AMD Radeon HD 7790 vs AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT Comparison

# AMD Radeon HD 7790 vs AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT

The AMD Radeon HD 7790 and AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT represent two very different eras of AMD graphics architecture, separated by six years of GPU evolution. The HD 7790, built on the GCN 2.0 architecture with a 28 nm process, was a mid-range offering in the Southern Islands generation, while the RX 5700 XT, based on RDNA 1.0 with a 7 nm process, targeted the high-end segment of the Navi generation. Benchmark data shows a stark performance gap, with the RX 5700 XT winning the only shared benchmark by a massive 76.3% margin in the Geekbench Metal test (74647 vs 17666). This comparison reveals not just generational improvement, but fundamental architectural shifts in how AMD designs GPUs for compute and graphics workloads.

Where Each One Wins

The performance landscape between these two cards is heavily one-sided in the available benchmark data. The RX 5700 XT wins the sole head-to-head benchmark—Geekbench Metal—with a score of 74647, which is 76.3% ahead of the HD 7790's 17666. This is not a marginal victory but a dominant one, reflecting the massive architectural and technological leap between 2013 and 2019.

The HD 7790's strength lies not in raw performance but in its efficiency profile and historical context. With a TDP of 85 W compared to the RX 5700 XT's 225 W, the HD 7790 delivers its modest performance at a fraction of the power draw. Its compact 183 mm length and single 6-pin power connector make it suitable for smaller builds, whereas the RX 5700 XT requires a 272 mm length, dual-slot design, and both a 6-pin and 8-pin connector. For workloads that don't demand modern GPU features, the HD 7790's lower power requirements and simpler installation could be preferable, though benchmark results clearly favor the RX 5700 XT in every measurable performance metric.

The RX 5700 XT also wins on API support, featuring DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.4, while the HD 7790 offers DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.2.170. This matters for modern game compatibility and future-proofing, even though both cards are end-of-life products. The RX 5700 XT's PCIe 4.0 x16 interface provides double the bandwidth potential of the HD 7790's PCIe 3.0 x16, though real-world benefits depend on the system configuration.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two GPUs is profound. The HD 7790 uses the Bonaire chip built on GCN 2.0 architecture, fabricated on TSMC's 28 nm process. It packs 2,080 million transistors into a 160 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 13.0M per mm². The RX 5700 XT, in contrast, uses the Navi 10 chip with RDNA 1.0 architecture, built on TSMC's 7 nm process. This newer node allows AMD to integrate 10,300 million transistors into a 251 mm² die, achieving a density of 41.0M per mm²—more than three times the HD 7790's density.

Memory configurations also differ substantially. The HD 7790 features 1024 MB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 96.00 GB/s of bandwidth. The RX 5700 XT offers 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 448.0 GB/s—4.7 times the bandwidth. This memory advantage is critical for high-resolution textures and compute workloads that demand rapid data movement.

Compute resources scale accordingly. The HD 7790 has 896 shading units, 56 texture mapping units, and 16 ROPs. The RX 5700 XT more than doubles these numbers with 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. Pixel rate jumps from 16.00 GPixel/s to 121.9 GPixel/s, and texture rate from 56.00 GTexel/s to 304.8 GTexel/s. FP32 performance rises from 1.792 TFLOPS to 9.754 TFLOPS, a 5.4x increase. The RX 5700 XT also supports FP16 compute at 19.51 TFLOPS (2:1), a capability the HD 7790 lacks entirely.

Clock speeds reflect both architectural improvements and process advantages. The HD 7790 operates at 1500 MHz memory clock (6 Gbps effective), while the RX 5700 XT runs at 1605 MHz base, 1755 MHz game, and 1905 MHz boost clocks, with memory at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective). The RX 5700 XT's higher clocks, combined with its larger compute resource pool, explain its overwhelming benchmark advantage.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison available is Geekbench Metal, and it tells a decisive story. The RX 5700 XT scores 74647, while the HD 7790 manages just 17666. The deltaPct of -76.3 indicates the HD 7790 is 76.3% behind the RX 5700 XT in this test.

This benchmark result is particularly telling because Metal is Apple's graphics API, which tends to favor architectures with strong compute-to-render balance. The RX 5700 XT's RDNA 1.0 architecture was designed with improved wavefront scheduling and reduced latency compared to GCN, which likely contributes to its Metal performance. The 4.2x score difference far exceeds the 5.4x FP32 theoretical difference, suggesting that architectural efficiency gains in RDNA 1.0 amplify the raw compute advantage.

The RX 5700 XT's broader benchmark portfolio, while not directly comparable to the HD 7790, provides context for its capabilities. In Passmark G3D, it scores 16277, with DirectX 9 at 226, DirectX 10 at 97, DirectX 11 at 116, and DirectX 12 at 64. Geekbench OpenCL shows 9524, while Vulkan reaches 68310. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test yields 2134. These varied results indicate the RX 5700 XT's versatility across different APIs and workload types, though older DirectX versions show lower relative performance due to architectural optimizations favoring modern APIs.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has better overall performance based on benchmark data?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT wins the only shared benchmark (Geekbench Metal) with a score of 74647, which is 76.3% higher than the HD 7790's 17666. The RX 5700 XT also has significantly higher theoretical compute (9.754 TFLOPS vs 1.792 TFLOPS FP32).

