Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EU vs R9 290
Head-to-head specifications
| Metric | Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EU | R9 290 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3DMark Time Spy | 1,650 | 1,697 | -2.8% |
| Avg FPS @ 1080p | 25 | 31 | -19.4% |
| Avg FPS @ 1440p | 12 | 17 | -29.4% |
| Avg FPS @ 4K | 5 | 9 | -44.4% |
| VRAM | 0 MB Shared | 4 GB GDDR5 | — |
| Memory bandwidth (GB/s) | 68 | 448 | -84.8% |
| TDP (W) | 15 | 275 | — |
- R9 290 averages 17 fps at 1440p versus 12 fps — about 29% faster.
- Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EU draws less power (15W vs 275W).
Verdict: Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EU or R9 290?
Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EU advantages
- Power efficiency (+95%)
R9 290 advantages
- 1440p gaming (+29%)
- 4K gaming (+44%)
- Video memory (+100%)
- Memory bandwidth (+85%)
Which should you choose?
- Choose the Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EU if you want lower power draw, heat and noise.
- Choose the R9 290 if you game at 1440p.
Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EU vs R9 290: which should you choose?
Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EU — Intel integrated graphics processor (2020, Gen 12.1) with 0 MB of Shared, averaging 12 fps at 1440p.
R9 290 — AMD desktop graphics card (2013, GCN 2.0) with 4 GB of GDDR5, averaging 17 fps at 1440p; launched at $399.
Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EU vs R9 290: R9 290 is faster for gaming. R9 290 averages 17 fps at 1440p versus 12 fps — about 29% faster. Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EU draws less power (15W vs 275W).
1080p, 1440p and 4K
At 1440p — the most common enthusiast resolution — the R9 290 averages 17 fps against 12. At 4K (5 vs 9 fps) VRAM (0MB vs 4GB) and memory bandwidth matter more.
Power and value
Board power is 15 W versus 275 W, which affects PSU headroom, case cooling and noise.
The verdict
Both are credible choices in the graphics card comparison space; the specification table above lays out every metric so you can weigh the trade-offs that matter to you. Pick the one whose strengths line up with how you will actually use it.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EU better than the R9 290?
R9 290 is the clearly stronger overall choice, winning most of the dimensions that matter. R9 290 averages 17 fps at 1440p versus 12 fps — about 29% faster.
What is the main difference between the Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EU and the R9 290?
R9 290 averages 17 fps at 1440p versus 12 fps — about 29% faster. Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EU draws less power (15W vs 275W).
Which should I choose?
Choose the Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EU if you want lower power draw, heat and noise. Choose the R9 290 if you game at 1440p.
Methodology
Graphics cards are compared on 3DMark Time Spy scores, average gaming frame rates at 1080p/1440p/4K, FP32 compute throughput, VRAM capacity and type, memory bandwidth, board power (TDP) and launch MSRP — plus AI workload throughput (Stable Diffusion iterations/s and local LLM tokens/s) where measured. Vintage and server GPUs without modern benchmark results are compared on specifications only, clearly labelled. Frame rates are averages across a game suite at high settings; specific titles vary.