AMD Radeon R9 290 vs AMD Radeon R9 290X

The AMD Radeon R9 290X is the faster graphics card, scoring 14/100 on our gaming benchmark versus 12/100 for the AMD Radeon R9 290 — roughly 17% faster. If your budget allows, the AMD Radeon R9 290X is the better long-term choice.

AMD

AMD Radeon R9 290

12
Gaming score / 100
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Winner

AMD Radeon R9 290X

14
Gaming score / 100
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Specs compared

SpecAMD Radeon R9 290AMD Radeon R9 290X
Gaming score12/10014/100
VRAM4 GB4 GB
Memory typeGDDR5GDDR5
TDP275 W290 W
Boost clock947 MHz1000 MHz
ReleaseNov 2013Oct 2013
MSRP$59.00$69.00

AMD Radeon R9 290 vs AMD Radeon R9 290X: which should you buy?

The AMD Radeon R9 290X is the faster graphics card, scoring 14/100 on our gaming benchmark versus 12/100 for the AMD Radeon R9 290 — roughly 17% faster. If your budget allows, the AMD Radeon R9 290X is the better long-term choice. For your specific games and resolution, run both through our comparison tool, check pairing with the bottleneck calculator, or see where each lands on the tier list.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the AMD Radeon R9 290 better than the AMD Radeon R9 290X?
The AMD Radeon R9 290X is faster for gaming, scoring 14/100 versus 12/100 for the AMD Radeon R9 290 (about 17% faster).

Should I buy the AMD Radeon R9 290 or the AMD Radeon R9 290X?
For raw gaming performance, choose the AMD Radeon R9 290X. If it costs notably more for only a small gain, the AMD Radeon R9 290 can be the better value. Check current prices before deciding.

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