics card (500 W vs 650 W). The average graphics card has a PSU requirement of 650 W.
    What it is: Recommended wattage of the system power supply
    When it matters: When you are checking whether your current power supply is enough.

    Importance: LOW

    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a lower PSU requirement than the average graphics card (500 W vs 650 W). The average graphics card has a PSU requirement of 650 W.500 W vs 650 W
  • 53.6% lower board power limit
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a lower board power limit than the average graphics card (102 W vs 220 W). The average graphics card has a board power limit of 220 W.
    What it is: Maximum configurable power limit for the GPU board
    When it matters: When you care about how far the card can be pushed through tuning or factory power settings.

    Importance: LOW

    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a lower board power limit than the average graphics card (102 W vs 220 W). The average graphics card has a board power limit of 220 W.102 W vs 220 W
  • 2 more DVI outputs
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has more DVI outputs than the average graphics card (2 vs 0). The average graphics card has 0 DVI outputs.
    What it is: Number of DVI display outputs available
    When it matters: When you still use an older monitor that depends on DVI.

    Importance: LOW

    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has more DVI outputs than the average graphics card (2 vs 0). The average graphics card has 0 DVI outputs.2 vs 0
  • 4.08x cheaper
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 is cheaper than the average graphics card (£130 vs £530).
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 is cheaper than the average graphics card (£130 vs £530).£130 vs £530
  • Better FP64 ratio
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a better FP64 ratio than the average graphics card (1:16 vs 1:64).
    What it is: Ratio of double-precision (FP64) to single-precision (FP32) performance
    When it matters: When you need to know whether FP64 is merely present or genuinely useful.

    Importance: LOW

    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a better FP64 ratio than the average graphics card (1:16 vs 1:64).1:16 vs 1:64
  • Better FP64 ratio
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a better FP64 ratio than the average graphics card (1:16 vs 1:64).
  • 8x larger L2 cache
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has more L2 cache than the average graphics card (256 MB vs 32 MB). The average graphics card has 32 MB L2 cache.
  • Supports multi-GPU linking
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 supports multi-GPU linking, the average graphics card does not.
  • Supports NVLink
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 supports NVLink, the average graphics card does not.
  • 47.4% smaller GPU die
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a lower GPU die size than the average graphics card (160 mm² vs 304.25 mm²). The average graphics card has a GPU die size of 304.25 mm².
  • 2 more DVI outputs
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has more DVI outputs than the average graphics card (2 vs 0). The average graphics card has 0 DVI outputs.
  • 60.5% lower TDP
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a lower TDP than the average graphics card (85 W vs 215 W). The average graphics card has a TDP of 215 W.
  • 23.1% lower PSU requirement
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a lower PSU requirement than the average graphics card (500 W vs 650 W). The average graphics card has a PSU requirement of 650 W.
  • 53.6% lower board power limit
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a lower board power limit than the average graphics card (102 W vs 220 W). The average graphics card has a board power limit of 220 W.
  • 72.7% lower idle power draw
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a lower idle power draw than the average graphics card (3 W vs 11 W). The average graphics card has an idle power draw of 11 W.
  • 61.4% lower peak power draw
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a lower peak power draw than the average graphics card (85 W vs 220 W). The average graphics card has a peak power draw of 220 W.
  • 102.37 mm shorter card length
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 is shorter than the average graphics card (183 mm vs 285.37 mm). The average graphics card has a length of 285.37 mm.

