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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

Radeon R9 290X

2013

Why buy it

✅Costs $950 less on MSRP ($549 MSRP vs $1,499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 163.4% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 15.3 vs 5.8 G3D/$ ($549 MSRP vs $1,499 MSRP).
✅Draws 350W instead of 500W, a 150W reduction.
✅Measures 275mm instead of 307mm, a 32mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2013-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

Radeon R9 295X2

2014

Why buy it

✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).
✅More future proof: GCN 2.0 (2013−2017) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2014-era hardware with 8 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
173% HIGHER MSRP
$1,499 MSRPvs$549 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 5.8 vs 15.3 G3D/$ ($1,499 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
❌42.9% higher power demand at 500W vs 350W.
❌11.6% longer card at 307mm vs 275mm.

Radeon R9 290X

2013

Radeon R9 295X2

2014

Why buy it

✅Costs $950 less on MSRP ($549 MSRP vs $1,499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 163.4% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 15.3 vs 5.8 G3D/$ ($549 MSRP vs $1,499 MSRP).
✅Draws 350W instead of 500W, a 150W reduction.
✅Measures 275mm instead of 307mm, a 32mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Why buy it

✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).
✅More future proof: GCN 2.0 (2013−2017) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Poor future-proofing: 2013-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.

Trade-offs

❌Poor future-proofing: 2014-era hardware with 8 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
173% HIGHER MSRP
$1,499 MSRPvs$549 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 5.8 vs 15.3 G3D/$ ($1,499 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
❌42.9% higher power demand at 500W vs 350W.
❌11.6% longer card at 307mm vs 275mm.

Quick Answers

So, is Radeon R9 295X2 better than Radeon R9 290X?

Yes, but this is not really about a huge raw performance gap. The broader synthetic picture is also very close at 8,426 vs 8,734 in G3D Mark. The bigger reason to prefer Radeon R9 295X2 is the overall package: you are getting a newer generation, FSR upscaling.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Radeon R9 290X is the safer long-term GPU choice because it gives you the stronger overall hardware and feature outlook for modern games.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

Radeon R9 295X2 is the smarter buy by a wide margin. Radeon R9 295X2 is about 173.0% more expensive on MSRP at $1,499 MSRP versus $549 MSRP, and you are getting 3.7% higher G3D Mark. Radeon R9 290X really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

When does Radeon R9 290X make more sense than Radeon R9 295X2?

Yes. Radeon R9 290X is still an excellent gaming GPU in 2026: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It makes more sense if your priority is lower power draw (350W vs 500W), future-proofing, and staying closer to $549 MSRP more than squeezing out the extra headroom of Radeon R9 295X2. The trade-off is that Radeon R9 295X2 currently gives you 3.7% higher G3D Mark. Radeon R9 290X still holds the G3D-per-dollar lead, so the performance win comes with a real value premium.

Games Benchmarks

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 9800X3D 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 R9 290X Benchmark Check

Radeon R9 295X2 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Radeon R9 290X	Radeon R9 295X2
1080p
low	103 FPS	135 FPS
medium	89 FPS	115 FPS
high	72 FPS	94 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	57 FPS
1440p
low	90 FPS	113 FPS
medium	79 FPS	96 FPS
high	57 FPS	70 FPS
ultra	33 FPS	42 FPS
4K
low	28 FPS	39 FPS
medium	27 FPS	36 FPS
high	18 FPS	22 FPS
ultra	15 FPS	19 FPS

Open Radeon R9 290X Open Radeon R9 295X2

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Radeon R9 290X	Radeon R9 295X2
1080p
low	197 FPS	209 FPS
medium	168 FPS	182 FPS
high	134 FPS	152 FPS
ultra	104 FPS	120 FPS
1440p
low	134 FPS	145 FPS
medium	104 FPS	116 FPS
high	82 FPS	93 FPS
ultra	62 FPS	72 FPS
4K
low	61 FPS	66 FPS
medium	49 FPS	55 FPS
high	44 FPS	49 FPS
ultra	35 FPS	41 FPS

Open Radeon R9 290X Open Radeon R9 295X2

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Radeon R9 290X	Radeon R9 295X2
1080p
low	379 FPS	393 FPS
medium	303 FPS	314 FPS
high	253 FPS	262 FPS
ultra	190 FPS	197 FPS
1440p
low	284 FPS	295 FPS
medium	228 FPS	236 FPS
high	190 FPS	197 FPS
ultra	142 FPS	147 FPS
4K
low	190 FPS	197 FPS
medium	152 FPS	157 FPS
high	126 FPS	131 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	98 FPS

