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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

GeForce RTX 2060

2019

Why buy it

✅56.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $200 less on MSRP ($349 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
✅Delivers 164.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 15.3 G3D/$ ($349 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).

Trade-offs

❌Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

Radeon R9 290X / 390X

2015

Why buy it

✅Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 2060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
57.3% HIGHER MSRP
$549 MSRPvs$349 MSRP

GeForce RTX 2060

2019

Radeon R9 290X / 390X

2015

Why buy it

✅56.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $200 less on MSRP ($349 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
✅Delivers 164.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 15.3 G3D/$ ($349 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).

Why buy it

✅Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 2060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
57.3% HIGHER MSRP
$549 MSRPvs$349 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 2060 better than Radeon R9 290X / 390X?

Yes. GeForce RTX 2060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. GeForce RTX 2060 averages 56.0% more FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 14,114 vs 8,380 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 2060 is a 2019 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Radeon R9 290X / 390X is a 2015 model from an older generation with FSR upscaling. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce RTX 2060 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2019 generation instead of 2015, 68.4% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 6 GB instead of 4 GB, and the stronger feature stack with DLSS Super Resolution instead of FSR upscaling. That leaves it with more room for heavier textures, tougher ray tracing loads, and higher-end 1440p or 4K gaming over the next few years.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

GeForce RTX 2060 is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 2060 is about $200 cheaper on MSRP at $349 MSRP versus $549 MSRP, and you are getting 56.0% more estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and 68.4% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 164.9%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

Is Radeon R9 290X / 390X still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. Radeon R9 290X / 390X is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around $549 MSRP, even if GeForce RTX 2060 is still the cleaner recommendation on overall value today.

Games Benchmarks

Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 9800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.

Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.

GeForce RTX 2060 Benchmark Check

Radeon R9 290X / 390X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 2060	Radeon R9 290X / 390X
1080p
low	108 FPS	80 FPS
medium	98 FPS	69 FPS
high	82 FPS	56 FPS
ultra	69 FPS	37 FPS
1440p
low	95 FPS	70 FPS
medium	83 FPS	61 FPS
high	69 FPS	45 FPS
ultra	60 FPS	28 FPS
4K
low	47 FPS	25 FPS
medium	43 FPS	24 FPS
high	31 FPS	16 FPS
ultra	27 FPS	14 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 2060 Open Radeon R9 290X / 390X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 2060	Radeon R9 290X / 390X
1080p
low	290 FPS	185 FPS
medium	247 FPS	157 FPS
high	197 FPS	130 FPS
ultra	155 FPS	103 FPS
1440p
low	192 FPS	130 FPS
medium	164 FPS	102 FPS
high	131 FPS	82 FPS
ultra	104 FPS	63 FPS
4K
low	108 FPS	59 FPS
medium	91 FPS	48 FPS
high	75 FPS	43 FPS
ultra	57 FPS	35 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 2060 Open Radeon R9 290X / 390X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 2060	Radeon R9 290X / 390X
1080p
low	635 FPS	377 FPS
medium	508 FPS	302 FPS
high	423 FPS	251 FPS
ultra	318 FPS	189 FPS
1440p
low	476 FPS	283 FPS
medium	381 FPS	226 FPS
high	318 FPS	189 FPS
ultra	238 FPS	141 FPS
4K
low	318 FPS	189 FPS
medium	254 FPS	151 FPS
high	212 FPS	126 FPS
ultra	159 FPS	94 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 2060 Open Radeon R9 290X / 390X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 2060	Radeon R9 290X / 390X
1080p
low	428 FPS	155 FPS
medium	354 FPS	128 FPS
high	286 FPS	110 FPS
ultra	244 FPS	94 FPS
1440p
low	357 FPS	110 FPS
medium	302 FPS	91 FPS
high	235 FPS	79 FPS
ultra	193 FPS	65 FPS
4K
low	204 FPS	66 FPS
medium	166 FPS	52 FPS
high	154 FPS	41 FPS
ultra	119 FPS	31 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 2060 Open Radeon R9 290X / 390X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 2060 and Radeon R9 290X / 390X

GeForce RTX 2060

The GeForce RTX 2060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 7 2019. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 1365 MHz to 1680 MHz. It has 1920 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 160W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. It features 30 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 14,114 points. Launch price was $349.

