Radeon RX 480 vs Radeon R9 290X

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.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

The Radeon RX 480 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.4% higher G3D Mark score and 100% more VRAM (8 GB vs 4 GB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon R9 290X.

Insight	Radeon RX 480	Radeon R9 290X
Performance	✅Leading raw performance (+1.4%)	❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.4%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2016 / GCN 4.0 (2016−2020))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / GCN 2.0 (2013−2017))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	✅ More VRAM (+100%)	❌ Less VRAM capacity
Efficiency	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt	⚡ Higher Power Consumption
Case Fit	📏 Compact / SFF Friendly	Standard Size (275mm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Radeon RX 480 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon RX 480 holds the technical lead. Priced at $55 (vs $60), it costs 8% less, resulting in a 10.6% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	Radeon RX 480	Radeon R9 290X
Cost Efficiency	✅Better overall value (+10.6%)	❌Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅More affordable ($55)	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($60)

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.

Radeon RX 480 Benchmark Check

Radeon R9 290X Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Radeon RX 480 and Radeon R9 290X

Radeon RX 480

The Radeon RX 480 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in June 29 2016. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1120 MHz to 1266 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 8,546 points. Launch price was $229.

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.

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Graphics Performance

The Radeon RX 480 scores 8,546 and the Radeon R9 290X reaches 8,426 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon RX 480 is built on GCN 4.0 while the Radeon R9 290X uses GCN 2.0, both on 14 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 2,304 (Radeon RX 480) vs 2,816 (Radeon R9 290X). Raw compute: 5.834 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 480) vs 5.632 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 290X). Boost clocks: 1266 MHz vs 947 MHz.

Feature	Radeon RX 480	Radeon R9 290X
G3D Mark Score	8,546+1%	8,426
Architecture	GCN 4.0	GCN 2.0
Process Node	14 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	2304	2816+22%
Compute (TFLOPS)	5.834 TFLOPS+4%	5.632 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1266 MHz+34%	947 MHz
ROPs	32	64+100%
TMUs	144	176+22%
L1 Cache	576 KB	704 KB+22%
L2 Cache	2 MB+100%	1 MB

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon RX 480	Radeon R9 290X
Upscaling Tech	FSR 1.0 (Software)	FSR 1.0 (Software)
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	AMD Anti-Lag	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon RX 480 comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 290X has 4 GB. The Radeon RX 480 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 256 GB/s (Radeon RX 480) vs 320 GB/s (Radeon R9 290X) — a 25% advantage for the Radeon R9 290X. Bus width: 256-bit vs 512-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (Radeon RX 480) vs 1 MB (Radeon R9 290X) — the Radeon RX 480 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Radeon RX 480	Radeon R9 290X
VRAM Capacity	8 GB+100%	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	256 GB/s	320 GB/s+25%
Bus Width	256-bit	512-bit+100%
L2 Cache	2 MB+100%	1 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.0 (Radeon RX 480) 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	Radeon RX 480	Radeon R9 290X
DirectX	12.0	12.0
Vulkan	1.3+18%	1.1
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	6+50%

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Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: VCE 3.4 (Radeon RX 480) vs VCE 2.0 (Radeon R9 290X). Decoder: UVD 6.3 vs UVD 4.2. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (Radeon RX 480) vs MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1 (Radeon R9 290X).

Feature	Radeon RX 480	Radeon R9 290X
Encoder	VCE 3.4	VCE 2.0
Decoder	UVD 6.3	UVD 4.2
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC	MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1

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Power & Dimensions

The Radeon RX 480 draws 150W versus the Radeon R9 290X's 350W — a 80% difference. The Radeon RX 480 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Radeon RX 480) vs 750W (Radeon R9 290X). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 6-pin + 8-pin. Card length: 240mm vs 275mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 95°C.

Feature	Radeon RX 480	Radeon R9 290X
TDP	150W-57%	350W
Recommended PSU	500W-33%	750W
Power Connector	8-pin	6-pin + 8-pin
Length	240mm	275mm
Height	95mm	109mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	85°C-11%	95°C
Perf/Watt	57.0+137%	24.1

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Value Analysis

The Radeon RX 480 launched at $229 MSRP and currently averages $55, while the Radeon R9 290X launched at $549 and now averages $60. The Radeon RX 480 costs 8.3% less ($5 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 155.4 (Radeon RX 480) vs 140.4 (Radeon R9 290X) — the Radeon RX 480 offers 10.7% better value. The Radeon RX 480 is the newer GPU (2016 vs 2013).