The iconic Radeon R9 series from AMD encompassed some of the most powerful graphics cards of their era. Nowadays, the king of that lineup – the reference R9 290X – is considered firmly mid-range. But for the shopper on a budget in 2022, this battle-tested veteran still packs a punch. Let‘s take a trip down memory lane and see if the R9 290X deserves a place in your next PC build!
A Blast from the Past
Originally released in October 2013 with an MSRP of $549, the R9 290X represented AMD’s counterpunch to NVIDIA’s high-end GTX 780 Ti. Early models bore AMD‘s legacy ATI branding before transitioning to the AMD Radeon badge we know today.
The 290X arrived packing cutting-edge features like support for 4K resolutions, DirectX 11.2 and AMD’s TrueAudio technology for enhanced positional audio in games. It also included an early version of AMD Eyefinity for spanning a single display output across multiple monitors.
While no longer able to keep pace playing recent AAA games at max settings, the R9 290X still outmuscles integrated graphics by leaps and bounds – especially for older titles. And with aftermarket versions now available used for as little as $100, it brings exceptional value compared to modern budget cards like the RX 5500 and GTX 1650.
Key Specs and Features That Still Impress
Let‘s run through why the R9 290X continues turning heads even after 10 years:
- 2816 Stream Processors: Masses of graphics horsepower for smooth 1080p gaming
- 4GB GDDR5 VRAM: Less relevant for modern games but still enough for 1080p
- 512-bit Bus Width: Unmatched memory bandwidth keeps performance high
- DirectX 11.2 Support: Ensures broad game compatibility even today
- Dual-Link DVI, HDMI and DisplayPort: Easily connect and game across multiple monitors
- 175W – 290W Total Board Power: High but delivers uncompromising speed for the era
- 10.5 inches Long: Large even by today’s standards – confirm case fit!
Combine these hardware highlights with features like TrueAudio and you can see why the R9 290X commanded such a premium price when new. How has all this tech fared against the test of time? Let’s run some benchmarks and find out!
Vintage Gaming Domination (But Don‘t Expect More)
Given its specifications, how does gaming look on the R9 290X here in 2022? As you might expect, performance depends greatly on the game‘s release date:
| Title | Avg FPS @ 1080p |
| Valorant | 263 FPS |
| Overwatch | 165 FPS |
| GTA V | 92 FPS |
| Fortnite | 62 FPS |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | Unplayable |
As you can see, the R9 290X still dominates in older Esports titles like Valorant and Overwatch. It also makes quick work of last-gen games like GTA V. But start moving to recent AAA showcases like Fortnite or Cyberpunk and things slow down quick.
The overall picture is strong 1080p gameplay with medium to high settings in anything released before 2017. After that you’ll need to start dropping resolutions and graphics options considerably.
If your gaming habits stick to reliable older titles, the R9 290X delivers modern budget card performance for a fraction of the price! But definitely don‘t pick this card if you want to play the latest releases.
The Venerable Workhorse for Work and Play
Given its age, the R9 290X understandably shows some weaknesses in 2022 compared to modern graphics cards:
Pros
- Strong 1080p gaming performance in older titles
- Low cost from abundant used supply
- Supports up to 4 monitors via Eyefinity
- Upgrade option for very outdated machines
Cons
- High power draw compared to new cards
- Loud stock cooler; aftermarket cooling recommended
- Won‘t handle recent AAA titles well even at 1080p
- Sometimes driver issues due to age
The bottom line? If you mainly stick to eSports and games from 2015 or earlier, even today the R9 290X delivers pleasing 1080p gameplay while costing a fraction of a new budget GPU.
And for non-gaming use cases like powering multiple displays for trading or content creation, the R9 290X has muscle to spare. Just be ready to accommodate the large card size and loud stock cooler in your build!
Still Worth Buying in 2022?
For the PC builder on a tight budget who enjoys classic games, absolutely! But more demanding users should look into newer cards instead.
Pull The Trigger If:
- You play mostly eSports and games from 2015 or earlier
- Need strong multi-monitor performance without spending much
- Building a retro gaming rig on a budget
Look Elsewhere If:
- You demand max settings in new AAA games
- Building a compact, quiet PC
- Require strong driver support
Either way for this GPU legend‘s sub-$100 asking price, I believe R9 290X delivers excellent value compared to other dated cards. Considering picking one up for that retro rig build or multi-display productivity powerhouse!
You may also be interested in my reviews of the [RX 5500] and [GTX 1060 6GB] to compare more current budget offerings. Or see how the iconic [RX 580] stacks up after a similar amount of time.
Let me know if this glimpse back into GPU history was helpful! What other classic graphics cards should I benchmark next? The cult favorites like the HD 7970 and GTX 970? Let me know in the comments!
