Radeon R9 M290X vs Tesla C2050

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 R9 M290X vs Tesla C2050 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 R9 M290X vs Tesla C2050: 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 R9 M290X

2014

Why buy it

✅Costs $2,099 less on MSRP ($400 MSRP vs $2,499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 533% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 8.0 vs 1.3 G3D/$ ($400 MSRP vs $2,499 MSRP).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 2 GB).
✅Draws 100W instead of 238W, a 138W reduction.

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.

Tesla C2050

2011

Why buy it

✅Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2011 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
524.8% HIGHER MSRP
$2,499 MSRPvs$400 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 1.3 vs 8.0 G3D/$ ($2,499 MSRP vs $400 MSRP).
❌138% higher power demand at 238W vs 100W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon R9 M290X is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 1.3% in PassMark G3D (3,218 vs 3,176), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.

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

Radeon R9 M290X is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 4 GB vs 2 GB of VRAM, the newer upscaling stack, FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, a 28nm process instead of 40nm, and a newer 2014 generation instead of 2011. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon R9 M290X makes the most sense to buy today. It is $2,099 cheaper on MSRP at $400 vs $2,499, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 533% (8.0 vs 1.3), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

Radeon R9 M290X vs Tesla C2050 Technical Specifications

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

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.

Tesla C2050

The Tesla C2050 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in July 25 2011. It features the Fermi architecture. The core clock speed is 574 MHz. It has 448 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 238W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,176 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon R9 M290X scores 3,218 and the Tesla C2050 reaches 3,176 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.3% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon R9 M290X is built on GCN 1.0 while the Tesla C2050 uses Fermi, both on 28 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 1,280 (Radeon R9 M290X) vs 448 (Tesla C2050). Raw compute: 2.304 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 M290X) vs 1.028 TFLOPS (Tesla C2050).

Feature	Radeon R9 M290X	Tesla C2050
G3D Mark Score	3,218+1%	3,176
Architecture	GCN 1.0	Fermi
Process Node	28 nm	40 nm
Shading Units	1280+186%	448
Compute (TFLOPS)	2.304 TFLOPS+124%	1.028 TFLOPS
ROPs	32	48+50%
TMUs	80+43%	56
L1 Cache	320 KB	896 KB+180%
L2 Cache	512 KB	768 KB+50%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon R9 M290X	Tesla C2050
Upscaling Tech	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	AMD Anti-Lag	Standard

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon R9 M290X has 4 GB of VRAM, while the Tesla C2050 carries 2 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 128-bit on the Radeon R9 M290X and 64-bit on the Tesla C2050. L2 Cache: 512 KB (Radeon R9 M290X) vs 768 KB (Tesla C2050) — the Tesla C2050 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Radeon R9 M290X	Tesla C2050
VRAM Capacity	4 GB+100%	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	128-bit+100%	64-bit
L2 Cache	512 KB	768 KB+50%

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon R9 M290X draws 100W versus the Tesla C2050's 238W — a 81.7% difference. The Radeon R9 M290X is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon R9 M290X) vs 350W (Tesla C2050). Power connectors: Mobile vs PCIe-powered.

Feature	Radeon R9 M290X	Tesla C2050
TDP	100W-58%	238W
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	Mobile	PCIe-powered
Perf/Watt	32.2+142%	13.3

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Radeon R9 M290X came in at $400, while the Tesla C2050 launched at $2499. On MSRP, Radeon R9 M290X was 84% cheaper ($2099 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 8.0 (Radeon R9 M290X) vs 1.3 (Tesla C2050) — the Radeon R9 M290X offers 515.4% better value. The newer card here is Radeon R9 M290X (2014 vs 2011).

Feature	Radeon R9 M290X	Tesla C2050
MSRP	$400-84%	$2499
Performance per Dollar	8.0+515%	1.3
Codename	Neptune	GF100
Release	January 9 2014	July 25 2011
Ranking	#566	#569

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