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 4060 Ti

2023

Why buy it

✅+277.5% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Costs $401 less on MSRP ($399 MSRP vs $800 MSRP).
✅Delivers 656.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 56.8 vs 7.5 G3D/$ ($399 MSRP vs $800 MSRP).
✅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).

Trade-offs

❌23900% longer card at 240mm vs 1mm.

Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire

2014

Why buy it

✅Measures 1mm instead of 240mm, a 239mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (6,000 vs 22,651).
❌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).
❌Poor future-proofing: 2014-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
100.5% HIGHER MSRP
$800 MSRPvs$399 MSRP

GeForce RTX 4060 Ti

2023

Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire

2014

Why buy it

✅+277.5% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Costs $401 less on MSRP ($399 MSRP vs $800 MSRP).
✅Delivers 656.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 56.8 vs 7.5 G3D/$ ($399 MSRP vs $800 MSRP).
✅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).

Why buy it

✅Measures 1mm instead of 240mm, a 239mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌23900% longer card at 240mm vs 1mm.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (6,000 vs 22,651).
❌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).
❌Poor future-proofing: 2014-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
100.5% HIGHER MSRP
$800 MSRPvs$399 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 4060 Ti better than Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire?

Yes. GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 22,651 vs 6,000 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is a 2023 card with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation, while Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire is a 2014 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 4060 Ti is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2023 generation instead of 2014, 277.5% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 8 GB instead of 4 GB, and better frame-generation support with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023) 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 4060 Ti is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is about $401 cheaper on MSRP at $399 MSRP versus $800 MSRP, and you are getting 277.5% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 656.9%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

Is Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire 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 $800 MSRP, even if GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 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 4060 Ti Benchmark Check

Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti	Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire
1080p
low	177 FPS	49 FPS
medium	162 FPS	41 FPS
high	142 FPS	29 FPS
ultra	124 FPS	17 FPS
1440p
low	143 FPS	40 FPS
medium	118 FPS	30 FPS
high	101 FPS	19 FPS
ultra	93 FPS	11 FPS
4K
low	93 FPS	13 FPS
medium	79 FPS	10 FPS
high	66 FPS	6 FPS
ultra	59 FPS	6 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4060 Ti Open Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti	Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire
1080p
low	425 FPS	103 FPS
medium	359 FPS	74 FPS
high	292 FPS	53 FPS
ultra	237 FPS	35 FPS
1440p
low	270 FPS	56 FPS
medium	229 FPS	34 FPS
high	186 FPS	23 FPS
ultra	154 FPS	17 FPS
4K
low	117 FPS	20 FPS
medium	95 FPS	13 FPS
high	77 FPS	10 FPS
ultra	60 FPS	8 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4060 Ti Open Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti	Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire
1080p
low	855 FPS	270 FPS
medium	693 FPS	216 FPS
high	609 FPS	180 FPS
ultra	510 FPS	135 FPS
1440p
low	660 FPS	202 FPS
medium	527 FPS	162 FPS
high	452 FPS	135 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	101 FPS
4K
low	447 FPS	135 FPS
medium	355 FPS	108 FPS
high	308 FPS	90 FPS
ultra	255 FPS	68 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4060 Ti Open Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti	Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire
1080p
low	775 FPS	118 FPS
medium	639 FPS	92 FPS
high	558 FPS	63 FPS
ultra	492 FPS	42 FPS
1440p
low	613 FPS	72 FPS
medium	503 FPS	52 FPS
high	435 FPS	39 FPS
ultra	378 FPS	27 FPS
4K
low	375 FPS	38 FPS
medium	322 FPS	27 FPS
high	298 FPS	20 FPS
ultra	255 FPS	14 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4060 Ti Open Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 4060 Ti and Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire

GeForce RTX 4060 Ti

The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 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: 22,651 points. Launch price was $399.

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

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti scores 22,651 versus the Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire's 6,000 — the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti leads by 277.5%. The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is built on Ada Lovelace while the Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire uses GCN, both on 5 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 4,352 (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti) vs 2,560 (Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire). Boost clocks: 2535 MHz vs 900 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti	Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire
G3D Mark Score	22,651+278%	6,000
Architecture	Ada Lovelace	GCN
Process Node	5 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	4352+70%	2560
Boost Clock	2535 MHz+182%	900 MHz

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is support for DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation. This allows it to generate entire frames using AI/Algorithms, essentially doubling the frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios or heavy ray-tracing titles. The Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti	Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire
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 Ti comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire has 4 GB. The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 288 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti) vs 307.2 GB/s (Dual) (Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire) — a 6.7% advantage for the Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire. Bus width: 128-bit vs 512-bit (Dual).

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti	Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire
VRAM Capacity	8 GB+100%	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	288 GB/s	307.2 GB/s (Dual)+7%
Bus Width	128-bit	512-bit (Dual)+300%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.2 (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti) vs 12 (Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire). Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 0.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti	Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire
DirectX	12.2+2%	12
Max Displays	4	0

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: 8th Gen NVENC (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti) vs VCE 1.0 (Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire). Decoder: 5th Gen NVDEC vs UVD 3.1.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti	Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire
Encoder	8th Gen NVENC	VCE 1.0
Decoder	5th Gen NVDEC	UVD 3.1
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1	—

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti draws 160W versus the Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire's 200W — a 22.2% difference. The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti) vs 350W (Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire). Power connectors: 8-pin vs Mobile. Card length: 240mm vs 1mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti	Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire
TDP	160W-20%	200W
Recommended PSU	550W	350W-36%
Power Connector	8-pin	Mobile
Length	240mm	1mm
Height	111mm	—
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	70°C	—
Perf/Watt	141.6+372%	30.0

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti launched at $399 MSRP, while the Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire launched at $800. The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti costs 50.1% less ($401 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 56.8 (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti) vs 7.5 (Radeon R9 M290X Crossfire) — the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti offers 657.3% better value. The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2014).