GPU Comparison

Select up to 2 GPUs to analyze their pricing, performance, and specifications side-by-side.

Quick Verdict

The Radeon RX 590 is dramatically faster than the GeForce GTX 970, leading by roughly 43% in our performance index. It is also the stronger value pick here, so it's the easy recommendation if your budget allows.

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VS
Price
$1068
Perf Index
7%
Value Score
0.007
VRAM4GB GDDR6
Thermal TDP
AMD
Radeon RX 590
Price
$790
Perf Index
10%
Value Score
0.013
VRAM8GB GDDR6
Thermal TDP225W

Radeon RX 590 vs GeForce GTX 970: In-Depth Breakdown

Performance: Radeon RX 590 vs GeForce GTX 970

The Radeon RX 590 is dramatically faster, around 43% ahead of the GeForce GTX 970. Both cards sit in the same broad class, well suited to entry-level 1080p.

Price & Value

Right now the Radeon RX 590 starts at $790 against $1,068 for the GeForce GTX 970. Because it's both faster and competitively priced, the Radeon RX 590 wins on performance-per-dollar by about 93%. The Radeon RX 590 still sits about $511 above its $279 MSRP. The GeForce GTX 970 still sits about $739 above its $329 MSRP.

VRAM & Future-Proofing

With 8GB against 4GB, the Radeon RX 590 has more headroom for 4K textures and memory-hungry creative/AI tasks where the GeForce GTX 970's 4GB can fall short.

Generation & Longevity

The Radeon RX 590 is roughly 4 years newer than the GeForce GTX 970, so it generally benefits from a more modern architecture and longer driver-support runway.

Features & Ecosystem

Beyond raw numbers, the GeForce GTX 970 brings NVIDIA DLSS upscaling/frame generation and stronger ray tracing, while the Radeon RX 590 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 970 or Radeon RX 590?

the Radeon RX 590 is the all-round winner here — it's faster and the better value, so buy it if it fits your budget. Only consider the GeForce GTX 970 if you find it at a steep discount.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Radeon RX 590 better than the GeForce GTX 970?

The Radeon RX 590 is dramatically faster, roughly 43% ahead. If your budget allows, it's the stronger pick.

Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce GTX 970 or the Radeon RX 590?

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 970 worth the extra $278 over the Radeon RX 590?

Only if you need the extra performance or features; on pure value the Radeon RX 590 comes out ahead.

Does the Radeon RX 590 have enough VRAM advantage to matter?

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