AMD launches its screaming-fast R9 290 graphics card

Advanced Micro Devices has launched its speedy new graphics card, the AMD Radeon R9 290. Naturally, gamers are the target.

The card uses an AMD Radeon R9 290 graphics processing unit (GPU), and it sells for $399. The card is part of a new family of R9 series GPUs, and it targets gamers who want to display images on a 4K, or Ultra HD, screen.

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Sunnyvale, Calif.-based AMD is refreshing its whole lineup of graphics chips and graphics cards this fall. The graphics cards have 2,560 stream processing units running at 947 megahertz. The card has 4GB of GDDR5 graphics memory and a memory clock speed of 5 gigabits per second.

“With the AMD Radeon R9 290 GPU, AMD cements its position as the provider of ultimate gaming experiences,” said Matt Skynner, the general manager and corporate vice president of the AMD Graphics Business Unit. “We deliver on the promise of world-class performance and features with the R9 series graphics cards. With innovations like Mantle and AMD TrueAudio technology, AMD brings an exceptional gaming experience for enthusiasts while defying the limits of audio and visual realism.”

The R9 290 uses AMD’s Graphics Core Next architecture as well as Mantle, a graphics technology similar to Microsoft’s DirectX graphics platform.