GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU vs Radeon R9 290X

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU

2023Core: 2310 MHzBoost: 2535 MHz
RTX family
·····
VS
AMD

Radeon R9 290X

2013Boost: 947 MHz
Similar parts
·······

GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU vs Radeon R9 290X 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.

GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU vs Radeon R9 290X FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU vs Radeon R9 290X: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU

2023

Why buy it

  • 127.7% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).
  • Better long-term bet: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
  • Draws 160W instead of 350W, a 190W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 15.3 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $549 MSRP).

Radeon R9 290X

2013

Why buy it

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 15.3 vs 0 G3D/$ ($549 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • 2013 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
  • 118.8% higher power demand at 350W vs 160W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 127.7% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 106.5% in PassMark G3D (17,400 vs 8,426), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 8 GB vs 4 GB of VRAM, native frame generation with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023), while Radeon R9 290X has no comparable frame-generation support, a 5nm process instead of 28nm, and 34 vs 0 ray-tracing units. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Radeon R9 290X makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon R9 290X is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and lighter 1440p headroom, GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU vs Radeon R9 290X Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU

The GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 18 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 2310 MHz to 2535 MHz. It has 4352 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 160W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 34 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 17,400 points. Launch price was $399.

AMD

Radeon R9 290X

The Radeon R9 290X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in October 24 2013. It features the GCN 2.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 947 MHz. It has 2816 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 350W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 8,426 points. Launch price was $549.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU scores 17,400 versus the Radeon R9 290X's 8,426 — the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU leads by 106.5%. The GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU is built on Ada Lovelace while the Radeon R9 290X uses GCN 2.0, both on 5 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 4,352 (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU) vs 2,816 (Radeon R9 290X). Raw compute: 22.06 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU) vs 5.632 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 290X). Boost clocks: 2535 MHz vs 947 MHz.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 290X
G3D Mark Score
17,400+107%
8,426
Architecture
Ada Lovelace
GCN 2.0
Process Node
5 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
4352+55%
2816
Compute (TFLOPS)
22.06 TFLOPS+292%
5.632 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
2535 MHz+168%
947 MHz
ROPs
48
64+33%
TMUs
136
176+29%
L1 Cache
4.3 MB+523%
0.69 MB
L2 Cache
32 MB+3100%
1 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU is support for DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation. In games that support it, that can smooth out motion and lift perceived FPS. The Radeon R9 290X does not have comparable native support in the same tier.The GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon R9 290X leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 290X
Upscaling Tech
DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
Yes (DLSS 3.5)
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU has 8 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 290X carries 4 GB. GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 256 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU) vs 320 GB/s (Radeon R9 290X) — a 25% advantage for the Radeon R9 290X. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU and 512-bit on the Radeon R9 290X. L2 Cache: 32 MB (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU) vs 1 MB (Radeon R9 290X) — the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 290X
VRAM Capacity
8 GB+100%
4 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
256 GB/s
320 GB/s+25%
Bus Width
128-bit
512-bit+300%
L2 Cache
32 MB+3100%
1 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU) vs 12.0 (Radeon R9 290X). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.1. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 6.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 290X
DirectX
12 Ultimate
12.0
Vulkan
1.4+27%
1.1
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
6+50%
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (8th Gen) (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU) vs VCE 2.0 (Radeon R9 290X). Decoder: NVDEC (5th Gen) vs UVD 4.2. Supported codecs: H.264,HEVC,AV1,VP9 (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU) vs MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1 (Radeon R9 290X).

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 290X
Encoder
NVENC (8th Gen)
VCE 2.0
Decoder
NVDEC (5th Gen)
UVD 4.2
Codecs
H.264,HEVC,AV1,VP9
MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU draws 160W versus the Radeon R9 290X's 350W — a 74.5% difference. The GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU) vs 750W (Radeon R9 290X). Power connectors: Mobile vs 6-pin + 8-pin. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 95°C.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 290X
TDP
160W-54%
350W
Recommended PSU
650W-13%
750W
Power Connector
Mobile
6-pin + 8-pin
Length
275mm
Height
109mm
Slots
0-100%
2
Temp (Load)
80°C-16%
95°C
Perf/Watt
108.8+351%
24.1
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU (2023 vs 2013).

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 290X
MSRP
$549
Codename
AD106
Hawaii
Release
May 18 2023
October 24 2013
Ranking
#59
#342

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.