Radeon Pro 555 vs Radeon R9 M290X

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.

Radeon Pro 555 vs Radeon R9 M290X 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.

Radeon Pro 555 vs Radeon R9 M290X: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Radeon Pro 555

2017

Why buy it

✅Draws 75W instead of 100W, a 25W reduction.
✅More future proof: GCN 4.0 (2016−2020) on 14nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon R9 M290X across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2017 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 8.0 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $400 MSRP).

Radeon R9 M290X

2014

Why buy it

✅39.9% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 8.0 vs 0 G3D/$ ($400 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 2 GB).

Trade-offs

❌2014 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌33.3% higher power demand at 100W vs 75W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon R9 M290X is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 39.9% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 2.5% in PassMark G3D (3,218 vs 3,141), so the answer here is pretty clean.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

Radeon Pro 555 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 14nm process instead of 28nm and a newer 2017 generation instead of 2014. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon R9 M290X 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 M290X is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Radeon Pro 555 has the stronger long-term case.

Radeon Pro 555 vs Radeon R9 M290X Technical Specifications

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

Radeon Pro 555

The Radeon Pro 555 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in June 5 2017. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 850 MHz. It has 768 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,141 points.

Radeon R9 M290X

The Radeon R9 M290X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 9 2014. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 850 MHz to 900 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,218 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon Pro 555 scores 3,141 and the Radeon R9 M290X reaches 3,218 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.5% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon Pro 555 is built on GCN 4.0 while the Radeon R9 M290X uses GCN 1.0, both on 14 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 768 (Radeon Pro 555) vs 1,280 (Radeon R9 M290X). Raw compute: 1.306 TFLOPS (Radeon Pro 555) vs 2.304 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 M290X).

Feature	Radeon Pro 555	Radeon R9 M290X
G3D Mark Score	3,141	3,218+2%
Architecture	GCN 4.0	GCN 1.0
Process Node	14 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	768	1280+67%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.306 TFLOPS	2.304 TFLOPS+76%
ROPs	16	32+100%
TMUs	48	80+67%
L1 Cache	192 KB	320 KB+67%
L2 Cache	1 MB+100%	0.5 MB
Frame Generation	FSR upscaling	FSR upscaling

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon Pro 555	Radeon R9 M290X
Upscaling Tech	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	AMD Anti-Lag	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon Pro 555 has 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 M290X carries 4 GB. Radeon R9 M290X gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the Radeon Pro 555 and 128-bit on the Radeon R9 M290X. L2 Cache: 1 MB (Radeon Pro 555) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon R9 M290X) — the Radeon Pro 555 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Radeon Pro 555	Radeon R9 M290X
VRAM Capacity	2 GB	4 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	64-bit	128-bit+100%
L2 Cache	1 MB+100%	0.5 MB

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon Pro 555 draws 75W versus the Radeon R9 M290X's 100W — a 28.6% difference. The Radeon Pro 555 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon Pro 555) vs 350W (Radeon R9 M290X). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs Mobile.

Feature	Radeon Pro 555	Radeon R9 M290X
TDP	75W-25%	100W
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	Mobile
Perf/Watt	41.9+30%	32.2

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Radeon Pro 555 came in at $0, while the Radeon R9 M290X launched at $400. On MSRP, Radeon Pro 555 was 100+% cheaper ($400 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): Infinity (Radeon Pro 555) vs 8.0 (Radeon R9 M290X) — the Radeon Pro 555 offers Infinity% better value. The newer card here is Radeon Pro 555 (2017 vs 2014).

Feature	Radeon Pro 555	Radeon R9 M290X
MSRP	$0-100%	$400
Performance per Dollar	Infinity	8.0
Codename	Polaris 21	Neptune
Release	June 5 2017	January 9 2014
Ranking	#574	#566

Search Radeon Pro 555 on Amazon

Search Radeon R9 M290X on Amazon

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.