Total
Overall
Performance
Memory
Platform & Features
Connectivity & Media
Power & Cooling
Design
  • 26 fewer compute units
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has fewer compute units than the average graphics card (14 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 compute units.
  • 47.9% lower base clock speed
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a lower base GPU clock than the average graphics card (1,000 MHz vs 1,920 MHz). The average graphics card has a base GPU clock of 1,920 MHz.
  • 128 fewer TMUs
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has fewer TMUs than the average graphics card (56 vs 184). The average graphics card has 184 TMUs.
  • 85.1% lower texture rate
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a lower texture rate than the average graphics card (56 GTexel/s vs 376.8 GTexel/s). The average graphics card has a texture rate of 376.8 GTexel/s.
  • 90.3% lower pixel rate
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a lower pixel rate than the average graphics card (16 GPixel/s vs 165.2 GPixel/s). The average graphics card has a pixel rate of 165.2 GPixel/s.
  • 48 fewer ROPs
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has fewer ROPs than the average graphics card (16 vs 64). The average graphics card has 64 ROPs.
  • 92.2% lower FP32 performance
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a lower FP32 performance than the average graphics card (1.8 TFLOPS vs 22.86 TFLOPS). The average graphics card has FP32 performance of 22.86 TFLOPS.
  • 92.2% lower compute throughput
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a lower compute throughput than the average graphics card (1.8 TFLOPS vs 23.105 TFLOPS). The average graphics card has compute throughput of 23.105 TFLOPS.
  • 3,456 fewer FP32 units
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has fewer FP32 units than the average graphics card (896 vs 4,352). The average graphics card has 4,352 FP32 units.
  • 67.1% lower compute score
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a lower compute score than the average graphics card (1,560 points vs 4,745 points). The average graphics card has a compute score of 4,745 points.
  • 75.9% lower FP64 performance
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a lower FP64 performance than the average graphics card (0.1 TFLOPS vs 0.4651 TFLOPS). The average graphics card has FP64 performance of 0.4651 TFLOPS.
  • 128 bit narrower memory bus
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a narrower memory bus than the average graphics card (128 bit vs 256 bit). The average graphics card has a memory bus width of 256 bit.
  • 11 GB less VRAM
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has fewer VRAM than the average graphics card (1 GB vs 12 GB). The average graphics card has 12 GB VRAM.
  • 78.6% lower memory bandwidth
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a lower memory bandwidth than the average graphics card (96 GB/s vs 448 GB/s). The average graphics card has a memory bandwidth of 448 GB/s.
  • 68.4% slower memory speed
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a lower effective memory speed than the average graphics card (6,000 MHz vs 19,000 MHz). The average graphics card reaches an effective memory speed of 19,000 MHz.
  • 87.5% smaller L1 cache
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has fewer L1 cache than the average graphics card (16 vs 128). The average graphics card has 128 L1 cache.
  • 14.3% slower VRAM clock
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a lower VRAM clock than the average graphics card (1,500 MHz vs 1,750 MHz). The average graphics card runs its VRAM at 1,750 MHz.
  • 5.6x larger process node
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a higher process node than the average graphics card (28 nm vs 5 nm). The average graphics card uses a process node of 5 nm.
  • No ray tracing
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 does not support ray tracing, the average graphics card does.
  • 10 older
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 was released earlier than the average graphics card (2,013 vs 2,023).
  • Older PCIe version
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 supports an older PCIe version than the average graphics card (3 vs 4.0).
  • No XeSS support
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 does not support XeSS, the average graphics card does.
  • No mesh shaders
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 does not support mesh shaders, the average graphics card does.
  • Older Vulkan version
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 supports an older Vulkan version than the average graphics card (1.2 vs 1.4).
  • No DirectStorage support
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 does not support DirectStorage, the average graphics card does.
  • Older encoder generation
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 uses an older encoder generation than the average graphics card (2 vs 8). The average graphics card uses encoder generation 8.
  • Older OpenCL version
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 supports an older OpenCL version than the average graphics card (1.2 vs 3.0).
  • No sampler feedback
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 does not support sampler feedback, the average graphics card does.
  • 90.5% fewer transistors
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has fewer transistors than the average graphics card (2,080 million vs 21,900 million). The average graphics card has 21,900 million transistors.
  • No AV1 encoding
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 does not support AV1 encoding, the average graphics card does.
  • 1 fewer displays supported
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 supports fewer displays than the average graphics card (3 vs 4). The average graphics card supports 4 displays.
  • No AV1 decoding
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 does not support AV1 decoding, the average graphics card does.
  • No DSC support
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 does not support DSC, the average graphics card does.
  • Older HDMI version
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 supports an older HDMI version than the average graphics card (1.4a vs 2.1).
  • Older DisplayPort version
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 supports an older DisplayPort version than the average graphics card (1.2 vs 1.4a).
  • Older HDCP version
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 supports an older HDCP version than the average graphics card (1.4 vs 2.3).
  • Not VR ready
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 is not VR ready, while the average graphics card is.
  • 1 fewer monitors per output type
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 supports fewer monitors per output type than the average graphics card (3 vs 4). The average graphics card supports 4 monitors per output type.
  • Lower display resolution
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 supports a lower maximum digital resolution than the average graphics card (4096x2160 vs 7680x4320). The average graphics card supports a maximum digital resolution of 7680x4320.
  • 2 fewer fans
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has fewer fans than the average graphics card (1 vs 3).
  • No fan stop
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 does not support fan stop, the average graphics card does.
  • 17 °C lower thermal ceiling
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a lower thermal ceiling than the average graphics card (110 °C vs 93 °C). The average graphics card has a thermal ceiling of 93 °C.
  • 4 dB noisier under load
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a higher load noise level than the average graphics card (39 dB vs 35 dB). The average graphics card has a load noise level of 35 dB.
  • No backplate
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 does not include a backplate, the average graphics card does.
  • 128 bit narrower memory bus
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a narrower memory bus than the average graphics card (128 bit vs 256 bit). The average graphics card has a memory bus width of 256 bit.
    What it is: Width of the memory interface bus in bits
    When it matters: When you care about steadier performance at higher resolutions, heavier texture settings, or ray-traced workloads that stress memory traffic.

