r9 290 or gtx 970

WayneManGuy

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Jun 8, 2014
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ok guys, i have a 4690k processor and 16gb ram, i will be gaming at 1080p with a 144hz monitor.

My question is which gpu should i get? an r9 290, which will be around $250-$300 (saphire vapor x or tri x)
Or should i get a gtx 970, which will be $350-$400. (gigabyte g1 gaming)
Is the performance increase worth the $100 difference?

Also, are both graphics cards future proof and capable of playing games maxed out at 1080p?
 
The GTX 970 would be my choice in spite of the price difference (unless it is out of budget). The Maxwell-equipped 970 sips power at ~145W, while the R9-290 is twice that. And the 970 is slightly faster. Plus... If you ever have any desire to add a 2nd card in SLI, the 970 will keep the wattage and heat to a minimum.
 
GTX 970. It's newer and faster, plus needs less power. Both have 4 GB of GDDR5 memory, but the 970's is clocked higher.

The 290 is not a bad card though, so if you cannot find the budget for a 970, you still won't be massively disappointed.