GeForce GTX 560 SE vs Radeon R9 290X

When comparing GeForce GTX 560 SE 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 560 SE and Radeon R9 290X is the price. Does the additional cost justify the performance hit? Our comparison should help you make the right decision.

Main Specs

  GeForce GTX 560 SE Radeon R9 290X
Power consumption (TDP) 150 Watt 250 Watt
Interface PCIe 2.0 x16 PCIe 3.0 x16
Supplementary power connectors 2x 6-pin 1 x 6-pin + 1 x 8-pin
Memory type GDDR5 GDDR5
Maximum RAM amount 1 GB 4 GB
Display Connectors 2x DVI, 1x mini-HDMI 2x DVI, 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort
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  • Radeon R9 290X has 66% more power consumption, than GeForce GTX 560 SE.
  • GeForce GTX 560 SE is connected by PCIe 2.0 x16, and Radeon R9 290X uses PCIe 3.0 x16 interface.
  • Radeon R9 290X has 3 GB more memory, than GeForce GTX 560 SE.
  • Both cards are used in Desktops.
  • GeForce GTX 560 SE is build with Fermi 2.0 architecture, and Radeon R9 290X - with GCN.
  • GeForce GTX 560 SE is manufactured by 40 nm process technology, and Radeon R9 290X - by 28 nm process technology.
  • Radeon R9 290X is 65 mm longer, than GeForce GTX 560 SE.
  • Memory clock speed of GeForce GTX 560 SE is 2578 MHz higher, than Radeon R9 290X.

Game benchmarks

high / 1080p 9−10 35−40
ultra / 1080p 5−6 24−27
QHD / 1440p 0−1 18−20
4K / 2160p 10−11
low / 720p 21−24 60−65
medium / 1080p 10−12 45−50
The average gaming FPS of Radeon R9 290X in Assassin's Creed Odyssey is 258% more, than GeForce GTX 560 SE.

Full Specs

  GeForce GTX 560 SE Radeon R9 290X
Architecture Fermi 2.0 GCN
Code name GF114 Hawaii XT
Type Desktop Desktop
Release date 20 February 2012 24 October 2013
Pipelines 288 2816
Core clock speed 736 MHz
Boost Clock 947 MHz
Transistor count 1,950 million 6,200 million
Manufacturing process technology 40 nm 28 nm
Texture fill rate 35.33 176.0
Floating-point performance 847.9 gflops 5,632 gflops
Length 210 mm 275 mm
Memory bus width 192 Bit 512 Bit
Memory clock speed 3828 MHz 1250 MHz
Memory bandwidth 91.87 GB/s 320 GB/s
Shared memory -
DirectX 12 (11_0)
Shader Model 5.1 6.3
OpenGL 4.6 4.6
OpenCL 1.1 2.0
Vulkan N/A +
CUDA 2.1
Monero / XMR (CryptoNight) 0.76 kh/s
FreeSync +
Bus support PCIe 3.0
HDMI +
Bitcoin / BTC (SHA256) 54 Mh/s 623 Mh/s
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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