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 Ti

2023

Why buy it

✅+274.8% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 157.5% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 39.5 vs 15.3 G3D/$ ($799 MSRP vs $549 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 4nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

Radeon R9 290X

2013

Why buy it

✅Costs $250 less on MSRP ($549 MSRP vs $799 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (8,426 vs 31,578).
❌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).
❌Poor future-proofing: 2013-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 15.3 vs 39.5 G3D/$ ($549 MSRP vs $799 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 4070 Ti

2023

Radeon R9 290X

2013

Why buy it

✅+274.8% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 157.5% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 39.5 vs 15.3 G3D/$ ($799 MSRP vs $549 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 4nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Why buy it

✅Costs $250 less on MSRP ($549 MSRP vs $799 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (8,426 vs 31,578).
❌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).
❌Poor future-proofing: 2013-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 15.3 vs 39.5 G3D/$ ($549 MSRP vs $799 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 4070 Ti better than Radeon R9 290X?

Yes. GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 31,578 vs 8,426 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is a 2023 card with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation, while Radeon R9 290X is a 2013 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 Ti is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2023 generation instead of 2013, 274.8% 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 Ti is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is about 45.5% more expensive on MSRP at $799 MSRP versus $549 MSRP, and you are getting 274.8% higher G3D Mark. Radeon R9 290X really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

Is Radeon R9 290X still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

No, not for a fresh gaming build. Radeon R9 290X is 2013 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM, 8,426 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 Ti Benchmark Check

Radeon R9 290X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 4070 Ti	Radeon R9 290X
1080p
low	188 FPS	103 FPS
medium	171 FPS	89 FPS
high	155 FPS	72 FPS
ultra	135 FPS	43 FPS
1440p
low	151 FPS	90 FPS
medium	125 FPS	79 FPS
high	111 FPS	57 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	33 FPS
4K
low	92 FPS	28 FPS
medium	79 FPS	27 FPS
high	66 FPS	18 FPS
ultra	59 FPS	15 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Open Radeon R9 290X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 4070 Ti	Radeon R9 290X
1080p
low	664 FPS	197 FPS
medium	539 FPS	168 FPS
high	415 FPS	134 FPS
ultra	366 FPS	104 FPS
1440p
low	496 FPS	134 FPS
medium	400 FPS	104 FPS
high	329 FPS	82 FPS
ultra	269 FPS	62 FPS
4K
low	250 FPS	61 FPS
medium	211 FPS	49 FPS
high	187 FPS	44 FPS
ultra	159 FPS	35 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Open Radeon R9 290X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 4070 Ti	Radeon R9 290X
1080p
low	921 FPS	379 FPS
medium	742 FPS	303 FPS
high	652 FPS	253 FPS
ultra	569 FPS	190 FPS
1440p
low	720 FPS	284 FPS
medium	578 FPS	228 FPS
high	497 FPS	190 FPS
ultra	427 FPS	142 FPS
4K
low	498 FPS	190 FPS
medium	403 FPS	152 FPS
high	352 FPS	126 FPS
ultra	296 FPS	95 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Open Radeon R9 290X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 4070 Ti	Radeon R9 290X
1080p
low	879 FPS	155 FPS
medium	731 FPS	128 FPS
high	664 FPS	110 FPS
ultra	600 FPS	94 FPS
1440p
low	706 FPS	110 FPS
medium	585 FPS	91 FPS
high	514 FPS	79 FPS
ultra	460 FPS	65 FPS
4K
low	477 FPS	66 FPS
medium	408 FPS	52 FPS
high	366 FPS	41 FPS
ultra	324 FPS	31 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Open Radeon R9 290X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 4070 Ti and Radeon R9 290X

GeForce RTX 4070 Ti

The GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 3 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 2310 MHz to 2610 MHz. It has 7680 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 285W. Manufactured using 4 nm process technology. It features 60 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 31,578 points. Launch price was $799.

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.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti scores 31,578 versus the Radeon R9 290X's 8,426 — the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti leads by 274.8%. The GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is built on Ada Lovelace while the Radeon R9 290X uses GCN 2.0, both on 4 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 7,680 (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti) vs 2,816 (Radeon R9 290X). Raw compute: 40.09 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti) vs 5.632 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 290X). Boost clocks: 2610 MHz vs 947 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4070 Ti	Radeon R9 290X
G3D Mark Score	31,578+275%	8,426
Architecture	Ada Lovelace	GCN 2.0
Process Node	4 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	7680+173%	2816
Compute (TFLOPS)	40.09 TFLOPS+612%	5.632 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	2610 MHz+176%	947 MHz
ROPs	80+25%	64
TMUs	240+36%	176
L1 Cache	7.5 MB+987%	0.69 MB
L2 Cache	48 MB+4700%	1 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti 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 290X lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.The GeForce RTX 4070 Ti gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Radeon R9 290X relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4070 Ti	Radeon R9 290X
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

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 4070 Ti comes with 12 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 290X has 4 GB. The GeForce RTX 4070 Ti offers 200% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 504 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti) vs 320 GB/s (Radeon R9 290X) — a 57.5% advantage for the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti. Bus width: 192-bit vs 512-bit. L2 Cache: 48 MB (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti) vs 1 MB (Radeon R9 290X) — the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4070 Ti	Radeon R9 290X
VRAM Capacity	12 GB+200%	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6X	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	504 GB/s+57%	320 GB/s
Bus Width	192-bit	512-bit+167%
L2 Cache	48 MB+4700%	1 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti) vs 12.0 (Radeon R9 290X). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.1. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 6.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4070 Ti	Radeon R9 290X
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12.0
Vulkan	1.3+18%	1.1
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	6+50%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (8th Gen) (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti) vs VCE 2.0 (Radeon R9 290X). Decoder: NVDEC (5th Gen) vs UVD 4.2. Supported codecs: AV1,H.264,H.265,VP9 (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti) vs MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1 (Radeon R9 290X).

Feature	GeForce RTX 4070 Ti	Radeon R9 290X
Encoder	NVENC (8th Gen)	VCE 2.0
Decoder	NVDEC (5th Gen)	UVD 4.2
Codecs	AV1,H.264,H.265,VP9	MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 4070 Ti draws 285W versus the Radeon R9 290X's 350W — a 20.5% difference. The GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 700W (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti) vs 750W (Radeon R9 290X). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 6-pin + 8-pin. Card length: 285mm vs 275mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 70°C vs 95°C.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4070 Ti	Radeon R9 290X
TDP	285W-19%	350W
Recommended PSU	700W-7%	750W
Power Connector	8-pin	6-pin + 8-pin
Length	285mm	275mm
Height	112mm	109mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	70°C-26%	95°C
Perf/Watt	110.8+360%	24.1

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 4070 Ti launched at $799 MSRP, while the Radeon R9 290X launched at $549. The Radeon R9 290X costs 31.3% less ($250 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 39.5 (GeForce RTX 4070 Ti) vs 15.3 (Radeon R9 290X) — the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti offers 158.2% better value. The GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2013).