AMD Radeon R9 M290X vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER Comparison

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER and the AMD Radeon R9 M290X represent two very different eras of graphics hardware. The RTX 2080 SUPER, a desktop Turing part from 2019, delivers dramatically higher performance across the board, while the R9 M290X is a mobile-oriented GCN 1.0 chip from 2014. The data shows a single head-to-head benchmark result, but the underlying specifications and overall benchmark averages tell a story of a generational chasm in compute capability, memory bandwidth, and feature support.

The Verdict

From the data, the choice is unambiguous for any user prioritizing raw performance. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER holds a 350.5% lead over the AMD Radeon R9 M290X in the Geekbench OpenCL test, scoring 99,226 versus 22,028. This is not a marginal difference; it is a multi-generational leap in compute throughput. For gaming, content creation, or any GPU-accelerated workload, the RTX 2080 SUPER is the only viable option based on benchmark results.

The R9 M290X, however, serves a specific niche. Its 100 W TDP and MXM Module slot width indicate it is designed for laptops or compact systems where power and space are at a premium. If a system is physically constrained to an MXM form factor, the RTX 2080 SUPER is not an option at all, as it requires a Dual-slot PCIe card with 1x 6-pin and 1x 8-pin power connectors. Therefore, the verdict is strictly data-driven: pick the RTX 2080 SUPER for performance, but pick the R9 M290X only if the hardware interface demands it, as no benchmark data is available for the RTX 2080 SUPER in that form factor.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs are built on fundamentally different architectures and manufacturing processes. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER uses the TU104 chip on the Turing architecture, fabricated on a 12 nm process at TSMC. It packs 13,600 million transistors on a 545 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 25.0M / mm². In contrast, the AMD Radeon R9 M290X uses the Neptune chip on the older GCN 1.0 architecture, also from TSMC but on a 28 nm process. It contains only 2,800 million transistors on a 212 mm² die, with a density of 13.2M / mm².

This architectural divergence leads to massive differences in compute resources. The RTX 2080 SUPER has 3,072 shading units, 192 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. It also includes 48 RT cores and 384 tensor cores, which are dedicated hardware for ray tracing and AI workloads, respectively. The R9 M290X has 1,280 shading units, 80 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, and it has no RT cores or tensor cores at all. The feature set differs accordingly: the RTX 2080 SUPER supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4, while the R9 M290X is limited to DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170.

Memory technology is another clear separator. The RTX 2080 SUPER uses 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, delivering 495.9 GB/s of bandwidth. The R9 M290X uses 4 GB of GDDR5 on the same 256-bit bus, but only manages 153.6 GB/s. The effective memory clock also differs: 15.5 Gbps for the RTX 2080 SUPER versus 4.8 Gbps for the R9 M290X. These are not minor tweaks; they represent a fundamental change in memory architecture and capability.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only shared benchmark between the two GPUs is Geekbench OpenCL, and the result is a landslide. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER scores 99,226, while the AMD Radeon R9 M290X scores 22,028. The delta is 350.5% in favor of the RTX 2080 SUPER. This test measures general-purpose compute performance, and the RTX 2080 SUPER’s advantage here is consistent with its much higher FP32 throughput of 11.15 TFLOPS versus 2.304 TFLOPS for the R9 M290X.

Beyond that single test, the broader benchmark averages reinforce the gap. The RTX 2080 SUPER has an average benchmark score of 24,170 across all tests, placing it at the 69th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti (avg score 24,236, delta -0.3%) and the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT (avg score 24,442, delta -1.1%). The R9 M290X, by contrast, has an average benchmark score of 23,276, placing it at the 68th percentile. Its nearest rival is the AMD Radeon RX 6600M (avg score 23,273, delta 0%). The percentile difference is small (69 vs 68), but the absolute scores and the head-to-head test show that the RTX 2080 SUPER is in a different performance class.

The RTX 2080 SUPER also has a richer set of benchmark data points, including Passmark G3D (19,490) and Geekbench Vulkan (111,284). The R9 M290X has only two recorded benchmarks: Geekbench OpenCL and Geekbench Metal (24,524). This lack of comparable data for DirectX and Vulkan tests limits direct comparisons, but the OpenCL result alone is decisive.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher raw compute performance?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER is far ahead, with an FP32 throughput of 11.15 TFLOPS compared to 2.304 TFLOPS for the AMD Radeon R9 M290X. This is reflected in a 350.5% higher Geekbench OpenCL score.

