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.

Overview

The Radeon R9 290 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 5 2013. It features the GCN 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 947 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 275W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 8,184 points. Launch price was $399.

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.

FPS Benchmarks

Predicted performance for Radeon R9 290 across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 7800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Technical Analysis

Detailed breakdown of Radeon R9 290 specifications and capabilities.

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Graphics Performance

The Radeon R9 290 scores 8,184 in the G3D Mark benchmark (the standard measure of rasterization GPU performance), placing it in the Mid-Range tier as a Legacy generation graphics card. It is built on the GCN 2.0 (2013−2017) architecture (codename: Hawaii), manufactured on a 28 nm process— smaller process nodes improve power efficiency and transistor density. It packs 2560 shader units (the primary compute units for rendering pixels), 160 TMUs (texture mapping units), and 64 ROPs (render output units that handle final pixel output). Raw FP32 compute power: 4.849 TFLOPS — this measures the theoretical peak floating-point performance.

Specification	Radeon R9 290
G3D MarkPassMark 3D graphics benchmark score	8,184
ArchitectureGPU microarchitecture generation	GCN 2.0 (2013−2017)
CodenameInternal GPU die codename	Hawaii
Manufacturing ProcessFabrication node — smaller = more efficient	28 nm
Shader UnitsCore compute units for rendering/compute	2560
TMUsTexture Mapping Units — handle texture sampling	160
ROPsRender Output Units — final pixel/color blending	64
Base ClockGuaranteed minimum GPU frequency	947 MHz
Compute (FP32)Peak single-precision floating-point performance	4.849 TFLOPS
Texture Fill RateTextures processed per second	151.5 GTexel/s
PCIe InterfaceCPU↔GPU data link generation	PCIe 3.0 x16
Transistor Count	6,200 million
Performance RankPosition in global GPU performance ranking	#316

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon R9 290 is equipped with 4 GB of GDDR5 video memory connected via a 512-bit memory bus, delivering 320 GB/s of bandwidth. Memory operates at 8 Gbps effective speed.

Specification	Radeon R9 290
VRAM SizeVideo memory capacity — more = better for high-res textures	4 GB
VRAM TypeMemory technology generation	GDDR5
Memory BusWidth of data path — wider = more bandwidth	512-bit
Memory SpeedEffective memory data rate	8 Gbps
BandwidthMaximum data throughput between GPU and VRAM	320 GB/s
L1 Cache	640 kB
L2 Cache	1024 kB

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Advanced Features & APIs

The Radeon R9 290 supports modern upscaling and frame generation technologies: FidelityFX Super Resolution — these can dramatically boost effective FPS by generating intermediate frames or upscaling from lower internal resolution. Graphics API support: DirectX 12.0, Vulkan 1.2, OpenGL 4.6— latest API versions enable the most advanced rendering features like ray tracing and mesh shaders.

Specification	Radeon R9 290
FSR Frame Generation	❌ Not Supported
AMD Fluid Motion Frames	❌ Not Supported
FidelityFX Super Resolution	✅ Supported
DirectXMicrosoft graphics API version	12.0
VulkanCross-platform graphics API	1.2
OpenGLLegacy graphics API	4.6
Compute APIGPGPU framework (CUDA/ROCm/OpenCL)	OpenCL 2.1
Multi-GPUSLI/CrossFire/NVLink support	CrossFire

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Display & Media

Display outputs: 1x DP, 2x DVI, 1x HDMI — supports up to 6 simultaneous displays. Hardware encoder: VCE 2.0, decoder: UVD 4.2— dedicated hardware for video encoding/decoding accelerates streaming, recording, and video playback. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1.

Specification	Radeon R9 290
DP PortsNumber of DP display connectors	1x
DVI PortsNumber of DVI display connectors	2x
HDMI PortsNumber of HDMI display connectors	1x
Max DisplaysMaximum simultaneously connected monitors	6
Hardware EncoderVideo encoding engine version	VCE 2.0
Hardware DecoderVideo decoding engine version	UVD 4.2
CodecsSupported video compression formats	MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1

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Power & Dimensions

The Radeon R9 290 draws 275 Watt under load (TDP) — a 750W PSU minimum is recommended. Power connector: 6-pin + 8-pin. Physical size: 275mm long, 109mm tall, occupying 2 expansion slots, weighing 1010g— verify your case has clearance before purchasing. Typical temperatures: 45°C at idle, 95°C under load.

Specification	Radeon R9 290
TDPPower consumption under load	275 Watt
Recommended PSUMinimum power supply wattage	750W
Power ConnectorRequired PCIe power cable type	6-pin + 8-pin
Card LengthGPU card length — check case clearance	275mm
Card Height	109mm
Slot WidthExpansion slots occupied	2-slot
Weight	1010g
Idle TemperatureTypical temperature at desktop idle	45°C
Load TemperatureTypical temperature under gaming load	95°C

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Value Analysis

At an average price of $50 (MSRP: $399), the Radeon R9 290 delivers 164 G3D Mark points per dollar. Overall performance ranking position: #316 among all indexed GPUs.

Specification	Radeon R9 290
MSRPManufacturer's Suggested Retail Price	$399
Avg Price (30d)Average market price over the last 30 days	$50
Performance RankPosition in global GPU performance ranking	#316
Release Date	November 5 2013
Release Year	2013