GeForce RTX 4070 vs Radeon R9 M290X

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.

GeForce RTX 4070

2023

Why buy it

✅+736.5% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 458.6% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.9 vs 8.0 G3D/$ ($599 MSRP vs $400 MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
✅200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 4 GB).
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌100% higher power demand at 200W vs 100W.

Radeon R9 M290X

2014

Why buy it

✅Costs $199 less on MSRP ($400 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
✅Draws 100W instead of 200W, a 100W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (3,218 vs 26,919).
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2014-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 8.0 vs 44.9 G3D/$ ($400 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 4070

2023

Radeon R9 M290X

2014

Why buy it

✅+736.5% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 458.6% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.9 vs 8.0 G3D/$ ($599 MSRP vs $400 MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
✅200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 4 GB).
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Why buy it

✅Costs $199 less on MSRP ($400 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).
✅Draws 100W instead of 200W, a 100W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌100% higher power demand at 200W vs 100W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (3,218 vs 26,919).
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2014-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 8.0 vs 44.9 G3D/$ ($400 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 4070 better than Radeon R9 M290X?

Yes. GeForce RTX 4070 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 26,919 vs 3,218 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 4070 is a 2023 card with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation, while Radeon R9 M290X is a 2014 model from an older generation with FSR upscaling. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.

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

GeForce RTX 4070 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2023 generation instead of 2014, 736.5% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 12 GB instead of 4 GB, and better frame-generation support with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023) instead of FSR upscaling. That leaves it with more room for heavier textures, tougher ray tracing loads, and higher-end 1440p or 4K gaming over the next few years.

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

GeForce RTX 4070 is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce RTX 4070 is about 49.8% more expensive on MSRP at $599 MSRP versus $400 MSRP, and you are getting 736.5% higher G3D Mark. Radeon R9 M290X really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

Is Radeon R9 M290X still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

No, not for a fresh gaming build. Radeon R9 M290X is 2014 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM, 3,218 in G3D Mark, and FSR upscaling. That is simply too far behind to be an easy modern recommendation.

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.

GeForce RTX 4070 Benchmark Check

Radeon R9 M290X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 4070	Radeon R9 M290X
1080p
low	183 FPS	78 FPS
medium	167 FPS	67 FPS
high	151 FPS	53 FPS
ultra	131 FPS	35 FPS
1440p
low	150 FPS	69 FPS
medium	124 FPS	59 FPS
high	110 FPS	42 FPS
ultra	101 FPS	27 FPS
4K
low	92 FPS	24 FPS
medium	78 FPS	23 FPS
high	65 FPS	15 FPS
ultra	58 FPS	13 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4070 Open Radeon R9 M290X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 4070	Radeon R9 M290X
1080p
low	544 FPS	112 FPS
medium	454 FPS	84 FPS
high	353 FPS	64 FPS
ultra	299 FPS	40 FPS
1440p
low	351 FPS	64 FPS
medium	288 FPS	43 FPS
high	235 FPS	32 FPS
ultra	197 FPS	22 FPS
4K
low	172 FPS	24 FPS
medium	144 FPS	16 FPS
high	125 FPS	13 FPS
ultra	101 FPS	9 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4070 Open Radeon R9 M290X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 4070	Radeon R9 M290X
1080p
low	884 FPS	145 FPS
medium	713 FPS	116 FPS
high	643 FPS	97 FPS
ultra	569 FPS	72 FPS
1440p
low	684 FPS	109 FPS
medium	549 FPS	87 FPS
high	483 FPS	72 FPS
ultra	424 FPS	54 FPS
4K
low	467 FPS	72 FPS
medium	373 FPS	58 FPS
high	326 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	277 FPS	36 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4070 Open Radeon R9 M290X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 4070	Radeon R9 M290X
1080p
low	751 FPS	142 FPS
medium	612 FPS	113 FPS
high	536 FPS	97 FPS
ultra	497 FPS	72 FPS
1440p
low	615 FPS	103 FPS
medium	500 FPS	84 FPS
high	433 FPS	72 FPS
ultra	395 FPS	54 FPS
4K
low	384 FPS	60 FPS
medium	324 FPS	46 FPS
high	301 FPS	36 FPS
ultra	272 FPS	25 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4070 Open Radeon R9 M290X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 4070 and Radeon R9 M290X

GeForce RTX 4070

The GeForce RTX 4070 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in April 12 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 1920 MHz to 2475 MHz. It has 5888 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 46 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 26,919 points. Launch price was $599.

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.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 4070 scores 26,919 versus the Radeon R9 M290X's 3,218 — the GeForce RTX 4070 leads by 736.5%. The GeForce RTX 4070 is built on Ada Lovelace while the Radeon R9 M290X uses GCN 1.0, both on 5 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 5,888 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 1,280 (Radeon R9 M290X). Raw compute: 29.15 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 2.304 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 M290X). Boost clocks: 2475 MHz vs 900 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4070	Radeon R9 M290X
G3D Mark Score	26,919+737%	3,218
Architecture	Ada Lovelace	GCN 1.0
Process Node	5 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	5888+360%	1280
Compute (TFLOPS)	29.15 TFLOPS+1165%	2.304 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	2475 MHz+175%	900 MHz
ROPs	64+100%	32
TMUs	184+130%	80
L1 Cache	5.8 MB+1771%	0.31 MB
L2 Cache	36 MB+7100%	0.5 MB

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the GeForce RTX 4070 is support for DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation. This allows it to generate entire frames using AI/Algorithms, essentially doubling the frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios or heavy ray-tracing titles. The Radeon R9 M290X lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.The GeForce RTX 4070 gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Radeon R9 M290X relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4070	Radeon R9 M290X
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	Yes (DLSS 3.5)	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	AMD Anti-Lag

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 4070 comes with 12 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 M290X has 4 GB. The GeForce RTX 4070 offers 200% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 192-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 36 MB (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon R9 M290X) — the GeForce RTX 4070 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4070	Radeon R9 M290X
VRAM Capacity	12 GB+200%	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6X	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	504 GB/s	Unknown
Bus Width	192-bit+50%	128-bit
L2 Cache	36 MB+7100%	0.5 MB

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 4070 draws 200W versus the Radeon R9 M290X's 100W — a 66.7% difference. The Radeon R9 M290X is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 350W (Radeon R9 M290X). Power connectors: 8-pin vs Mobile.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4070	Radeon R9 M290X
TDP	200W	100W-50%
Recommended PSU	650W	350W-46%
Power Connector	8-pin	Mobile
Length	304mm	—
Height	137mm	—
Slots	3	—
Temp (Load)	80°C	—
Perf/Watt	134.6+318%	32.2

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Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 4070 launched at $599 MSRP, while the Radeon R9 M290X launched at $400. The Radeon R9 M290X costs 33.2% less ($199 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 44.9 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 8.0 (Radeon R9 M290X) — the GeForce RTX 4070 offers 461.3% better value. The GeForce RTX 4070 is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2014).