Radeon R9 270 vs Radeon HD 7990

Full comparison of specs, performance and benchmarks

Aggregate performance score

We've compared R9 270 and HD 7990 across specs and all relevant benchmarks.

HD 7990 outperforms R9 270 by ~9% on the catalog index; this is not a measured FPS gain.+9%

Scores are normalized on the Head to Head scale. Higher is better. How is this calculated?

H2HBench Data Quality

Low confidence
Specifications: Field verification not recordedVerified gaming results: 0Estimated / unverified results: 32Price record updated: Sep 6, 2026

Limited verified data

H2HBench Verdict

Higher catalog score: Radeon R9 270 (~14%)

The score difference is not a measured FPS improvement.

Reasons to consider R9 270

  • Lower stated power consumption
  • Lower recorded market price
  • Recorded feature support: OpenCL 2.1 · Not supported

Reasons to consider HD 7990

  • Higher catalog performance index
  • More graphics memory
  • Recorded feature support: OpenCL 1.2 · Not supported
Low confidence

Catalog metrics radar

Axes with missing data are hidden; every value uses a fixed scale.

H2H
Performance
Efficiency
Price / performance
Memory capacity
Performance
3437
Efficiency
7633
Price / performance
100100
Memory capacity
5660
Missing values are never replaced with zero or an average.Model: H2H 2026.07 fixed scale.

Graphics card ranking

Full ranking →

The ranking is recalculated automatically from catalog data.

Positions 196–201of 321
R9 270not in TOP100position in the GPU ranking
HD 7990not in TOP100position in the GPU ranking

Which should you choose?

Two practical conclusions based on community votes and gaming value.

COMMUNITY CHOICE

Radeon HD 7990

118 likes

Head to Head visitors currently choose this model more often.

Overview

Scores are calculated from specifications, performance, and efficiency.

CategoryR9 270HD 7990
GamesDirectX, OpenCL, and Vulkan performance
34
37Better
Professional applications3D modeling, video editing, and rendering
31
33Better
AI and machine learningMachine-learning and AI capabilities
28
31Better
Power efficiencyPower consumption across workloads
76Better
33
Head to Head scoreOverall catalog score
49Better
43

Specifications

The better numeric value is highlighted in green, taking the metric direction into account.

SpecificationR9 270HD 7990
Device class
Max monitors
Max resolution
USB Type-C
Recommended PSU
Length
Thickness
DirectX
Vulkan
OpenGL
TFLOPSBetter
Power consumptionBetter
Memory type
Power connector
Release date
ArchitectureBetter
Compute API
Launch priceBetter
Shader units / coresBetter
Clock speedBetter
Base clockBetter
Boost clockBetter
VRAMBetter
Memory frequencyBetter
Memory busBetter
Memory bandwidthBetter
Interface
Power consumptionBetter
Process node
Die sizeBetter
Memory cache
Transistor countBetter
DisplayPort
HDMI
Upscaling

Gaming FPS

Available results are shown separately; missing data is not treated as zero.

The Gaming FPS section compares R9 270 and HD 7990 across curated H2H Lab game presets. The useful signal is not only average FPS, but also how each device behaves at 1440p and 4K, how memory capacity and bus width affect heavy textures, and whether the game engine favors raster performance, ray tracing, or driver maturity.

R9 270HD 7990
Verified externalEstimatedSources ↗
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

1080p High
172 FPS
180 FPS
1080p Ultra
118 FPS
127 FPS
1440p Ultra
64 FPS
83 FPS
4K Ultra
23 FPS
26 FPS
Game1080p High1080p Ultra1440p Ultra4K Ultra
Counter-Strike 2R9 270172 FPSHD 7990180 FPSR9 270118 FPSHD 7990127 FPSR9 27064 FPSHD 799083 FPSR9 27023 FPSHD 799026 FPS
Cyberpunk 2077R9 270111 FPSHD 7990116 FPSR9 27093 FPSHD 7990100 FPSR9 27046 FPSHD 799060 FPSR9 27016 FPSHD 799018 FPS
Forza Horizon 5R9 270140 FPSHD 7990147 FPSR9 27088 FPSHD 799095 FPSR9 27058 FPSHD 799075 FPSR9 27034 FPSHD 799039 FPS
Hogwarts LegacyR9 27091 FPSHD 799095 FPSR9 27074 FPSHD 799079 FPSR9 27041 FPSHD 799054 FPSR9 27016 FPSHD 799018 FPS
Average FPSR9 270129 FPSHD 7990135 FPSR9 27093 FPSHD 7990100 FPSR9 27052 FPSHD 799068 FPSR9 27022 FPSHD 799025 FPS

H2H workload indices

Comparable internal indices on a fixed 0–100 scale.

IndexR9 270HD 7990Difference
H2H Raster IndexH2H Index / 10034378%
H2H Compute IndexH2H Index / 10037408%
H2H Rendering IndexH2H Index / 100404410%
H2H Memory Workload IndexH2H Index / 10056607%
H2H Efficiency IndexH2H Index / 100763379%

These are versioned H2H calculated indices derived from normalized catalog data. They are not results from a third-party benchmark.

H2H AI workload indices

Estimated workload profiles based on available performance and memory data.

