Nvidia GeForce GTX 970 v AMD Radeon R9 290: Crysis 3 Performance
Crytek’s high-end shooter is the toughest game in this test thanks to the demanding CryEngine 3 system, so don’t expect to play this game at 4K using either of these cards – you’ll be let down, as neither card could beat a 19fps average.
There were no such problems with 1080p gaming. The Radeon R9 290 hit a reasonable 37fps minimum, and that improved to an average of 57fps. The GTX 970 answered back with better scores, though: a 46fps minimum and 61fps average.
There was barely any breathing room between the two cards at 1440p. Both hit 28fps minimums, and the GTX 970’s 30fps average was only one frame better than the R9 290.
It’s a victory for Nvidia, but Crysis 3 illustrates the limits of both cards: 1080p is fine, 1440p is just about playable on both, but there’s no chance of 4K gaming unless quality settings are drastically cut back.
WINNER: Nvidia
GTX 970 v R9 290: Batman: Arkham Origins Performance
Batman’s stratospheric benchmark results are evidence that the Unreal Engine 3 works very well on PC – and it’s also proof that both of these cards can handle this game at virtually any single-screen resolution.
At 1080p the R9 290 took a rare victory with its 93fps minimum, which was four frames better than the GTX 970. Nvidia’s card replied in style with a monster average of 172fps, which easily beat the 137fps result of the R9 290. That’s impressive on paper but, when the numbers are so high, it’s also largely elementary.
Neither card balked at 2,560 x 1,440, either. The R9 290 started the tests with minimum and average results of 52fps and 78fps, both of which are perfectly playable. The GTX 970 was faster, with scores of 68fps and 91fps in the same tests.
Batman’s less demanding nature also means that both cards can play the game well at 3,840 x 2,160. We would prefer the R9 290’s minimum to be above 30fps, but its 28fps score is helped by an improved 41fps average. Those scores are blown away by Nvidia’s hardware, which scored 38fps and 52fps.
It’s another victory for Nvidia, which beat the R9 290 in five of the six Batman tests. That shouldn’t dishearten anyone looking at the R9 290, though – it’s still capable of playing Arkham Origins at every tested resolution.
WINNER: Nvidia
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
