R9 290X vs RX 6900 XT
Head-to-head specifications
| Metric | R9 290X | RX 6900 XT | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3DMark Time Spy | 1,970 | 9,676 | -79.6% |
| Avg FPS @ 1080p | 33 | 84 | -60.7% |
| Avg FPS @ 1440p | 18 | 52 | -65.4% |
| Avg FPS @ 4K | 9 | 29 | -69.0% |
| FP32 compute (TFLOPS) | 5.6 | 23.0 | -75.6% |
| VRAM | 4 GB GDDR5 | 16 GB GDDR6 | — |
| Memory bandwidth (GB/s) | 448 | 448 | — |
| TDP (W) | 290 | 300 | — |
| Launch MSRP (USD) | $549 | $999 | -45.0% |
- RX 6900 XT averages 52 fps at 1440p versus 18 fps — about 65% faster.
- R9 290X draws less power (290W vs 300W).
Verdict: R9 290X or RX 6900 XT?
R9 290X advantages
- Affordability (+45%)
RX 6900 XT advantages
- 1440p gaming (+65%)
- 4K gaming (+69%)
- Synthetic benchmark performance (+80%)
- Video memory (+75%)
Which should you choose?
- Choose the R9 290X if you want the better price for the performance.
- Choose the RX 6900 XT if you game at 1440p.
Value for money
RX 6900 XT delivers more performance per dollar, making it the better value of the two at their listed prices.
R9 290X vs RX 6900 XT: which should you choose?
R9 290X — AMD desktop graphics card (2013, GCN 2.0) with 4 GB of GDDR5, averaging 18 fps at 1440p; launched at $549.
RX 6900 XT — AMD desktop graphics card (2020, RDNA 2) with 16 GB of GDDR6, averaging 52 fps at 1440p; launched at $999.
R9 290X vs RX 6900 XT: RX 6900 XT is faster for gaming. RX 6900 XT averages 52 fps at 1440p versus 18 fps — about 65% faster. R9 290X draws less power (290W vs 300W).
1080p, 1440p and 4K
At 1440p — the most common enthusiast resolution — the RX 6900 XT averages 52 fps against 18. At 4K (9 vs 29 fps) VRAM (4GB vs 16GB) and memory bandwidth matter more.
Power and value
Board power is 290 W versus 300 W, which affects PSU headroom, case cooling and noise. At launch MSRPs of $549 vs $999, weigh the frame-rate lead against price and power draw for your target resolution.
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 R9 290X better than the RX 6900 XT?
RX 6900 XT is the clearly stronger overall choice, winning most of the dimensions that matter. RX 6900 XT averages 52 fps at 1440p versus 18 fps — about 65% faster.
What is the main difference between the R9 290X and the RX 6900 XT?
RX 6900 XT averages 52 fps at 1440p versus 18 fps — about 65% faster. R9 290X draws less power (290W vs 300W).
Which is better value?
RX 6900 XT delivers more performance per dollar, making it the better value of the two at their listed prices.
Which should I choose?
Choose the R9 290X if you want the better price for the performance. Choose the RX 6900 XT 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.