GeForce RTX 4070
Radeon R9 290X
GeForce RTX 4070 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 4070 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.
Path of Exile 2
Counter-Strike 2
League of Legends
Valorant
Among Us
Apex Legends
ARC Raiders
Baldur's Gate 3
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
GeForce RTX 4070 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 4070
2023Why buy it
- ✅151.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
- ✅Delivers 192.8% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.9 vs 15.3 G3D/$ ($599 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
- ✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
- ✅200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 4 GB).
- ✅Better long-term bet: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
Trade-offs
- ❌10.5% longer card at 304mm vs 275mm.
Radeon R9 290X
2013Why buy it
- ✅Costs $50 less on MSRP ($549 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
- ✅Measures 275mm instead of 304mm, a 29mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 4070 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
- ❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
- ❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
- ❌2013 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
- ❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 15.3 vs 44.9 G3D/$ ($549 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
Quick Answers
Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce RTX 4070 vs Radeon R9 290X Technical Specifications
Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.
GeForce RTX 4070
The GeForce RTX 4070 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in April 12 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 1920 MHz to 2475 MHz. It has 5888 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 46 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 26,919 points. Launch price was $599.
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 4070 scores 26,919 versus the Radeon R9 290X's 8,426 — the GeForce RTX 4070 leads by 219.5%. The GeForce RTX 4070 is built on Ada Lovelace while the Radeon R9 290X uses GCN 2.0, both on 5 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 5,888 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 2,816 (Radeon R9 290X). Raw compute: 29.15 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 5.632 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 290X). Boost clocks: 2475 MHz vs 947 MHz.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 4070 | Radeon R9 290X |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 26,919+219% | 8,426 |
| Architecture | Ada Lovelace | GCN 2.0 |
| Process Node | 5 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 5888+109% | 2816 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 29.15 TFLOPS+418% | 5.632 TFLOPS |
| Boost Clock | 2475 MHz+161% | 947 MHz |
| ROPs | 64 | 64 |
| TMUs | 184+5% | 176 |
| L1 Cache | 5.8 MB+741% | 0.69 MB |
| L2 Cache | 36 MB+3500% | 1 MB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
The clearest feature edge for the GeForce RTX 4070 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 4070 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.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 4070 | Radeon 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 4070 has 12 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 290X carries 4 GB. GeForce RTX 4070 gives you 200% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 504 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 320 GB/s (Radeon R9 290X) — a 57.5% advantage for the GeForce RTX 4070. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 4070 and 512-bit on the Radeon R9 290X. L2 Cache: 36 MB (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 1 MB (Radeon R9 290X) — the GeForce RTX 4070 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 4070 | Radeon R9 290X |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 12 GB+200% | 4 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR6X | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 504 GB/s+57% | 320 GB/s |
| Bus Width | 192-bit | 512-bit+167% |
| L2 Cache | 36 MB+3500% | 1 MB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12.2 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 12.0 (Radeon R9 290X). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.1. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 6.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 4070 | Radeon R9 290X |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12.2+2% | 12.0 |
| Vulkan | 1.3+18% | 1.1 |
| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Max Displays | 4 | 6+50% |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: 8th Gen NVENC (2x) (GeForce RTX 4070) vs VCE 2.0 (Radeon R9 290X). Decoder: 5th Gen NVDEC vs UVD 4.2. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1 (Radeon R9 290X).
| Feature | GeForce RTX 4070 | Radeon R9 290X |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | 8th Gen NVENC (2x) | VCE 2.0 |
| Decoder | 5th Gen NVDEC | UVD 4.2 |
| Codecs | MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 | MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1 |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce RTX 4070 draws 200W versus the Radeon R9 290X's 350W — a 54.5% difference. The GeForce RTX 4070 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 750W (Radeon R9 290X). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 6-pin + 8-pin. Card length: 304mm vs 275mm, occupying 3 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 95°C.
| Feature | GeForce RTX 4070 | Radeon R9 290X |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 200W-43% | 350W |
| Recommended PSU | 650W-13% | 750W |
| Power Connector | 8-pin | 6-pin + 8-pin |
| Length | 304mm | 275mm |
| Height | 137mm | 109mm |
| Slots | 3 | 2-33% |
| Temp (Load) | 80°C-16% | 95°C |
| Perf/Watt | 134.6+459% | 24.1 |
Value Analysis
At launch, the GeForce RTX 4070 came in at $599, while the Radeon R9 290X launched at $549. On MSRP, Radeon R9 290X was 8.3% cheaper ($50 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 44.9 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 15.3 (Radeon R9 290X) — the GeForce RTX 4070 offers 193.5% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 4070 (2023 vs 2013).
| Feature | GeForce RTX 4070 | Radeon R9 290X |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $599 | $549-8% |
| Performance per Dollar | 44.9+193% | 15.3 |
| Codename | AD104 | Hawaii |
| Release | April 12 2023 | October 24 2013 |
| Ranking | #32 | #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.
Top Performing GPUs
The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
You May Also Compare
Similar GPU comparisons based on GeForce RTX 4070 and Radeon R9 290X