    Importance: HIGH

    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a narrower memory bus than the average graphics card (128 bit vs 256 bit). The average graphics card has a memory bus width of 256 bit.128 bit vs 256 bit
  • 5.6x larger process node
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a higher process node than the average graphics card (28 nm vs 5 nm). The average graphics card uses a process node of 5 nm.
    What it is: Size of the manufacturing process in nanometers
    When it matters: When process node differences may affect power, heat, and overall efficiency.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a higher process node than the average graphics card (28 nm vs 5 nm). The average graphics card uses a process node of 5 nm.28 nm vs 5 nm
  • 11 GB less VRAM
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has fewer VRAM than the average graphics card (1 GB vs 12 GB). The average graphics card has 12 GB VRAM.
    What it is: Total video memory available on the graphics card
    When it matters: When you play at high settings, use texture mods, or work with large creative projects.

    Importance: HIGH

    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has fewer VRAM than the average graphics card (1 GB vs 12 GB). The average graphics card has 12 GB VRAM.1 GB vs 12 GB
  • 2 fewer fans
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has fewer fans than the average graphics card (1 vs 3).
    What it is: Total number of cooling fans
    When it matters: When you compare cooler designs and want one more clue about thermal potential.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has fewer fans than the average graphics card (1 vs 3).1 vs 3
  • 26 fewer compute units
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has fewer compute units than the average graphics card (14 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 compute units.
    What it is: Total number of shader multiprocessors or compute units
    When it matters: When you want a better sense of the GPU's overall parallel hardware resources before relying on game benchmarks alone.

    Importance: HIGH

    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has fewer compute units than the average graphics card (14 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 compute units.14 vs 40
  • 47.9% lower base clock speed
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a lower base GPU clock than the average graphics card (1,000 MHz vs 1,920 MHz). The average graphics card has a base GPU clock of 1,920 MHz.
    What it is: Base operating frequency of the GPU core under standard conditions
    When it matters: When you want to understand the card's guaranteed starting frequency instead of looking only at optimistic boost figures.

    Importance: HIGH

    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a lower base GPU clock than the average graphics card (1,000 MHz vs 1,920 MHz). The average graphics card has a base GPU clock of 1,920 MHz.1000 MHz vs 1920 MHz
  • 128 fewer TMUs
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has fewer TMUs than the average graphics card (56 vs 184). The average graphics card has 184 TMUs.
    What it is: Total count of texture mapping units on the GPU
    When it matters: When texture-heavy gaming performance matters and you want extra hardware context behind texture-rate claims.

    Importance: HIGH

    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has fewer TMUs than the average graphics card (56 vs 184). The average graphics card has 184 TMUs.56 vs 184
  • 85.1% lower texture rate
    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a lower texture rate than the average graphics card (56 GTexel/s vs 376.8 GTexel/s). The average graphics card has a texture rate of 376.8 GTexel/s.
    What it is: Number of textured pixels the GPU can process per second
    When it matters: When fast texture handling matters in high-refresh gaming workloads.

    Importance: HIGH

    AMD Radeon HD 7790 has a lower texture rate than the average graphics card (56 GTexel/s vs 376.8 GTexel/s). The average graphics card has a texture rate of 376.8 GTexel/s.56 GTexel/s vs 376.8 GTexel/s
Total
Overall
Performance
Memory
Platform & Features
Connectivity & Media
Power & Cooling
Design

Graphic comparison of AMD Radeon HD 7790 and

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Third-party reviews

United Kingdom
amazon
3.7
22 Reviews
amazon
4.4
21 Reviews
amazon
5.0
1 Reviews
United States
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3.8
25 Reviews
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5.0
1 Reviews

(Reviews last updated: June 2026)

What customers like about AMD Radeon HD 7790?