Open Radeon R9 290X Open Radeon R9 295X2

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Radeon R9 290X	Radeon R9 295X2
1080p
low	192 FPS	295 FPS
medium	160 FPS	257 FPS
high	143 FPS	215 FPS
ultra	114 FPS	170 FPS
1440p
low	131 FPS	213 FPS
medium	110 FPS	188 FPS
high	99 FPS	150 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	114 FPS
4K
low	78 FPS	120 FPS
medium	63 FPS	98 FPS
high	51 FPS	80 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	59 FPS

Open Radeon R9 290X Open Radeon R9 295X2

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Radeon R9 290X and Radeon R9 295X2

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.

Radeon R9 295X2

The Radeon R9 295X2 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 29 2014. It features the GCN 2.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1018 MHz. It has 2816 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 500W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 8,734 points. Launch price was $1,499.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon R9 290X scores 8,426 and the Radeon R9 295X2 reaches 8,734 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 3.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon R9 290X is built on GCN 2.0 while the Radeon R9 295X2 uses GCN 2.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 2,816 (Radeon R9 290X) vs 2,816 (Radeon R9 295X2). Raw compute: 5.632 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 290X) vs 5.733 TFLOPS ×2 (Radeon R9 295X2). Boost clocks: 947 MHz vs 1018 MHz.

Feature	Radeon R9 290X	Radeon R9 295X2
G3D Mark Score	8,426	8,734+4%
Architecture	GCN 2.0	GCN 2.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	2816	2816 ×2
Compute (TFLOPS)	5.632 TFLOPS	5.733 TFLOPS ×2+2%
Boost Clock	947 MHz	1018 MHz+7%
ROPs	64	64 ×2
TMUs	176	176 ×2
L1 Cache	704 KB	704 KB
L2 Cache	1 MB	1 MB
Frame Generation	FSR upscaling	FSR upscaling

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon R9 290X	Radeon R9 295X2
Upscaling Tech	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	AMD Anti-Lag	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon R9 290X comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 295X2 has 8 GB. The Radeon R9 295X2 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 320 GB/s (Radeon R9 290X) vs 320 GB/s x2 (Radeon R9 295X2) — a 900.6% advantage for the Radeon R9 295X2. Bus width: 512-bit vs 512-bit x2.

Feature	Radeon R9 290X	Radeon R9 295X2
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	8 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	320 GB/s	320 GB/s x2
Bus Width	512-bit	512-bit x2
L2 Cache	1 MB	1 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.0 (Radeon R9 290X) vs 12.0 (Radeon R9 295X2). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.1. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.3. Maximum simultaneous displays: 6 vs 6.

Feature	Radeon R9 290X	Radeon R9 295X2
DirectX	12.0	12.0
Vulkan	1.1	1.1
OpenGL	4.6+7%	4.3
Max Displays	6	6

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: VCE 2.0 (Radeon R9 290X) vs VCE 2.0 (Radeon R9 295X2). Decoder: UVD 4.2 vs UVD 4.2. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1 (Radeon R9 290X) vs MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1 (Radeon R9 295X2).

Feature	Radeon R9 290X	Radeon R9 295X2
Encoder	VCE 2.0	VCE 2.0
Decoder	UVD 4.2	UVD 4.2
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1	MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon R9 290X draws 350W versus the Radeon R9 295X2's 500W — a 35.3% difference. The Radeon R9 290X is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 750W (Radeon R9 290X) vs 1000W (Radeon R9 295X2). Power connectors: 6-pin + 8-pin vs 2x 8-pin. Card length: 275mm vs 307mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 95°C vs 65°C.

Feature	Radeon R9 290X	Radeon R9 295X2
TDP	350W-30%	500W
Recommended PSU	750W-25%	1000W
Power Connector	6-pin + 8-pin	2x 8-pin
Length	275mm	307mm
Height	109mm	114mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	95°C	65°C-32%
Perf/Watt	24.1+38%	17.5

💰

Value Analysis

The Radeon R9 290X launched at $549 MSRP, while the Radeon R9 295X2 launched at $1499. The Radeon R9 290X costs 63.4% less ($950 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 15.3 (Radeon R9 290X) vs 5.8 (Radeon R9 295X2) — the Radeon R9 290X offers 163.8% better value. The Radeon R9 295X2 is the newer GPU (2014 vs 2013).