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GeForce GTX 980 Ti vs Radeon R9 390

Quick Verdict

The GeForce GTX 980 Ti is dramatically faster than the Radeon R9 390, leading by roughly 100% in our performance index. The Radeon R9 390, however, delivers more performance per dollar — $390 EUR cheaper.

Market Value Leader

It's a tight race! Both the Radeon R9 390 and the GeForce GTX 980 Ti offer nearly identical market value.

Maximum Capacity Reached. Remove a model to add another. (2/2)

VS
NVIDIA
GeForce GTX 980 Ti
Price
€760
Performance
10/100✓
VRAM
6 GB GDDR5
Key Specs Advantage
+10% CUDA Cores (2,816 vs 2,560)
+8% Boost Clock (1,075 MHz vs 1,000 MHz)
€760Gigabyte NVIDIA Gtx 980Ti 6GB GDDR5 384-Bit Pci-E Graphics Card
Used - No Listing
AMD
Radeon R9 390
Price
€369✓
Performance
5/100
VRAM
8 GB GDDR5✓
Key Specs Advantage
+33% Memory Bus (512-bit vs 384-bit)
+14% Bandwidth (384 GB/s vs 336.5 GB/s)
€369Asus Strix-R9390-DC3OC-8GD5-Gaming 8GB GDDR5 Graphics Card
Used - No Listing
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GeForce GTX 980 Ti vs Radeon R9 390: In-Depth Breakdown

Performance: GeForce GTX 980 Ti vs Radeon R9 390

The GeForce GTX 980 Ti is dramatically faster, around 100% ahead of the Radeon R9 390. Both cards sit in the same broad class, well suited to entry-level 1080p.

Price & Value

Right now the Radeon R9 390 starts at $369 EUR against $760 EUR for the GeForce GTX 980 Ti. Despite being slower, the Radeon R9 390 offers the better performance-per-dollar, so budget-focused buyers should weigh it carefully. The GeForce GTX 980 Ti still sits about $111 EUR above its $649 EUR MSRP.

Power & Efficiency

The GeForce GTX 980 Ti draws just 250W versus 275W for the Radeon R9 390, and it also delivers more performance per watt — so it runs cooler and quieter and needs less PSU headroom.

VRAM & Future-Proofing

With 8GB against 6GB, the Radeon R9 390 has more headroom for 4K textures and memory-hungry creative/AI tasks where the GeForce GTX 980 Ti's 6GB can fall short.

Features & Ecosystem

Beyond raw numbers, the GeForce GTX 980 Ti brings NVIDIA DLSS upscaling/frame generation and stronger ray tracing, while the Radeon R9 390 offers AMD FSR upscaling and strong rasterization value. If you lean on upscaling or ray tracing, that ecosystem difference can matter as much as the frame-rate gap.

Which should you buy: GeForce GTX 980 Ti or Radeon R9 390?

Choose the GeForce GTX 980 Ti if you want the most performance and can absorb the higher price. If you're optimizing for value, the Radeon R9 390 stretches your money further for only slightly lower performance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the GeForce GTX 980 Ti better than the Radeon R9 390?

The GeForce GTX 980 Ti is dramatically faster, roughly 100% ahead. The Radeon R9 390 is still worth it if value matters more than top-end frames.

Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce GTX 980 Ti or the Radeon R9 390?

Neither is a dedicated 4K card; both are best at entry-level 1080p. For 4K you'd want a faster GPU, or lean on upscaling.

Is the GeForce GTX 980 Ti worth the extra $390 EUR over the Radeon R9 390?

Only if you need the extra performance or features; on pure value the Radeon R9 390 comes out ahead.

Does the Radeon R9 390 have enough VRAM advantage to matter?

Its 8GB (vs 6GB) gives real headroom for 4K, heavy texture mods, and creative/AI work. At 1080p the gap matters less.

Which should you buy: GeForce GTX 980 Ti or Radeon R9 390?

Choose the GeForce GTX 980 Ti if you want the most performance and can absorb the higher price. If you're optimizing for value, the Radeon R9 390 stretches your money further for only slightly lower performance.

Technical Specifications Comparison

Architecture & Cores

Architecture & Cores specifications comparison between GeForce GTX 980 Ti and Radeon R9 390
SpecificationGeForce GTX 980 TiRadeon R9 390
ArchitectureMaxwellGCN 2.0
Process NodeTSMC 28nmTSMC 28nm
CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / Stream Processors)2,816✓2,560

Clock Speeds

Clock Speeds specifications comparison between GeForce GTX 980 Ti and Radeon R9 390
SpecificationGeForce GTX 980 TiRadeon R9 390
Base Clock1,000 MHz1,000 MHz
Boost Clock1,075 MHz✓1,000 MHz

Memory

Memory specifications comparison between GeForce GTX 980 Ti and Radeon R9 390
SpecificationGeForce GTX 980 TiRadeon R9 390
VRAM Capacity6 GB8 GB✓
Memory TypeGDDR5GDDR5
Memory Bus384-bit512-bit✓
Memory Speed7 Gbps✓6 Gbps
Bandwidth336.5 GB/s384 GB/s✓

Connectivity & Power

Connectivity & Power specifications comparison between GeForce GTX 980 Ti and Radeon R9 390
SpecificationGeForce GTX 980 TiRadeon R9 390
InterfacePCIe 3.0 x16PCIe 3.0 x16
TDP250 W✓275 W
Power Connectors1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin
ReleasedJun 2015Jun 2015