Radeon RX 470 vs Radeon R9 290

Speed and memory

In our performance index the Radeon RX 470 scores 7 and the Radeon R9 290 scores 6, which makes the Radeon RX 470 about 17% faster. That is a visible but modest gap, usually 5 to 10 fps in a game that runs at 60.

Both cards have 4 GB of video memory, so memory will not separate them.

In our estimates for popular games at 1080p on High, the biggest gap is in Call of Duty (14 against 12 fps), and the smallest is in Red Dead Redemption 2 (26 against 23 fps). Games that are light enough to run above 200 fps on both cards show little difference at all.

Power and value

The Radeon RX 470 is rated at 120 W and the Radeon R9 290 at 250 W. With a mid-range processor that means a power supply of about 450 W for the first and 650 W for the second. A gap of 130 W shows up in heat and fan noise, and in your electricity use over a few years.

At launch the Radeon RX 470 cost $179 and the Radeon R9 290 $399. Per dollar, the Radeon RX 470 gave more performance (3.9 points per $100 against 1.5). Current prices differ, so run the same sum on what you can actually buy today.

Which one to buy

Choose the Radeon RX 470 if you want the faster card, and it also has at least as much memory. It makes the most sense at 1440p and above, or on a monitor with a high refresh rate.

Choose the Radeon R9 290 if the price gap matters more than the 17% speed difference. Whichever you pick, check reviews for the games you play, because two cards with similar scores can differ in individual titles.