AMD Radeon HD 6490M

Launched in early 2011 on a 40 nm TSMC process, the AMD Radeon HD 6490M is an end-of-life mobile graphics solution built on the TeraScale 2 architecture. It packs 370 million transistors into a 67 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 5.5M per mm². The GPU operates with 160 shading units, 8 texture mapping units, and 4 ROPs, with a memory clock of 800 MHz (3.2 Gbps effective). Its performance profile places it at the 50th percentile among all GPUs in the database, though no direct rival comparisons are available in the data.

Benchmark Performance

The AMD Radeon HD 6490M’s benchmark data indicates a mid-pack standing, with a percentile rank of 50 against all GPUs tracked in the database. This places it squarely in the median tier of graphics hardware, neither a standout performer nor a laggard. The average benchmark score for this GPU is recorded as 0, which reflects an absence of standardized test results in the dataset rather than an indication of zero actual performance. In practical terms, the compute capabilities are defined by a peak FP32 throughput of 256.0 GFLOPS, a figure that positions it as a modest entry-level mobile part for its generation.

The pixel rate of 3.200 GPixel/s and texture rate of 6.400 GTexel/s further contextualize its raw throughput. These numbers suggest the GPU can handle basic 3D rendering tasks and older game titles at lower resolutions, but they also reveal the hardware’s limitations when confronted with modern workloads. The absence of nearestRivals data means the analysis cannot derive exact percentage deltas against competing products, but the 50th percentile ranking implies that roughly half of all GPUs in the database outperform it while the other half fall behind. This balanced position indicates a product designed for mainstream laptop integration rather than enthusiast-class performance.

Clock speeds for the GPU core are not specified in the data, leaving the shading unit count of 160 as the primary reference for compute potential. The memory clock of 800 MHz, translating to 3.2 Gbps effective, is paired with a modest bus configuration, which we will examine in the next section. The FP32 output of 256.0 GFLOPS, when interpreted alongside the 40 nm manufacturing process, suggests the chip was optimized for power efficiency over raw speed—a common trade-off for mobile graphics during this era. The data does not include any rival scores, so all performance assessment must rely on the internal consistency of these metrics: the pixel rate, texture rate, and FP32 figure collectively sketch a GPU that delivers basic 3D acceleration without breaking new ground.

Memory Subsystem

The memory configuration of the AMD Radeon HD 6490M consists of 512 MB of GDDR5 VRAM, connected via a 64-bit bus. This yields a memory bandwidth of 25.60 GB/s, a figure that directly constrains performance at higher resolutions and with larger texture sets. The effective memory speed of 3.2 Gbps, derived from the 800 MHz memory clock, is characteristic of first-generation GDDR5 implementations, which offered higher bandwidth per pin compared to DDR3 but at the cost of increased latency.

For high-resolution gaming or demanding professional applications, the 512 MB capacity and 64-bit bus width present clear bottlenecks. The bandwidth of 25.60 GB/s is sufficient for 720p-class rendering in older titles, but modern games with high-resolution textures will likely exceed the available memory pool, forcing the driver to resort to system memory over the PCIe 2.0 x16 interface. The bus width of 64-bit is notably narrow—a deliberate choice to reduce power consumption and die area, aligning with the chip’s 67 mm² size and 370 million transistor count. The GDDR5 type does provide a bandwidth advantage over equivalent-width DDR3 solutions, but the absolute figure of 25.60 GB/s remains a limiting factor for any workload that requires frequent texture streaming or large framebuffers.

The pixel rate of 3.200 GPixel/s interacts with the memory subsystem in a meaningful way: at a resolution of 1920×1080, the GPU would need to fill roughly 2.07 million pixels per frame, and the available bandwidth sets a practical ceiling on how many frames can be processed per second. The data does not include specific resolution tests, but the combination of 512 MB VRAM and 25.60 GB/s bandwidth strongly suggests that the HD 6490M was intended for 1366×768 or lower resolutions, where its memory constraints are less pronounced. Users attempting to run modern software at 1440p or 4K would encounter severe stuttering and texture pop-in, as the memory subsystem simply cannot sustain the data rates required.

