Radeon R9 290 / 390 vs GeForce GTX Titan
Radeon R9 290 / 390
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GeForce GTX Titan
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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 GeForce GTX Titan is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.4% higher G3D Mark score and 50% more VRAM (6 GB vs 4 GB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon R9 290 / 390.
| Insight | Radeon R9 290 / 390 | GeForce GTX Titan |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.4%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.4%) |
| 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 | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | Standard Size (275mm) | Standard Size (267mm) |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon R9 290 / 390 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon R9 290 / 390 holds the technical lead. Priced at $65 (vs $70), it costs 7% less, resulting in a 7.3% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon R9 290 / 390 | GeForce GTX Titan |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+7.3%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($65) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($70) |
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 Titan
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 Titan
The GeForce GTX Titan is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 19 2013. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 837 MHz to 876 MHz. It has 2688 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 250W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 8,181 points. Launch price was $999.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon R9 290 / 390 scores 8,150 and the GeForce GTX Titan reaches 8,181 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon R9 290 / 390 is built on GCN 2.0 while the GeForce GTX Titan uses Kepler, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 2,560 (Radeon R9 290 / 390) vs 2,688 (GeForce GTX Titan). Raw compute: 5.12 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 290 / 390) vs 4.709 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX Titan). Boost clocks: 1000 MHz vs 876 MHz.
| Feature | Radeon R9 290 / 390 | GeForce GTX Titan |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 8,150 | 8,181 |
| Architecture | GCN 2.0 | Kepler |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 2560 | 2688+5% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 5.12 TFLOPS+9% | 4.709 TFLOPS |
| Boost Clock | 1000 MHz+14% | 876 MHz |
| ROPs | 64+33% | 48 |
| TMUs | 160 | 224+40% |
| L1 Cache | 640 KB+186% | 224 KB |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB | 1.5 MB+50% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon R9 290 / 390 | GeForce GTX Titan |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Titan has 6 GB. The GeForce GTX Titan 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 Titan) — 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 Titan) — the GeForce GTX Titan has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon R9 290 / 390 | GeForce GTX Titan |
|---|---|---|
| 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 (GeForce GTX Titan). 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 Titan |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12.0 | 12 |
| 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 Titan). 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 Titan).
| Feature | Radeon R9 290 / 390 | GeForce GTX Titan |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Titan's 250W — a 18.2% difference. The GeForce GTX Titan is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 750W (Radeon R9 290 / 390) vs 600W (GeForce GTX Titan). 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°C.
| Feature | Radeon R9 290 / 390 | GeForce GTX Titan |
|---|---|---|
| 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°C-16% |
| Perf/Watt | 27.2 | 32.7+20% |
Value Analysis
The Radeon R9 290 / 390 launched at $329 MSRP and currently averages $65, while the GeForce GTX Titan launched at $999 and now averages $70. The Radeon R9 290 / 390 costs 7.1% less ($5 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 125.4 (Radeon R9 290 / 390) vs 116.9 (GeForce GTX Titan) — the Radeon R9 290 / 390 offers 7.3% better value. The Radeon R9 290 / 390 is the newer GPU (2015 vs 2013).
| Feature | Radeon R9 290 / 390 | GeForce GTX Titan |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $329-67% | $999 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $65-7% | $70 |
| Performance per Dollar | 125.4+7% | 116.9 |
| Codename | Grenada | GK110 |
| Release | June 18 2015 | February 19 2013 |
| Ranking | #296 | #311 |
Top Performing GPUs
The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
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