Q: Do both GPUs support hardware ray tracing?

A: No. The RTX 2080 SUPER includes 48 RT cores for ray tracing, while the R9 M290X has no RT cores. The RTX 2080 SUPER also supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), which includes ray tracing features, whereas the R9 M290X only supports DirectX 12 (11_1).

Q: How does memory bandwidth compare?

A: The RTX 2080 SUPER offers 495.9 GB/s of bandwidth, which is more than three times the 153.6 GB/s of the R9 M290X. The RTX 2080 SUPER also has twice the memory capacity (8 GB vs 4 GB) and uses faster GDDR6 memory.

Q: What is the performance percentile ranking for each?

A: The RTX 2080 SUPER ranks at the 69th percentile of all GPUs, with an average score of 24,170. The R9 M290X ranks at the 68th percentile, with an average score of 23,276. Despite similar percentiles, the head-to-head test shows a massive performance gap in favor of the RTX 2080 SUPER.

Q: Is the R9 M290X suitable for modern DirectX 12 games?

A: It supports DirectX 12 (11_1), but its hardware is from the GCN 1.0 era. Its 2.304 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 153.6 GB/s bandwidth are far below the RTX 2080 SUPER’s capabilities, so it would likely struggle with demanding modern titles.

Q: What is the difference in power consumption?

A: The RTX 2080 SUPER has a TDP of 250 W and requires a 600 W power supply, while the R9 M290X has a TDP of 100 W and requires no external power connectors. This makes the R9 M290X far more power-efficient, but at a massive cost to performance.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER wins in every performance category measured. It is the clear choice for gaming, 3D rendering, and compute workloads. Its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 495.9 GB/s bandwidth make it suitable for high-resolution textures and complex scenes. The presence of 48 RT cores and 384 tensor cores gives it a significant advantage in ray-traced games and AI-accelerated applications, which the R9 M290X simply cannot handle. Its 11.15 TFLOPS FP32 performance is in a different league from the R9 M290X’s 2.304 TFLOPS.

The AMD Radeon R9 M290X wins only in the context of physical form factor and power efficiency. Its 100 W TDP is less than half of the RTX 2080 SUPER’s 250 W, and its MXM Module design means it can fit into laptops or compact systems where a Dual-slot PCIe card like the RTX 2080 SUPER would not. For users with such a system, the R9 M290X is the only option of the two, despite its lower performance. It also supports OpenGL 4.6, matching the RTX 2080 SUPER, so legacy OpenGL applications will run, albeit with far lower frame rates.

Specification Differences

The specifications where the two GPUs differ are extensive. The process node is 12 nm for the RTX 2080 SUPER versus 28 nm for the R9 M290X. Transistor count is 13,600 million versus 2,800 million, and die size is 545 mm² versus 212 mm². The base clock is 1650 MHz versus 850 MHz, with boost clocks of 1815 MHz versus 900 MHz. Memory type is GDDR6 versus GDDR5, with sizes of 8 GB versus 4 GB. Bandwidth is 495.9 GB/s versus 153.6 GB/s.

The shading units are 3,072 versus 1,280, TMUs are 192 versus 80, and ROPs are 64 versus 32. The RTX 2080 SUPER has 48 RT cores and 384 tensor cores, while the R9 M290X has none. Pixel rate is 116.2 GPixel/s versus 28.80 GPixel/s, and texture rate is 348.5 GTexel/s versus 72.00 GTexel/s. FP32 performance is 11.15 TFLOPS versus 2.304 TFLOPS, and the RTX 2080 SUPER also supports FP16 at 22.30 TFLOPS (2:1), which the R9 M290X does not.

The TDP is 250 W versus 100 W, and the slot width is Dual-slot versus MXM Module. Power connectors are 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin versus None. The RTX 2080 SUPER has a suggested PSU of 600 W, while the R9 M290X has none. Display outputs are 1x HDMI 2.0, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, and 1x USB Type-C for the RTX 2080 SUPER, versus Portable Device Dependent for the R9 M290X. The RTX 2080 SUPER supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4, while the R9 M290X supports DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170. The release dates are 2019-07-22 for the RTX 2080 SUPER and 2014-01-08 for the R9 M290X.