Radeon R9 290X / 390X

The Radeon R9 290X / 390X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in June 18 2015. It features the GCN 2.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1050 MHz. It has 2816 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 275W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 8,380 points. Launch price was $429.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 2060 scores 14,114 versus the Radeon R9 290X / 390X's 8,380 — the GeForce RTX 2060 leads by 68.4%. The GeForce RTX 2060 is built on Turing while the Radeon R9 290X / 390X uses GCN 2.0, both on 12 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 1,920 (GeForce RTX 2060) vs 2,816 (Radeon R9 290X / 390X). Raw compute: 6.451 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 2060) vs 5.914 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 290X / 390X). Boost clocks: 1680 MHz vs 1050 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060	Radeon R9 290X / 390X
G3D Mark Score	14,114+68%	8,380
Architecture	Turing	GCN 2.0
Process Node	12 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	1920	2816+47%
Compute (TFLOPS)	6.451 TFLOPS+9%	5.914 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1680 MHz+60%	1050 MHz
ROPs	48	64+33%
TMUs	120	176+47%
L1 Cache	1.9 MB+175%	0.69 MB
L2 Cache	3 MB+200%	1 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 2060 gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Radeon R9 290X / 390X relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060	Radeon R9 290X / 390X
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 2 Super Resolution	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 2060 comes with 6 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 290X / 390X has 4 GB. The GeForce RTX 2060 offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 336 GB/s (GeForce RTX 2060) vs 320 GB/s (Radeon R9 290X / 390X) — a 5% advantage for the GeForce RTX 2060. Bus width: 192-bit vs 512-bit. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 2060) vs 1 MB (Radeon R9 290X / 390X) — the GeForce RTX 2060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060	Radeon R9 290X / 390X
VRAM Capacity	6 GB+50%	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	336 GB/s+5%	320 GB/s
Bus Width	192-bit	512-bit+167%
L2 Cache	3 MB+200%	1 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (12_2) (GeForce RTX 2060) vs 12.0 (Radeon R9 290X / 390X). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.1. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 6.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060	Radeon R9 290X / 390X
DirectX	12 Ultimate (12_2)	12.0
Vulkan	1.3+18%	1.1
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	6+50%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Turing) (GeForce RTX 2060) vs VCE 2.0 (Radeon R9 290X / 390X). Decoder: NVDEC (Turing) vs UVD 4.2. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265,VP9,VP8,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GeForce RTX 2060) vs MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1 (Radeon R9 290X / 390X).

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060	Radeon R9 290X / 390X
Encoder	NVENC (Turing)	VCE 2.0
Decoder	NVDEC (Turing)	UVD 4.2
Codecs	H.264,H.265,VP9,VP8,MPEG-2,VC-1	MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 2060 draws 160W versus the Radeon R9 290X / 390X's 275W — a 52.9% difference. The GeForce RTX 2060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce RTX 2060) vs 750W (Radeon R9 290X / 390X). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 6-pin + 8-pin. Card length: 229mm vs 275mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 72 vs 95°C.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060	Radeon R9 290X / 390X
TDP	160W-42%	275W
Recommended PSU	500W-33%	750W
Power Connector	8-pin	6-pin + 8-pin
Length	229mm	275mm
Height	113mm	109mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	72-24%	95°C
Perf/Watt	88.2+189%	30.5

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 2060 launched at $349 MSRP, while the Radeon R9 290X / 390X launched at $549. The GeForce RTX 2060 costs 36.4% less ($200 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce RTX 2060) vs 15.3 (Radeon R9 290X / 390X) — the GeForce RTX 2060 offers 164.1% better value. The GeForce RTX 2060 is the newer GPU (2019 vs 2015).