Radeon R9 290 / 390 vs GeForce GTX 780
Radeon R9 290 / 390
Popular choices:
GeForce GTX 780
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Performance Spectrum - GPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon R9 290 / 390 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 2.4% higher G3D Mark score. However, the GeForce GTX 780 offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.
| Insight | Radeon R9 290 / 390 | GeForce GTX 780 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+2.4%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-2.4%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / GCN 2.0 (2013−2017)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / Kepler (2012−2018)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+50%) |
| Efficiency | Normal Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | Standard Size (275mm) | Standard Size (267mm) |
💎 Value Proposition
The GeForce GTX 780 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the GeForce GTX 780 holds the technical lead. Priced at $35 (vs $65), it costs 46% less, resulting in a 81.3% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon R9 290 / 390 | GeForce GTX 780 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+81.3%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($65) | ✅More affordable ($35) |
Performance Check
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 7800X3D 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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Radeon R9 290 / 390 and GeForce GTX 780
Radeon R9 290 / 390
The Radeon R9 290 / 390 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in June 18 2015. It features the GCN 2.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1000 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 300W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 8,150 points. Launch price was $329.
GeForce GTX 780
The GeForce GTX 780 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 23 2013. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 863 MHz to 900 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 250W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 7,957 points. Launch price was $649.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon R9 290 / 390 scores 8,150 and the GeForce GTX 780 reaches 7,957 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon R9 290 / 390 is built on GCN 2.0 while the GeForce GTX 780 uses Kepler, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 2,560 (Radeon R9 290 / 390) vs 2,304 (GeForce GTX 780). Raw compute: 5.12 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 290 / 390) vs 4.156 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 780). Boost clocks: 1000 MHz vs 900 MHz.
| Feature | Radeon R9 290 / 390 | GeForce GTX 780 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 8,150+2% | 7,957 |
| Architecture | GCN 2.0 | Kepler |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 2560+11% | 2304 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 5.12 TFLOPS+23% | 4.156 TFLOPS |
| Boost Clock | 1000 MHz+11% | 900 MHz |
| ROPs | 64+33% | 48 |
| TMUs | 160 | 192+20% |
| L1 Cache | 640 KB+233% | 192 KB |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB | 1.5 MB+50% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon R9 290 / 390 | GeForce GTX 780 |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 1.0 (Software) | FSR 2.1 (Compatible) |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | FSR 3 (Compatible) |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | AMD Anti-Lag | Standard |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The Radeon R9 290 / 390 comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 780 has 6 GB. The GeForce GTX 780 offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 320 GB/s (Radeon R9 290 / 390) vs 288 GB/s (GeForce GTX 780) — a 11.1% advantage for the Radeon R9 290 / 390. Bus width: 512-bit vs 384-bit. L2 Cache: 1 MB (Radeon R9 290 / 390) vs 1.5 MB (GeForce GTX 780) — the GeForce GTX 780 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon R9 290 / 390 | GeForce GTX 780 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 4 GB | 6 GB+50% |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 320 GB/s+11% | 288 GB/s |
| Bus Width | 512-bit+33% | 384-bit |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB | 1.5 MB+50% |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12.0 (Radeon R9 290 / 390) vs 12 (11_0) (GeForce GTX 780). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.0. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 6 vs 4.
| Feature | Radeon R9 290 / 390 | GeForce GTX 780 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12.0 | 12 (11_0) |
| Vulkan | 1.2+20% | 1.0 |
| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Max Displays | 6+50% | 4 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: VCE 2.0 (Radeon R9 290 / 390) vs NVENC 1st Gen (GeForce GTX 780). Decoder: UVD 4.2 vs NVDEC 1st Gen. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1 (Radeon R9 290 / 390) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GeForce GTX 780).
| Feature | Radeon R9 290 / 390 | GeForce GTX 780 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | VCE 2.0 | NVENC 1st Gen |
| Decoder | UVD 4.2 | NVDEC 1st Gen |
| Codecs | MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1 | H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon R9 290 / 390 draws 300W versus the GeForce GTX 780's 250W — a 18.2% difference. The GeForce GTX 780 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 750W (Radeon R9 290 / 390) vs 600W (GeForce GTX 780). Power connectors: 6-pin + 8-pin vs 6-pin + 8-pin. Card length: 275mm vs 267mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 95°C vs 80.
| Feature | Radeon R9 290 / 390 | GeForce GTX 780 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 300W | 250W-17% |
| Recommended PSU | 750W | 600W-20% |
| Power Connector | 6-pin + 8-pin | 6-pin + 8-pin |
| Length | 275mm | 267mm |
| Height | 109mm | 111mm |
| Slots | 2 | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | 95°C | 80-16% |
| Perf/Watt | 27.2 | 31.8+17% |
Value Analysis
The Radeon R9 290 / 390 launched at $329 MSRP and currently averages $65, while the GeForce GTX 780 launched at $499 and now averages $35. The GeForce GTX 780 costs 46.2% less ($30 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 125.4 (Radeon R9 290 / 390) vs 227.3 (GeForce GTX 780) — the GeForce GTX 780 offers 81.3% better value. The Radeon R9 290 / 390 is the newer GPU (2015 vs 2013).
| Feature | Radeon R9 290 / 390 | GeForce GTX 780 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $329-34% | $499 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $65 | $35-46% |
| Performance per Dollar | 125.4 | 227.3+81% |
| Codename | Grenada | GK110 |
| Release | June 18 2015 | May 23 2013 |
| Ranking | #296 | #320 |
Top Performing GPUs
The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
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