Radeon Ryzen 5 6600U vs Radeon R9 M290X
Radeon Ryzen 5 6600U
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Radeon R9 M290X
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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 Ryzen 5 6600U
Performance Per Dollar Radeon R9 M290X
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The Radeon Ryzen 5 6600U is significantly newer (2021 vs 2014). The Radeon Ryzen 5 6600U likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon R9 M290X lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon R9 M290X is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.4% higher G3D Mark score and 100% more VRAM (4 GB vs 2 GB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon Ryzen 5 6600U.
| Insight | Radeon Ryzen 5 6600U | Radeon R9 M290X |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.4%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.4%) |
| Longevity | RDNA 2.0 (2020−2025) (7nm) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | — | — |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon R9 M290X offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Priced at $60 versus $350 for the Radeon Ryzen 5 6600U, it costs 83% less. While it maintains basic entry-level capabilities, this results in a 485.5% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon Ryzen 5 6600U | Radeon R9 M290X |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+485.5%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($350) | ✅More affordable ($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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Radeon Ryzen 5 6600U and Radeon R9 M290X
Radeon Ryzen 5 6600U
The Radeon Ryzen 5 6600U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in October 13 2021. It features the RDNA 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1626 MHz to 2491 MHz. It has 1792 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 132W. Manufactured using 7 nm process technology. It features 28 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,206 points. Launch price was $329.
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.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon Ryzen 5 6600U scores 3,206 and the Radeon R9 M290X reaches 3,218 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon Ryzen 5 6600U is built on RDNA 2.0 while the Radeon R9 M290X uses GCN 1.0, both on 7 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 1,792 (Radeon Ryzen 5 6600U) vs 1,280 (Radeon R9 M290X). Raw compute: 8.928 TFLOPS (Radeon Ryzen 5 6600U) vs 2.304 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 M290X). Boost clocks: 2491 MHz vs 900 MHz.
| Feature | Radeon Ryzen 5 6600U | Radeon R9 M290X |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 3,206 | 3,218 |
| Architecture | RDNA 2.0 | GCN 1.0 |
| Process Node | 7 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 1792+40% | 1280 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 8.928 TFLOPS+288% | 2.304 TFLOPS |
| Boost Clock | 2491 MHz+177% | 900 MHz |
| ROPs | 64+100% | 32 |
| TMUs | 112+40% | 80 |
| L1 Cache | 512 KB+60% | 320 KB |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB+300% | 0.5 MB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon Ryzen 5 6600U | Radeon R9 M290X |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Ryzen 5 6600U comes with 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 M290X has 4 GB. The Radeon R9 M290X offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: System vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (Radeon Ryzen 5 6600U) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon R9 M290X) — the Radeon Ryzen 5 6600U has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon Ryzen 5 6600U | Radeon R9 M290X |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 2 GB | 4 GB+100% |
| Memory Type | Shared | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | System | Unknown |
| Bus Width | System | 128-bit |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB+300% | 0.5 MB |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon Ryzen 5 6600U draws 132W versus the Radeon R9 M290X's 100W — a 27.6% difference. The Radeon R9 M290X is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon Ryzen 5 6600U) vs 350W (Radeon R9 M290X). Power connectors: None vs Mobile.
| Feature | Radeon Ryzen 5 6600U | Radeon R9 M290X |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 132W | 100W-24% |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 350W |
| Power Connector | None | Mobile |
| Perf/Watt | 24.3 | 32.2+33% |
Value Analysis
The Radeon Ryzen 5 6600U launched at $350 MSRP and currently averages $350, while the Radeon R9 M290X launched at $400 and now averages $60. The Radeon R9 M290X costs 82.9% less ($290 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 9.2 (Radeon Ryzen 5 6600U) vs 53.6 (Radeon R9 M290X) — the Radeon R9 M290X offers 482.6% better value. The Radeon Ryzen 5 6600U is the newer GPU (2021 vs 2014).
| Feature | Radeon Ryzen 5 6600U | Radeon R9 M290X |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $350-13% | $400 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $350 | $60-83% |
| Performance per Dollar | 9.2 | 53.6+483% |
| Codename | Navi 23 | Neptune |
| Release | October 13 2021 | January 9 2014 |
| Ranking | #150 | #566 |
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