Arc Graphics 130T vs Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire

Intel

Arc Graphics 130T

2025
VS
AMD

Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire

2014Core: 850 MHzBoost: 900 MHz

Arc Graphics 130T vs Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire Performance Spectrum

About G3D Mark

G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

Arc Graphics 130T vs Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

Arc Graphics 130T

2025

Why buy it

  • Costs $500 less on MSRP ($300 MSRP vs $800 MSRP).
  • Delivers 175.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 20.7 vs 7.5 G3D/$ ($300 MSRP vs $800 MSRP).
  • Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire is already legacy-tier future-proofing, so Arc Graphics 130T is the less risky modern option long term.
  • Draws 15W instead of 200W, a 185W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • Older hardware, Unknown of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in newer AAA releases.

Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire

2014

Why buy it

  • 100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs Unknown).
  • More future proof: GCN (2012−2015) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 2014 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
  • 166.7% HIGHER MSRP
    $800 MSRPvs$300 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 7.5 vs 20.7 G3D/$ ($800 MSRP vs $300 MSRP).
  • 1233.3% higher power demand at 200W vs 15W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Arc Graphics 130T is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 3.5% in PassMark G3D (6,208 vs 6,000), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
Arc Graphics 130T is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a newer 2025 generation instead of 2014. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Arc Graphics 130T makes the most sense to buy today. It is $500 cheaper on MSRP at $300 vs $800, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 175.9% (20.7 vs 7.5), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

Arc Graphics 130T vs Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Intel

Arc Graphics 130T

The Arc Graphics 130T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in January 6 2025. It features the Xe+ architecture. It has 7 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 15W. G3D Mark benchmark score: 6,208 points.

AMD

Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire

The Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire is manufactured by AMD. It was released in March 1 2014. It features the GCN architecture. The core clock ranges from 850 MHz to 900 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 6,000 points.

Graphics Performance

The Arc Graphics 130T scores 6,208 and the Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire reaches 6,000 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 3.5% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Arc Graphics 130T is built on Xe+ while the Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire uses GCN. Shader units: 7 (Arc Graphics 130T) vs 2,560 (Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire).

FeatureArc Graphics 130TRadeon R9 M290X Crossfire
G3D Mark Score
6,208+3%
6,000
Architecture
Xe+
GCN
Shading Units
7
2560+36471%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureArc Graphics 130TRadeon R9 M290X Crossfire
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
Standard
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Arc Graphics 130T has 0 MB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire carries 4 GB. Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire gives you 100+% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is System on the Arc Graphics 130T and 512-bit (Dual) on the Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire.

FeatureArc Graphics 130TRadeon R9 M290X Crossfire
VRAM Capacity
Shared
4 GB
Memory Type
Shared
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
System
307.2 GB/s (Dual)
Bus Width
System
512-bit (Dual)
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.2 (Arc Graphics 130T) vs 12 (Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire). Maximum simultaneous displays: 3 vs 0.

FeatureArc Graphics 130TRadeon R9 M290X Crossfire
DirectX
12.2+2%
12
Max Displays
3
0
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: Xe Media Engine (Arc Graphics 130T) vs VCE 1.0 (Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire). Decoder: Xe Media Engine vs UVD 3.1.

FeatureArc Graphics 130TRadeon R9 M290X Crossfire
Encoder
Xe Media Engine
VCE 1.0
Decoder
Xe Media Engine
UVD 3.1
Codecs
H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1,H.266
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Arc Graphics 130T draws 15W versus the Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire's 200W — a 172.1% difference. The Arc Graphics 130T is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Arc Graphics 130T) vs 350W (Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire). Power connectors: Integrated vs Mobile. Card length: 0mm vs 1mm, occupying 0 vs 0 slots.

FeatureArc Graphics 130TRadeon R9 M290X Crossfire
TDP
15W-93%
200W
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
Integrated
Mobile
Length
0mm
1mm
Height
0mm
Slots
0
0
Temp (Load)
85°C
Perf/Watt
413.9+1280%
30.0
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Arc Graphics 130T came in at $300, while the Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire launched at $800. On MSRP, Arc Graphics 130T was 62.5% cheaper ($500 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 20.7 (Arc Graphics 130T) vs 7.5 (Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire) — the Arc Graphics 130T offers 176% better value. The newer card here is Arc Graphics 130T (2025 vs 2014).

FeatureArc Graphics 130TRadeon R9 M290X Crossfire
MSRP
$300-63%
$800
Performance per Dollar
20.7+176%
7.5
Codename
Neptune CF
Release
January 6 2025
March 1 2014
Ranking
#386
#348

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.