  • Excellent performance-per-dollar value in the entry-level to mid-range segment
  • Highly power-efficient with low TDP (85W) and low idle power consumption
  • Strong performance in DirectX 11 games compared to its direct competitor, the GTX 650 Ti
  • Supports modern features for its era, including DirectX 12 and Eyefinity multi-display setups
  • Quiet and effective cooling solutions provided by most board partners (e.g., Sapphire Dual-X)
  • Significant performance leap over the lower-tier Radeon HD 7770

What customers dislike about AMD Radeon HD 7790?

  • Limited 1GB VRAM buffer is a bottleneck for newer titles and high-resolution textures
  • Narrow 128-bit memory bus limits total bandwidth to 96GB/s
  • Known stuttering issues in certain games, notably Far Cry 3
  • Poor performance in OpenGL benchmarks and applications compared to DirectX results
  • Driver support has reached 'legacy' status, meaning no further updates for modern operating systems like Windows 11
  • Often outclassed in pure value by the slightly more expensive Radeon HD 7850 which offered 2GB VRAM

Expert reviews

L
legitreviews.com
21/03/2013
AMD Radeon HD 7790 Video Card Review w/ Gigabyte & Sapphire - Legit Reviews

The AMD Radeon HD 7790 launches as a $149 mid-range desktop graphics card designed to fill the performance and pricing gap between the Radeon HD 7770 GHz Edition and the Radeon HD 7850. Powered by the new 28nm "Bonaire" GPU architecture, the reference card features 896 stream processors, 1.79 TFLOPS of compute power, and a 128-bit memory bus providing roughly 96 GB/s of bandwidth....Read more

T
techpowerup.com
21/03/2013
Sapphire HD 7790 Dual-X 1 GB Review - TechPowerUp

The TechPowerUp review of the Sapphire HD 7790 Dual-X highlights a power-efficient budget card featuring a 1075 MHz core overclock, excellent 1080p performance, and a cool-running, quiet Dual-X cooler that keeps temperatures around 60°C. Key advantages include its high energy efficiency during gaming, bundled BioShock Infinite voucher, and a modest price premium, though it is...Read more

G
guru3d.com
22/03/2013
Radeon HD 7790 review - Guru 3d

The ⁠Guru3D Radeon HD 7790 Review highlights AMD's 2013 entry-level graphics card designed to bring affordable, full high-definition (1080p) gaming to budget-conscious users. Built on a 28nm fabrication process and featuring the revised GCN (Graphics Core Next) "Bonaire" architecture, the card boasts 2.08 billion transistors and 896 stream processors. The primary pros identified in...Read more

T
techspot.com
22/03/2013
AMD Radeon HD 7790 Review - TechSpot

The TechSpot review of the $150 AMD Radeon HD 7790 highlights its position as a 28nm "Bonaire" based card designed to bridge the gap between the HD 7770 and HD 7850. Offering solid performance, it outperforms the Nvidia GTX 650 Ti in titles like Hitman Absolution and Sleeping Dogs while maintaining efficient power consumption, making it a viable option for budget gamers. However,...Read more

I
impulsegamer.com
03/04/2013
Gigabyte AMD Radeon HD 7790 Review - www.impulsegamer.com -

Summary The Gigabyte AMD Radeon HD 7790 is a budget-friendly, entry-level gaming graphics card that offers excellent value for budget-conscious gamers. Built on a 28nm Graphics Core Next (GCN) architecture, it features a core speed factory-overclocked to 1075MHz, 1GB of GDDR5 RAM, and a 128-bit memory interface. The card includes unique "Triangle Cool" technology with a 100mm...Read more

A
au.pcmag.com
22/03/2013
Asus Direct CU II Radeon HD 7790 Review - PCMag

The Asus Direct CU II Radeon HD 7790 is a budget-friendly graphics card powered by AMD's Bonaire GPU, engineered to bridge the performance gap between the HD 7770 and HD 7850 families. Built on Graphics Core Next architecture, this model features a factory-overclocked 1,075MHz core clock and a 128-bit memory interface enhanced to an effective 6.4GHz data rate, delivering 96GBps of...Read more

H
hardwarecanucks.com
22/03/2013
AMD Radeon HD 7790 Review - Hardware Canucks

The Hardware Canucks review of the AMD Radeon HD 7790 highlights it as a highly efficient bridge solution designed to close a gaping price and performance gap between the $119 HD 7770 GHz Edition and the $199 HD 7850 2GB. Priced at $149, it targets the 1080p resolution sweet spot and directly challenges NVIDIA’s entrenched GTX 650 Ti. Powered by the new 28nm "Bonaire" ASIC core, the...Read more