Q: How do their memory configurations compare?

A: The HD 7790 has 1024 MB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus with 96.00 GB/s bandwidth. The RX 5700 XT has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus with 448.0 GB/s bandwidth, representing a 4.7x bandwidth advantage.

Q: What are the power requirements for each card?

A: The HD 7790 has a TDP of 85 W and requires a 250 W PSU with a single 6-pin connector. The RX 5700 XT has a TDP of 225 W, requires a 550 W PSU, and uses both a 6-pin and 8-pin power connector.

Q: Which card supports newer graphics APIs?

A: The RX 5700 XT supports DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.4, while the HD 7790 supports DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.2.170. Both support OpenGL 4.6.

Q: How does the transistor density compare between the two architectures?

A: The HD 7790's 28 nm process yields 13.0M transistors per mm², while the RX 5700 XT's 7 nm process achieves 41.0M per mm²—a density more than three times higher.

Q: What are the physical dimensions of each card?

A: The HD 7790 is 183 mm (7.2 inches) long, while the RX 5700 XT is 272 mm (10.7 inches) long, 111 mm (4.4 inches) high, and 36 mm (1.4 inches) wide. Both are dual-slot cards.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ across nearly every specification category. The RX 5700 XT uses a newer chip (Navi 10 vs Bonaire), architecture (RDNA 1.0 vs GCN 2.0), and generation (Navi RX 5000 vs Southern Islands HD 7700). The process node shrinks from 28 nm to 7 nm, while transistor count rises from 2,080 million to 10,300 million and die size increases from 160 mm² to 251 mm². Transistor density jumps from 13.0M to 41.0M per mm².

Clock specifications show the RX 5700 XT has base (1605 MHz), game (1755 MHz), and boost (1905 MHz) clocks, while the HD 7790 lists only memory clock (1500 MHz, 6 Gbps effective). Memory differs in size (1024 MB vs 8 GB), type (GDDR5 vs GDDR6), bus width (128-bit vs 256-bit), and bandwidth (96.00 GB/s vs 448.0 GB/s).

Compute resources scale dramatically: shading units (896 vs 2560), TMUs (56 vs 160), and ROPs (16 vs 64). Pixel rate rises from 16.00 to 121.9 GPixel/s, texture rate from 56.00 to 304.8 GTexel/s, and FP32 from 1.792 to 9.754 TFLOPS. The RX 5700 XT adds FP16 capability at 19.51 TFLOPS (2:1), which the HD 7790 lacks.

Power and connectivity also differ: TDP (85 W vs 225 W), PSU recommendation (250 W vs 550 W), and power connectors (1x 6-pin vs 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin). The bus interface advances from PCIe 3.0 x16 to PCIe 4.0 x16. Display outputs change from 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, and 2x mini-DisplayPort 1.2 to 1x HDMI 2.0b and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a. DirectX support moves from 12 (12_0) to 12 (12_1), and Vulkan from 1.2.170 to 1.4.

Physical dimensions differ, with the RX 5700 XT being considerably longer (272 mm vs 183 mm) and having recorded height and width specifications (111 mm and 36 mm) that the HD 7790 lacks. Release dates are March 2013 and July 2019 respectively, with launch MSRPs of 149 USD and 399 USD.

The Verdict

The data overwhelmingly favors the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT for anyone seeking performance. Its 76.3% lead in Geekbench Metal, combined with 5.4x higher FP32 throughput, 4.7x more memory bandwidth, and 8x more VRAM, makes it the clear choice for compute-heavy workloads, modern gaming, and any application that can leverage its architectural advantages. The RX 5700 XT's support for DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.4 also ensures broader compatibility with contemporary software.

The HD 7790's case rests on efficiency and simplicity. Its 85 W TDP and single 6-pin connector make it far easier to power, and its compact 183 mm length fits in smaller chassis. For legacy systems, basic display output, or workloads that don't benefit from the RX 5700 XT's massive compute resources, the HD 7790 remains functional—but its 1024 MB VRAM and 96.00 GB/s bandwidth will bottleneck any demanding task.

The benchmark data suggests these cards serve entirely different markets. The HD 7790, at its 149 USD launch MSRP, was an entry-level option for 2013-era gaming. The RX 5700 XT, at 399 USD launch MSRP, targeted enthusiasts in 2019. The 76.3% performance gap in Geekbench Metal, alongside the 4.7x bandwidth difference and 5.4x FP32 advantage, demonstrates how far GPU technology advanced in six years. Users requiring modern API support, high-resolution textures, or compute performance should choose the RX 5700 XT without hesitation. Users prioritizing minimal power draw and physical footprint, where performance is secondary, might still find the HD 7790 adequate—but the data makes clear that this is a choice for efficiency, not capability.