GeForce GTX 280 vs Radeon R9 M290X

When comparing GeForce GTX 280 and Radeon R9 M290X, we look primarily at benchmarks and game tests. But it is not only about the numbers. Often you can find third-party models with higher clock speeds, better cooling, or a customizable RGB lighting. Not all of them will have all the features you need. Another thing to consider is the port selection. Most graphics cards have at least one DisplayPort and HDMI interface, but some monitors require DVI. Before you buy, check the TDP of the graphics card - this characteristic will help you estimate the consumption of the graphics card. You may even have to upgrade your PSU to meet its requirements. An important factor when choosing between GeForce GTX 280 and Radeon R9 M290X is the price. Does the additional cost justify the performance hit? Our comparison should help you make the right decision.

Radeon R9 M290X is a Laptop Graphics Card

Note: Radeon R9 M290X is only used in laptop graphics. It has lower GPU clock speed compared to the desktop variant, which results in lower power consumption, but also 10-30% lower gaming performance. Check available laptop models with Radeon R9 M290X here:

Main Specs

  GeForce GTX 280 Radeon R9 M290X
Power consumption (TDP) 236 Watt 100 Watt
Interface PCIe 2.0 x16 PCIe 3.0 x16
Supplementary power connectors 6-pin & 8-pin None
Memory type GDDR3 GDDR5
Maximum RAM amount 1 GB 4 GB
Display Connectors 2x DVI, 1x S-Video No outputs
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  • GeForce GTX 280 has 136% more power consumption, than Radeon R9 M290X.
  • GeForce GTX 280 is connected by PCIe 2.0 x16, and Radeon R9 M290X uses PCIe 3.0 x16 interface.
  • Radeon R9 M290X has 3 GB more memory, than GeForce GTX 280.
  • GeForce GTX 280 is used in Desktops, and Radeon R9 M290X - in Laptops.
  • GeForce GTX 280 is build with Tesla 2.0 architecture, and Radeon R9 M290X - with GCN.
  • Core clock speed of GeForce GTX 280 is 446 MHz higher, than Radeon R9 M290X.
  • GeForce GTX 280 is manufactured by 65 nm process technology, and Radeon R9 M290X - by 28 nm process technology.
  • Memory clock speed of Radeon R9 M290X is 93 MHz higher, than GeForce GTX 280.

Game benchmarks

high / 1080p 1−2 16−18
ultra / 1080p 0−1 10−11
QHD / 1440p 0−1 4−5
4K / 2160p 4−5
low / 720p 12−14 30−35
medium / 1080p 3−4 20−22
The average gaming FPS of Radeon R9 M290X in Assassin's Creed Odyssey is 283% more, than GeForce GTX 280.

Full Specs

  GeForce GTX 280 Radeon R9 M290X
Architecture Tesla 2.0 GCN
Code name GT200 Neptune
Type Desktop Laptop
Release date 16 June 2008 7 January 2014
Pipelines 240 1280
Core clock speed 1296 MHz 850 MHz
Boost Clock 900 MHz
Transistor count 1,400 million 2,800 million
Manufacturing process technology 65 nm 28 nm
Texture fill rate 48.2 billion/sec 72.00
Floating-point performance 622.1 gflops 2,304 gflops
Length 10.5" (267 mm) (26.7 cm)
Memory bus width 512 Bit 256 Bit
Memory clock speed 1107 MHz 1200 MHz
Memory bandwidth 141.7 GB/s 153.6 GB/s
Shared memory -
DirectX 11.1 (10_0)
Shader Model 4.0 5.1
OpenGL 2.1 4.4
OpenCL 1.1 Not Listed
Vulkan N/A
CUDA +
FreeSync +
CUDA cores 240
Bus support PCIe 3.0 x16
Height 4.376" (111 mm) (11.1 cm)
SLI options +
Multi monitor support +
Maximum VGA resolution 2048x1536
Audio input for HDMI S/PDIF
Bitcoin / BTC (SHA256) 300 Mh/s
Laptop size large
Eyefinity +
HD3D +
PowerTune +
DualGraphics +
ZeroCore +
Switchable graphics +
Mantle +
Compute units 20
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