Radeon RX590 GME vs Radeon R9 290 / 390
Radeon RX590 GME
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Radeon R9 290 / 390
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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 Radeon RX590 GME
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The Radeon RX590 GME uses modern memory architecture. The Radeon RX590 GME likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon R9 290 / 390 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon RX590 GME is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 2.4% 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 290 / 390.
| Insight | Radeon RX590 GME | Radeon R9 290 / 390 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+2.4%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-2.4%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2018 / GCN 4.0 (2016−2020)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / 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 R9 290 / 390 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Priced at $65 versus $115 for the Radeon RX590 GME, it costs 43% less. While it maintains competitive performance, this results in a 72.7% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon RX590 GME | Radeon R9 290 / 390 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+72.7%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($115) | ✅More affordable ($65) |
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 RX590 GME and Radeon R9 290 / 390
Radeon RX590 GME
The Radeon RX590 GME is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 15 2018. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1469 MHz to 1545 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 175W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 8,349 points. Launch price was $279.
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.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon RX590 GME scores 8,349 and the Radeon R9 290 / 390 reaches 8,150 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon RX590 GME is built on GCN 4.0 while the Radeon R9 290 / 390 uses GCN 2.0, both on 12 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 2,304 (Radeon RX590 GME) vs 2,560 (Radeon R9 290 / 390). Raw compute: 7.119 TFLOPS (Radeon RX590 GME) vs 5.12 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 290 / 390). Boost clocks: 1545 MHz vs 1000 MHz.
| Feature | Radeon RX590 GME | Radeon R9 290 / 390 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 8,349+2% | 8,150 |
| Architecture | GCN 4.0 | GCN 2.0 |
| Process Node | 12 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 2304 | 2560+11% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 7.119 TFLOPS+39% | 5.12 TFLOPS |
| Boost Clock | 1545 MHz+55% | 1000 MHz |
| ROPs | 32 | 64+100% |
| TMUs | 144 | 160+11% |
| L1 Cache | 576 KB | 640 KB+11% |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB+100% | 1 MB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon RX590 GME | Radeon R9 290 / 390 |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 2.1 | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| Frame Generation | FSR 3 (Compatible) | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | AMD Anti-Lag | AMD Anti-Lag |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The Radeon RX590 GME comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 290 / 390 has 4 GB. The Radeon RX590 GME offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 512-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (Radeon RX590 GME) vs 1 MB (Radeon R9 290 / 390) — the Radeon RX590 GME has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon RX590 GME | Radeon R9 290 / 390 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 8 GB+100% | 4 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR5 |
| Bus Width | 128-bit | 512-bit+300% |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB+100% | 1 MB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12.0 (Radeon RX590 GME) vs 12.0 (Radeon R9 290 / 390). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 6.
| Feature | Radeon RX590 GME | Radeon R9 290 / 390 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12.0 | 12.0 |
| Vulkan | 1.3+8% | 1.2 |
| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Max Displays | 4 | 6+50% |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: VCE 3.4 (Radeon RX590 GME) vs VCE 2.0 (Radeon R9 290 / 390). Decoder: UVD 6.3 vs UVD 4.2. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (Radeon RX590 GME) vs MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1 (Radeon R9 290 / 390).
| Feature | Radeon RX590 GME | Radeon R9 290 / 390 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon RX590 GME draws 175W versus the Radeon R9 290 / 390's 300W — a 52.6% difference. The Radeon RX590 GME is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Radeon RX590 GME) vs 750W (Radeon R9 290 / 390). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 6-pin + 8-pin. Card length: 241mm vs 275mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 95°C.
| Feature | Radeon RX590 GME | Radeon R9 290 / 390 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 175W-42% | 300W |
| Recommended PSU | 500W-33% | 750W |
| Power Connector | 8-pin | 6-pin + 8-pin |
| Length | 241mm | 275mm |
| Height | 111mm | 109mm |
| Slots | 2 | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | 80°C-16% | 95°C |
| Perf/Watt | 47.7+75% | 27.2 |
Value Analysis
The Radeon RX590 GME launched at $173 MSRP and currently averages $115, while the Radeon R9 290 / 390 launched at $329 and now averages $65. The Radeon R9 290 / 390 costs 43.5% less ($50 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 72.6 (Radeon RX590 GME) vs 125.4 (Radeon R9 290 / 390) — the Radeon R9 290 / 390 offers 72.7% better value. The Radeon RX590 GME is the newer GPU (2018 vs 2015).
| Feature | Radeon RX590 GME | Radeon R9 290 / 390 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $173-47% | $329 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $115 | $65-43% |
| Performance per Dollar | 72.6 | 125.4+73% |
| Codename | Polaris 30 | Grenada |
| Release | November 15 2018 | June 18 2015 |
| Ranking | #285 | #296 |
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