IndexR9 270HD 7990Difference
H2H Image Generation IndexH2H Index / 10044489%
H2H ML Training IndexH2H Index / 10043467%
H2H Inference IndexH2H Index / 100404410%
H2H Local LLM IndexH2H Index / 10046508%
H2H Computer Vision IndexH2H Index / 100404410%

These are versioned H2H calculated indices derived from normalized catalog data. They are not results from a third-party benchmark.

Graphics APIs, SDKs and upscaling

SpecificationsR9 270HD 7990
DirectX12.011.1
Vulkan1.21.2
OpenGL4.64.6
UpscalingNot supportedNot supported
Compute APIOpenCL 2.1OpenCL 1.2

Architecture and release

SpecificationsR9 270HD 7990
ArchitectureGCN 2.0BetterGCN 1.0
Process node28 nm28 nm
Release date20132013
Device classDesktopDesktop

GPU cores, die and clocks

SpecificationsR9 270HD 7990
Transistor count2080 million4313 millionBetter
Die size160 mm²Better365 mm²
Shader units / cores7682048Better
Base clock925 MHz950 MHzBetter
Boost clock975 MHz1000 MHzBetter

Board size, power and compatibility

SpecificationsR9 270HD 7990
InterfacePCIe 3x16PCIe 3x16
LengthVaries by board304 mm
ThicknessVaries by boardDual-slot
Recommended PSUVaries by board750 W
Power connector6 pin8+8 pin

Display outputs and limits

SpecificationsR9 270HD 7990
HDMIBoard dependentBoard dependent
DisplayPortBoard dependentmini-DisplayPort 1.2
USB Type-CNoNo
Max monitorsVaries by board5
Max resolutionVaries by board4096 × 2160

Memory and compute throughput

SpecificationsR9 270HD 7990
VRAM2 GB GDDR56 GB GDDR5Better
Memory typeGDDR5GDDR5
Memory bus256 bit384x2 bitBetter
TFLOPS1.5364.096Better

Other comparisons

0

Reviews and questions

Explain this comparison

Beyond percentages: causes, relevant specifications, and practical impact behind every chart.

Device AR9 27049
Device BHD 799043
What AI will explain

Overall score, radar, FPS, synthetic tests, specifications, efficiency, and value.

Evidence details

Data coverage

Verified gaming results
0
Verified synthetic results
0
Games with verified results
0
Verified community results
0
Estimated / unverified results
32
Specifications
0 / 70

Specification record updated:

Benchmarks updated:

Price record updated:

Comparison reviewed:

Calculated scores · How is this calculated?

Scores use the catalog model and may include estimated inputs. Open each score to see its origin and the methodology.

clamp(round(performance × 0.7 + (efficiency ?? 50) × 0.2 + (value is missing ? 0 : (value − 50) × 0.2)), 0, 100)
Price evidence · View sources (5)

Verified community results

No verified community benchmarks yet.

Reviewed by

No individual editorial review is recorded for this comparison.

Comparison history

Show recorded changes (4)
  1. · Record updated: products
  2. · Record updated: products
  3. · Record updated: products
  4. · Record updated: products

Why you can trust this comparison

Origin and confidence are evaluated from the evidence attached to each value. Unverified results are identified, and specification, benchmark and price dates remain separate.

Report incorrect data

Owner experiences

Real builds, results, and community feedback.

Moderator reviewedHelpful to the communityExpert badges

Frequently asked comparison questions

Short recommendations based on performance, memory, power consumption, and intended use.

01Which is better for gaming: R9 270 or HD 7990?

R9 270 has the higher overall gaming score, while R9 270 offers the better price-to-performance ratio. The final choice depends on resolution and settings.

02Which is better for streaming?

R9 270 is the stronger streaming choice thanks to performance, hardware encoding, and application support. Check AV1, H.264, and HEVC support before buying.

03Which is better for Blender?

R9 270 is generally the better option for Blender and GPU rendering. Rendering-engine support and available VRAM also matter.

04Which is better for video editing?

R9 270 offers more overall performance, while R9 270 offers more memory headroom. Codecs, hardware encoders, and editor optimization can change the result.

05Which is better for neural networks and AI?

R9 270 is the more practical option for local AI workloads. VRAM capacity, compute libraries, and framework compatibility are especially important.

06Which is better for 1080p?

R9 270 is the most rational 1080p choice, where high frame rates and cost per frame matter most.

07Which is better for 1440p?

R9 270 leads in combined 1440p performance. R9 270 can be preferable for heavy textures and games with high VRAM usage.

08Which is better for 4K?

R9 270 is preferable for 4K, where total performance, memory bandwidth, and VRAM capacity have the greatest impact.

09Which is better for a quiet PC?

R9 270 is easier to use in a quiet build because of its lower estimated power and thermal load. Actual noise depends on the specific cooler.

10Which is better without replacing the power supply?

R9 270 is the safer candidate because its stated power consumption is lower. Verify PSU wattage, age, and power connectors.

11Is it worth upgrading from the previous generation?

Consider upgrading to R9 270 if your current device no longer delivers the required FPS, memory capacity, or feature support. A gain below 15–20% is usually worth waiting for a price cut.