Radeon R9 290X vs Radeon RX 540

When comparing Radeon R9 290X and Radeon RX 540, 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 Radeon R9 290X and Radeon RX 540 is the price. Does the additional cost justify the performance hit? Our comparison should help you make the right decision.

Radeon RX 540 is a Laptop Graphics Card

Note: Radeon RX 540 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 RX 540 here:

Main Specs

  Radeon R9 290X Radeon RX 540
Power consumption (TDP) 250 Watt 65 Watt
Interface PCIe 3.0 x16 PCIe 3.0 x16
Supplementary power connectors 1 x 6-pin + 1 x 8-pin 1x 6-pin
Memory type GDDR5 GDDR5
Maximum RAM amount 4 GB 4 GB
Display Connectors 2x DVI, 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort
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  • Radeon R9 290X has 284% more power consumption, than Radeon RX 540.
  • Both video cards are using PCIe 3.0 x16 interface connection to a motherboard.
  • Radeon R9 290X and Radeon RX 540 have maximum RAM of 4 GB.
  • Radeon R9 290X is used in Desktops, and Radeon RX 540 - in Laptops.
  • Radeon R9 290X is build with GCN architecture, and Radeon RX 540 - with Polaris.
  • Radeon R9 290X is manufactured by 28 nm process technology, and Radeon RX 540 - by 14 nm process technology.
  • Memory clock speed of Radeon RX 540 is 4750 MHz higher, than Radeon R9 290X.

Game benchmarks

high / 1080p 35−40 14−16
ultra / 1080p 24−27 8−9
QHD / 1440p 18−20 3−4
4K / 2160p 10−11
low / 720p 60−65 30−33
medium / 1080p 45−50 18−20
The average gaming FPS of Radeon R9 290X in Assassin's Creed Odyssey is 153% more, than Radeon RX 540.

Full Specs

  Radeon R9 290X Radeon RX 540
Architecture GCN Polaris
Code name Hawaii XT Polaris 12
Type Desktop Laptop
Release date 24 October 2013 21 March 2017
Pipelines 2816 512
Boost Clock 947 MHz 1219 MHz
Transistor count 6,200 million 1,500 million
Manufacturing process technology 28 nm 14 nm
Texture fill rate 176.0 39.01
Floating-point performance 5,632 gflops 1,248 gflops
Length 275 mm
Memory bus width 512 Bit 128 Bit
Memory clock speed 1250 MHz 6000 MHz
Memory bandwidth 320 GB/s 96 GB/s
Shared memory - -
DirectX 12.0
Shader Model 6.3 5.0
OpenGL 4.6 4.6
OpenCL 2.0 1.2
Vulkan +
Monero / XMR (CryptoNight) 0.76 kh/s
FreeSync + +
Bus support PCIe 3.0
HDMI +
Bitcoin / BTC (SHA256) 623 Mh/s
Laptop size large
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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