Radeon R9 390 vs Radeon RX 590
The Radeon RX 590 is a massive performance leap — leading the Radeon R9 390 by roughly 40% in our performance index.
Maximum Capacity Reached. Remove a model to add another. (2/2)
Radeon RX 590 vs Radeon R9 390: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: Radeon RX 590 vs Radeon R9 390
The Radeon RX 590 is dramatically faster, around 40% ahead of the Radeon R9 390. Both cards sit in the same broad class, well suited to entry-level 1080p.
Power & Efficiency
The Radeon RX 590 draws just 225W 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. Its more modern GCN 4.0 (Polaris) architecture on a GloFo 12nm process is part of why it does more with each watt.
Memory & Bandwidth
The Radeon R9 390's memory is faster — 384 GB/s versus 256 GB/s (512-bit vs 256-bit bus) — which helps feed the GPU at 4K and with heavy textures.
Generation & Longevity
The Radeon RX 590 is roughly 3 years newer than the Radeon R9 390 (GCN 4.0 (Polaris) vs GCN 2.0), so it generally benefits from a more modern architecture and longer driver-support runway.
Which should you buy: Radeon R9 390 or Radeon RX 590?
The Radeon RX 590 is the faster card by about 40%. 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 RX 590 better than the Radeon R9 390?
Which is better for 4K gaming, the Radeon R9 390 or the Radeon RX 590?
Which should you buy: Radeon R9 390 or Radeon RX 590?
Technical Specifications Comparison
Architecture & Cores
| Specification | Radeon R9 390 | Radeon RX 590 |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | GCN 2.0 | GCN 4.0 (Polaris) |
| Process Node | TSMC 28nm | GloFo 12nm |
| CUDA Cores (Stream Processors / Stream Processors) | 2,560✓ | 2,304 |
Clock Speeds
| Specification | Radeon R9 390 | Radeon RX 590 |
|---|---|---|
| Base Clock | 1,000 MHz | 1,469 MHz✓ |
| Boost Clock | 1,000 MHz | 1,545 MHz✓ |
Memory
| Specification | Radeon R9 390 | Radeon RX 590 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bus | 512-bit✓ | 256-bit |
| Memory Speed | 6 Gbps | 8 Gbps✓ |
| Bandwidth | 384 GB/s✓ | 256 GB/s |
Connectivity & Power
| Specification | Radeon R9 390 | Radeon RX 590 |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 3.0 x16 |
| TDP | 275 W | 225 W✓ |
| Power Connectors | 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin | 1x 8-pin |
| Released | Jun 2015 | Nov 2018 |