How It Compares

The FACT PACK provides no nearestRivals data for the AMD Radeon HD 6490M, meaning there are no direct competitor names, scores, or deltaPct values to reference. Consequently, the comparison framework rests solely on the internal metrics and the 50th percentile ranking. In the absence of rival products, the analysis must note that the GPU occupies a neutral position in the database’s hierarchy—neither exceeding nor underperforming a hypothetical median device.

Without named rivals, the HD 6490M’s position is best understood through its architectural lineage. It belongs to the Vancouver generation (HD 6400M series) and uses the Seymour chip, which is a 40 nm part from TSMC. The predecessor is listed as "Manhattan" and the successor as "London," though no performance data accompanies these transitions. The 50th percentile rank implies that in a head-to-head against an unspecified average GPU, the HD 6490M would deliver comparable performance—meaning it was a mainstream solution rather than a high-end or low-end outlier.

The absence of benchmark scores or rival deltas makes it impossible to state with certainty how this GPU stacks against specific competitors like NVIDIA’s GeForce 400M series or Intel’s integrated graphics from the same period. All that can be inferred is that its 256.0 GFLOPS FP32 throughput and 25.60 GB/s bandwidth place it in a performance tier that was common for entry-level discrete mobile GPUs circa 2011. The 50th percentile ranking is the single most informative comparative data point: it signals that the hardware was not embarrassing but also not remarkable, a typical mid-range mobile part.

FAQ

Q: What is the memory bandwidth of the AMD Radeon HD 6490M?

A: The memory bandwidth is 25.60 GB/s, derived from 512 MB of GDDR5 VRAM on a 64-bit bus with an effective memory speed of 3.2 Gbps.

Q: How many shading units does this GPU have?

A: The AMD Radeon HD 6490M features 160 shading units, along with 8 texture mapping units and 4 ROPs.

Q: What is the FP32 performance of this GPU?

A: The peak FP32 throughput is 256.0 GFLOPS, with a pixel rate of 3.200 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 6.400 GTexel/s.

Q: What manufacturing process is used for this chip?

A: The Seymour chip is fabricated on a 40 nm process at TSMC, containing 370 million transistors on a 67 mm² die.

Q: What API support does the HD 6490M offer?

A: It supports DirectX 11.2 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.4, but has no Vulkan support listed in the data.

Q: When was this GPU released and what is its production status?

A: The release date is January 3, 2011, and the production status is listed as end-of-life.

Ray Tracing and Feature Set

The AMD Radeon HD 6490M does not include any dedicated ray tracing cores or tensor cores, as these fields are null in the data. This is consistent with its TeraScale 2 architecture, which predates the introduction of hardware-accelerated ray tracing by nearly a decade. The GPU’s feature set is therefore limited to traditional rasterization techniques, with no support for real-time ray tracing effects such as reflections, shadows, or global illumination in the manner of modern RTX-class hardware.

In terms of API support, the GPU is rated for DirectX 11.2 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.4, with no Vulkan capability listed. The DirectX 11.2 (11_0) designation indicates support for tessellation, compute shaders, and multi-threaded rendering, which were significant features for its time. OpenGL 4.4 compatibility allows for modern shading language features, though the absence of Vulkan means the GPU cannot take advantage of lower-overhead driver models introduced later. The bus interface is PCIe 2.0 x16, which provides sufficient bandwidth for the GPU’s memory subsystem but is two generations older than current standards.

The lack of RT and tensor cores means the HD 6490M cannot accelerate AI-based workloads or ray-traced rendering in hardware. Its compute capabilities are limited to the 160 shading units operating at a peak FP32 rate of 256.0 GFLOPS, which is far below the teraflop-level performance required for contemporary ray tracing. The feature set is thus firmly rooted in the early-2010s era of GPU design, where the focus was on rasterization efficiency and power conservation for mobile platforms. The 40 nm process and 370 million transistor count reflect a design philosophy centered on balancing performance and thermal constraints, not on forward-looking technologies like hardware-accelerated ray tracing or tensor processing.