Radeon R9 290X vs Radeon R9 390X

Radeon R9 290X
Memory: 4096Mb GDDR5DESKTOP
Release date: 24 Oct 2013
Radeon R9 290X
Radeon R9 390X
Memory: 8192Mb GDDR5DESKTOP
Release date: 18 Jun 2015
Radeon R9 390X

Summary

Synthetic performance index

  • Radeon R9 290X
    100%
  • Radeon R9 390X
    116%

Relative performance

Gaming performance index

  • Radeon R9 290X
    100%
  • Radeon R9 390X
    109%

Relative performance

Reasons to consider Radeon R9 290X

Supports Direct3D 12 Async Compute
Supports FreeSync
Supports ReLive (allows game streaming/recording with minimum performance penalty)
Supports TrueAudio
Based on an outdated architecture (AMD GCN), there may be no performance optimizations for current games and applications

Reasons to consider Radeon R9 390X

9% higher gaming performance.
This is a much newer product, it might have better long term support.
Supports Direct3D 12 Async Compute
Supports FreeSync
Supports ReLive (allows game streaming/recording with minimum performance penalty)
Supports TrueAudio
Based on an outdated architecture (AMD GCN), there may be no performance optimizations for current games and applications

Radeon R9 390X

HWBench recommends Radeon R9 390X

The Radeon R9 390X is the better performing card based on the game benchmark suite used (69 combinations of games and resolutions).


Specifications

Core Configuration

Radeon R9 290XRadeon R9 390X
GPU NameHawaii (Hawaii XT)vsGrenada (Grenada XT)
Fab Process28 nmvs28 nm
Die Size438 mm²vs438 mm²
Transistors6,200 millionvs6,200 million
Shaders2816vs2816
Compute Units44vs44
Core clock1000 MHzvs1050 MHz
ROPs64vs64
TMUs176vs176

Memory Configuration

Radeon R9 290XRadeon R9 390X
Memory TypeGDDR5vsGDDR5
Bus Width512 bitvs512 bit
Memory Speed1250 MHz
5000 MHz effective
vs1500 MHz
6000 MHz effective
Memory Size4096 Mbvs8192 Mb

Additional details

Radeon R9 290XRadeon R9 390X
TDP290 wattsvs275 watts
Release Date24 Oct 2013vs18 Jun 2015

Raw Performance comparison

Pixel Rate

  • Radeon R9 290X
    64.00 GP/s
  • Radeon R9 390X
    67.20 GP/s

GigaPixels - higher is better

Texel Rate

  • Radeon R9 290X
    176.00 GT/s
  • Radeon R9 390X
    184.80 GT/s

GigaTexels - higher is better

Memory bandwidth

  • Radeon R9 290X
    320.00 GB/s
  • Radeon R9 390X
    384.00 GB/s

GB/s - higher is better

Single precision performance

  • Radeon R9 290X
    5632.00 GFLOPs
  • Radeon R9 390X
    5914.00 GFLOPs

GFLOPs - higher is better

Synthetic benchmarks

3DMark 11

  • Radeon R9 290X
    16210
  • Radeon R9 390X
    18860

Points (higher is better)

Game benchmarks

Anno 2205

DX11, Ultra Quality, 4xAA

  • Radeon R9 290X
    57
  • Radeon R9 390X
    61

FPS (higher is better)

Assassin's Creed: Unity

  • Radeon R9 290X
    35.5
  • Radeon R9 390X
    38.8

FPS (higher is better)

Battlefield 3

  • Radeon R9 290X
    120.6
  • Radeon R9 390X
    132

FPS (higher is better)

Battlefield 4

  • Radeon R9 290X
    74.3
  • Radeon R9 390X
    83.9

FPS (higher is better)

Battlefield Hardline

DX11, Ultra Quality, 4xMSAA,EP3 Gator Bait

  • Radeon R9 290X
    66
  • Radeon R9 390X
    68

FPS (higher is better)

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare

  • Radeon R9 290X
    113.3
  • Radeon R9 390X
    122.1

FPS (higher is better)

Civilization: Beyond Earth

  • Radeon R9 290X
    105.7
  • Radeon R9 390X
    112.7

FPS (higher is better)

Crysis 3

  • Radeon R9 290X
    46.2
  • Radeon R9 390X
    51.6

FPS (higher is better)

Doom (2016)

OpenGL, Ultra Quality, SMAA 1tx

  • Radeon R9 290X
    100
  • Radeon R9 390X
    102

FPS (higher is better)