D
digitalfoundry.net
10/05/2013
Radeon HD 7790 review | Digital Foundry

The AMD Radeon HD 7790 is a budget-conscious graphics card based on the 28nm Bonaire XT chipset, featuring version 1.1 of the Graphics Core Next (GCN) architecture. It represents a notable step up from the older HD 7770 by upgrading to a dual primitive processor per clock, which significantly enhances its compute and tessellation capabilities. Equipped with a 1GHz core clock, 1GB of...Read more

T
techpowerup.com
21/03/2013
AMD Radeon HD 7790 CrossFire Review - TechPowerUp

The TechPowerUp review of AMD Radeon HD 7790 CrossFire reveals that while dual-GPU scaling can provide an 80% performance increase in optimized titles, the setup often suffers from inconsistent performance scaling across popular games. While offering a flexible, affordable upgrade path for current owners, the total cost of two cards competes with faster, more reliable single-GPU...Read more

P
pcmag.com
22/03/2013
Asus Direct CU II Radeon HD 7790 Review - PCMag HotHardware

The Asus Direct CU II Radeon HD 7790 is a $149, budget-friendly GPU featuring a dual-fan cooler that offers significant performance gains (26%–40%) over the HD 7770, particularly at 1,680-by-1,050 resolution. The card boasts excellent overclocking capabilities, with core speeds reaching 1200MHz+ without voltage modification, while keeping noise and temperatures low. Despite its...Read more

M
m.hexus.net
22/03/2013
Review: Sapphire AMD Radeon HD 7790 - Graphics - HEXUS.net

The Sapphire AMD Radeon HD 7790 Dual-X OC graphics card is a mid-range GPU designed to fill the large price and performance gap between the entry-level HD 7750 and the more powerful HD 7850. Priced initially from £120, it is built on a specialized die engineered to balance cost, power consumption, and gaming performance. In benchmark testing, the card delivers solid 1080p resolution...Read more

U
uk.pcmag.com
22/03/2013
Asus Direct CU II Radeon HD 7790 - Review 2013 - PCMag UK

The Asus Direct CU II Radeon HD 7790 is a mainstream, budget-friendly graphics card built on AMD’s 28nm "Bonaire" GPU architecture, designed to fill the performance and price gap between the HD 7770 and HD 7850. Priced at a $149 baseline, it delivers a massive 40% upgrade in stream processors and texture units over the older HD 7770, alongside a faster 1500MHz memory clock that...Read more

H
hothardware.com
22/03/2013
AMD Radeon HD 7790: Affordable DX11 Gaming | HotHardware

The HotHardware AMD Radeon HD 7790 review evaluates the mid-range GPU designed to bridge the product gap between the budget-friendly Radeon HD 7770 and the higher-tier HD 7850. Built on the 28nm "Bonaire XT" architecture with 2.08 billion transistors and 896 stream processors, the card marks a substantial step forward for mainstream DirectX 11 gaming. The evaluation highlights...Read more

P
pcper.com
22/03/2013
AMD Radeon HD 7790 Review - Sea Islands and Bonaire ...

The PC Perspective review of the AMD Radeon HD 7790 examines the "soft launch" of the first desktop channel GPU utilizing the "Sea Islands" architecture and the "Bonaire" ASIC. Tested via a factory-overclocked Sapphire Dual-X variant, the card slots neatly into the sub-$200 budget market with a reference MSRP of $159 ($169 for the Sapphire OC model), targeting a long-standing hole...Read more

T
techpowerup.com
21/03/2013
AMD Radeon HD 7790 CrossFire Review - Value & Conclusion

The TechPowerUp review of the AMD Radeon HD 7790 CrossFire configuration highlights significant performance gains of up to 80% in select titles, offering a cost-effective, incremental upgrade path for budget users. However, the setup is heavily undermined by poor multi-GPU scaling across major titles and severe stability issues, including total failures in specific scenarios....Read more

G
gamestar.de
17/03/2013
AMD Radeon HD 7790 - Erste Benchmarks eines Modells von Sapphire im Web

The GameStar review highlights the AMD Radeon HD 7790 as a highly competitive, mid-range graphics card based on the 28 nm Bonaire architecture, designed for efficient 1080p gaming, with key pros including a 130 to 150 Euro price point and low 85-watt TDP. The card effectively outperforms the Nvidia GTX 650 Ti, delivering strong value, though it operates on a limited 1 GB GDDR5 VRAM...Read more

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