GeForce GTX 870M vs Radeon R9 290X

When comparing GeForce GTX 870M and Radeon R9 290X, 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 870M and Radeon R9 290X is the price. Does the additional cost justify the performance hit? Our comparison should help you make the right decision.

GeForce GTX 870M is a Laptop Graphics Card

Note: GeForce GTX 870M 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 GeForce GTX 870M here:

Main Specs

  GeForce GTX 870M Radeon R9 290X
Power consumption (TDP) 100 Watt 250 Watt
Interface MXM-B (3.0) PCIe 3.0 x16
Supplementary power connectors None 1 x 6-pin + 1 x 8-pin
Memory type GDDR5 GDDR5
Maximum RAM amount 6 GB 4 GB
Display Connectors No outputs 2x DVI, 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort
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  • Radeon R9 290X has 150% more power consumption, than GeForce GTX 870M.
  • GeForce GTX 870M is connected by MXM-B (3.0), and Radeon R9 290X uses PCIe 3.0 x16 interface.
  • GeForce GTX 870M has 2 GB more memory, than Radeon R9 290X.
  • GeForce GTX 870M is used in Laptops, and Radeon R9 290X - in Desktops.
  • GeForce GTX 870M is build with Kepler architecture, and Radeon R9 290X - with GCN.
  • GeForce GTX 870M and Radeon R9 290X are manufactured by 28 nm process technology.

Game benchmarks

high / 1080p 16−18 35−40
ultra / 1080p 10−11 24−27
QHD / 1440p 4−5 18−20
4K / 2160p 10−11
low / 720p 35−40 60−65
medium / 1080p 21−24 45−50
The average gaming FPS of Radeon R9 290X in Assassin's Creed Odyssey is 111% more, than GeForce GTX 870M.

Full Specs

  GeForce GTX 870M Radeon R9 290X
Architecture Kepler GCN
Code name N15P-GT Hawaii XT
Type Laptop Desktop
Release date 12 March 2014 24 October 2013
Pipelines 1344 2816
Core clock speed 941 MHz
Boost Clock 967 MHz 947 MHz
Transistor count 3,540 million 6,200 million
Manufacturing process technology 28 nm 28 nm
Texture fill rate 108.3 176.0
Floating-point performance 2,599 gflops 5,632 gflops
Length 275 mm
Memory bus width 192 Bit 512 Bit
Memory clock speed 1250 MHz
Memory bandwidth 120.0 GB/s 320 GB/s
Shared memory - -
DirectX 12 (11_0)
Shader Model 5.1 6.3
OpenGL 4.5 4.6
OpenCL 1.1 2.0
Vulkan 1.1.126 +
CUDA +
Monero / XMR (CryptoNight) 0.76 kh/s
FreeSync +
CUDA cores 1344
Bus support PCI Express 2.0, PCI Express 3.0 PCIe 3.0
SLI options +
HDMI + +
Bitcoin / BTC (SHA256) 82 Mh/s 623 Mh/s
Laptop size large
Standard memory configuration GDDR5
eDP 1.2 signal support Up to 3840x2160
LVDS signal support Up to 1920x1200
DisplayPort Multimode (DP++) support Up to 3840x2160
HDCP content protection +
7.1 channel HD audio on HDMI +
TrueHD and DTS-HD audio bitstreaming +
H.264, VC1, MPEG2 1080p video decoder +
Optimus +
Eyefinity +
HD3D +
TrueAudio +
Design reference
DisplayPort support +
CrossFire +
DDMA audio +
Decred / DCR (Decred) 1.07 Gh/s
Ethereum / ETH (DaggerHashimoto) 25.75 Mh/s
Zcash / ZEC (Equihash) 350 Sol/s
AppAcceleration +
LiquidVR +
TressFX +
UVD +
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