Fallout 4

DX11, Ultra Details, Godrays, High shadows

  • Radeon R9 290X
    73
  • Radeon R9 390X
    75

FPS (higher is better)

Far Cry 4

  • Radeon R9 290X
    71.7
  • Radeon R9 390X
    82.6

FPS (higher is better)

Far Cry Primal

DX11, Very High Settings

  • Radeon R9 290X
    68
  • Radeon R9 390X
    69

FPS (higher is better)

Grand Theft Auto V

DX11, Max Details, 16:1 AF, 2xMSAA

  • Radeon R9 290X
    83
  • Radeon R9 390X
    85

FPS (higher is better)

Hitman (2016)

DX12, Ultra Quality, MSAA, 16x AF

  • Radeon R9 290X
    75
  • Radeon R9 390X
    82

FPS (higher is better)

Mad Max

  • Radeon R9 290X
    107.2
  • Radeon R9 390X
    117.1

FPS (higher is better)

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

  • Radeon R9 290X
    81.7
  • Radeon R9 390X
    89

FPS (higher is better)

Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor

  • Radeon R9 290X
    99.8
  • Radeon R9 390X
    109.7

FPS (higher is better)

Rise Of The Tomb Raider

DX12, Very High Details, Pure Hair On, HBAO+

  • Radeon R9 290X
    60
  • Radeon R9 390X
    76

FPS (higher is better)

Ryse

  • Radeon R9 290X
    88.7
  • Radeon R9 390X
    96

FPS (higher is better)

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

DX11,Max Details, 16:1 HQ-AF, +AA

  • Radeon R9 290X
    49
  • Radeon R9 390X
    52

FPS (higher is better)

Thief 2014

DX11, Very High Details

  • Radeon R9 290X
    64
  • Radeon R9 390X
    73

FPS (higher is better)

Tom Clancy's The Division

DX11, Max Details, 16:1 AF

  • Radeon R9 290X
    61
  • Radeon R9 390X
    63

FPS (higher is better)

Watch Dogs

  • Radeon R9 290X
    74.7
  • Radeon R9 390X
    82.3

FPS (higher is better)

Anno 2205

DX11, Ultra Quality, 4xAA

  • Radeon R9 290X
    41
  • Radeon R9 390X
    42

FPS (higher is better)

Assassin's Creed: Unity

  • Radeon R9 290X
    22.9
  • Radeon R9 390X
    24.8

FPS (higher is better)

Battlefield 3

  • Radeon R9 290X
    77.5
  • Radeon R9 390X
    85

FPS (higher is better)

Battlefield 4

  • Radeon R9 290X
    49.8
  • Radeon R9 390X
    56.8

FPS (higher is better)

Battlefield Hardline

DX11, Ultra Quality, 4xMSAA,EP3 Gator Bait

  • Radeon R9 290X
    48
  • Radeon R9 390X
    49

FPS (higher is better)

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare

  • Radeon R9 290X
    89.7
  • Radeon R9 390X
    96.2

FPS (higher is better)

Civilization: Beyond Earth

  • Radeon R9 290X
    76.5
  • Radeon R9 390X
    82.3

FPS (higher is better)

Crysis 3

  • Radeon R9 290X
    29.9
  • Radeon R9 390X
    33.6

FPS (higher is better)

Doom (2016)

OpenGL, Ultra Quality, SMAA 1tx

  • Radeon R9 290X
    63
  • Radeon R9 390X
    70

FPS (higher is better)

Fallout 4

DX11, Ultra Details, Godrays, High shadows

  • Radeon R9 290X
    47
  • Radeon R9 390X
    49

FPS (higher is better)

Far Cry 4

  • Radeon R9 290X
    51.6
  • Radeon R9 390X
    58.2

FPS (higher is better)

Far Cry Primal

DX11, Very High Settings

  • Radeon R9 290X
    50
  • Radeon R9 390X
    52

FPS (higher is better)

Grand Theft Auto V

DX11, Max Details, 16:1 AF, 2xMSAA

  • Radeon R9 290X
    58
  • Radeon R9 390X
    61

FPS (higher is better)

Hitman (2016)

DX12, Ultra Quality, MSAA, 16x AF

  • Radeon R9 290X
    59
  • Radeon R9 390X
    64

FPS (higher is better)

Mad Max

  • Radeon R9 290X
    72.2
  • Radeon R9 390X
    79

FPS (higher is better)

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

  • Radeon R9 290X
    49.9
  • Radeon R9 390X
    54.4

FPS (higher is better)

Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor

  • Radeon R9 290X
    71.2
  • Radeon R9 390X
    77.9

FPS (higher is better)

Rise Of The Tomb Raider

DX12, Very High Details, Pure Hair On, HBAO+

  • Radeon R9 290X
    43
  • Radeon R9 390X
    53

FPS (higher is better)

Ryse

  • Radeon R9 290X
    66.6
  • Radeon R9 390X
    72.4

FPS (higher is better)

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

DX11,Max Details, 16:1 HQ-AF, +AA

  • Radeon R9 290X
    39
  • Radeon R9 390X
    41

FPS (higher is better)

Thief 2014

DX11, Very High Details

  • Radeon R9 290X
    49
  • Radeon R9 390X
    55

FPS (higher is better)

Tom Clancy's The Division

DX11, Max Details, 16:1 AF

  • Radeon R9 290X
    44
  • Radeon R9 390X
    46

FPS (higher is better)

Watch Dogs

  • Radeon R9 290X
    54.2
  • Radeon R9 390X
    59.9

FPS (higher is better)

Anno 2205

DX11, Ultra Quality, 4xAA

  • Radeon R9 290X
    25
  • Radeon R9 390X
    26

FPS (higher is better)

Assassin's Creed: Unity

  • Radeon R9 290X
    20.2
  • Radeon R9 390X
    21.6

FPS (higher is better)

Battlefield 3

  • Radeon R9 290X
    38.5
  • Radeon R9 390X
    42.3

FPS (higher is better)

Battlefield 4

  • Radeon R9 290X
    25.6
  • Radeon R9 390X
    29.6

FPS (higher is better)

Battlefield Hardline

DX11, Ultra Quality, 4xMSAA,EP3 Gator Bait

  • Radeon R9 290X
    26
  • Radeon R9 390X
    26

FPS (higher is better)

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare

  • Radeon R9 290X
    56.4
  • Radeon R9 390X
    60.5

FPS (higher is better)

Civilization: Beyond Earth

  • Radeon R9 290X
    48.8
  • Radeon R9 390X
    52.7

FPS (higher is better)

Crysis 3

  • Radeon R9 290X
    20.7
  • Radeon R9 390X
    23.2

FPS (higher is better)

Doom (2016)

OpenGL, Ultra Quality, SMAA 1tx

  • Radeon R9 290X
    32
  • Radeon R9 390X
    36

FPS (higher is better)

Fallout 4

DX11, Ultra Details, Godrays, High shadows

  • Radeon R9 290X
    22
  • Radeon R9 390X
    27

FPS (higher is better)

Far Cry 4

  • Radeon R9 290X
    28.3
  • Radeon R9 390X
    31.8

FPS (higher is better)

Far Cry Primal

DX11, Very High Settings

  • Radeon R9 290X
    28
  • Radeon R9 390X
    30

FPS (higher is better)

Grand Theft Auto V

DX11, Max Details, 16:1 AF, 2xMSAA

  • Radeon R9 290X
    31
  • Radeon R9 390X
    32

FPS (higher is better)

Hitman (2016)

DX12, Ultra Quality, MSAA, 16x AF

  • Radeon R9 290X
    31
  • Radeon R9 390X
    37

FPS (higher is better)

Mad Max

  • Radeon R9 290X
    36.9
  • Radeon R9 390X
    40.4

FPS (higher is better)

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain

  • Radeon R9 290X
    25.1
  • Radeon R9 390X
    27.4

FPS (higher is better)

Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor

  • Radeon R9 290X
    39.9
  • Radeon R9 390X
    43.6

FPS (higher is better)

Rise Of The Tomb Raider

DX12, Very High Details, Pure Hair On, HBAO+

  • Radeon R9 290X
    24
  • Radeon R9 390X
    29

FPS (higher is better)

Ryse

  • Radeon R9 290X
    33.5
  • Radeon R9 390X
    36.3

FPS (higher is better)

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

DX11,Max Details, 16:1 HQ-AF, +AA

  • Radeon R9 290X
    24
  • Radeon R9 390X
    25

FPS (higher is better)

Thief 2014

DX11, Very High Details

  • Radeon R9 290X
    26
  • Radeon R9 390X
    30

FPS (higher is better)

Tom Clancy's The Division

DX11, Max Details, 16:1 AF

  • Radeon R9 290X
    25
  • Radeon R9 390X
    27

FPS (higher is better)

Watch Dogs

  • Radeon R9 290X
    30.1
  • Radeon R9 390X
    33.2

FPS (higher is better)