Radeon R9 380X vs Radeon RX 560
Performance-wise the Radeon R9 380X is out front, dramatically faster, roughly 50% up on the Radeon RX 560.
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Radeon R9 380X vs Radeon RX 560: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: Radeon R9 380X vs Radeon RX 560
The Radeon R9 380X is dramatically faster, around 50% ahead of the Radeon RX 560. Both cards sit in the same broad class, well suited to entry-level 1080p. The Radeon R9 380X packs 2,048 stream processors versus 1,024 on the Radeon RX 560.
Power & Efficiency
The Radeon RX 560 sips power at 60W next to the Radeon R9 380X's 190W, and still leads on performance-per-watt — quieter, cooler, and gentler on your PSU. Its more modern GCN 4.0 (Polaris) architecture on a GloFo 14nm process is part of why it does more with each watt.
VRAM & Future-Proofing
The Radeon R9 380X's 4GB (vs 2GB on the Radeon RX 560) gives it more room for 4K textures and memory-hungry creative or AI workloads. The Radeon R9 380X's memory is also faster — 182 GB/s versus 112 GB/s (256-bit vs 128-bit bus) — which helps feed the GPU at 4K and with heavy textures.
Generation & Longevity
The Radeon RX 560 is roughly 2 years newer than the Radeon R9 380X (GCN 4.0 (Polaris) vs GCN 3.0), so it generally benefits from a more modern architecture and longer driver-support runway.
Which should you buy: Radeon R9 380X or Radeon RX 560?
The Radeon R9 380X is the faster card by about 50%. With live pricing limited for this pair, base your decision on the spec differences above — particularly VRAM and power draw — and check current stock before buying.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Radeon R9 380X better than the Radeon RX 560?
Which is better for 4K gaming, the Radeon R9 380X or the Radeon RX 560?
Does the Radeon R9 380X have enough VRAM advantage to matter?
Which should you buy: Radeon R9 380X or Radeon RX 560?
Technical Specifications Comparison
Architecture & Cores
| Specification | Radeon R9 380X | Radeon RX 560 |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | GCN 3.0 | GCN 4.0 (Polaris) |
| Process Node | TSMC 28nm | GloFo 14nm |
| CUDA Cores (Stream Processors / Stream Processors) | 2,048✓ | 1,024 |
Clock Speeds
| Specification | Radeon R9 380X | Radeon RX 560 |
|---|---|---|
| Base Clock | 970 MHz | 1,175 MHz✓ |
| Boost Clock | 970 MHz | 1,275 MHz✓ |
Memory
| Specification | Radeon R9 380X | Radeon RX 560 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 4 GB✓ | 2 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bus | 256-bit✓ | 128-bit |
| Memory Speed | 5.7 Gbps | 7 Gbps✓ |
| Bandwidth | 182.4 GB/s✓ | 112 GB/s |
Connectivity & Power
| Specification | Radeon R9 380X | Radeon RX 560 |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 3.0 x8 |
| TDP | 190 W | 60 W✓ |
| Power Connectors | 2x 6-pin | None |
| Released | Nov 2015 | Apr 2017 |