GPU Comparison

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

Quick Verdict

On raw speed the GeForce GTX 980 comes out significantly faster — about 20% ahead of the Radeon RX 590. But the Radeon RX 590 is the better value, undercutting it by $455 for the performance you get.

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VS
AMD
Radeon RX 590
Price
$790
Perf Index
10%
Value Score
0.013
VRAM8GB GDDR6
Thermal TDP225W
Price
$1245
Perf Index
12%
Value Score
0.010
VRAM4GB GDDR6
Thermal TDP165W

GeForce GTX 980 vs Radeon RX 590: In-Depth Breakdown

Performance: GeForce GTX 980 vs Radeon RX 590

The GeForce GTX 980 is significantly faster, around 20% ahead of the Radeon RX 590. Both cards sit in the same broad class, well suited to entry-level 1080p.

Price & Value

The Radeon RX 590 currently lists from $790, $455 less than the GeForce GTX 980 at $1,245. Despite being slower, the Radeon RX 590 offers the better performance-per-dollar (~31% better value), so budget-focused buyers should weigh it carefully. The Radeon RX 590 still sits about $511 above its $279 MSRP. The GeForce GTX 980 still sits about $696 above its $549 MSRP.

Power & Efficiency

At 165W against 225W, the GeForce GTX 980 is both the lower-power and the more efficient card, making it the easier build to cool and power.

VRAM & Future-Proofing

The Radeon RX 590 carries 8GB versus 4GB on the GeForce GTX 980. The extra 4GB helps at 4K, with high-resolution texture packs, and for content-creation or local-AI workloads that exhaust smaller buffers.

Generation & Longevity

The Radeon RX 590 is roughly 4 years newer than the GeForce GTX 980, so it generally benefits from a more modern architecture and longer driver-support runway.

Features & Ecosystem

Beyond raw numbers, the Radeon RX 590 brings AMD FSR upscaling and strong rasterization value, while the GeForce GTX 980 offers NVIDIA DLSS upscaling/frame generation and stronger ray tracing. If you lean on upscaling or ray tracing, that ecosystem difference can matter as much as the frame-rate gap.

Which should you buy: Radeon RX 590 or GeForce GTX 980?

Choose the GeForce GTX 980 if you want the most performance and can absorb the higher price. If you're optimizing for value, the Radeon RX 590 stretches your money further for only slightly lower performance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the GeForce GTX 980 better than the Radeon RX 590?

The GeForce GTX 980 is significantly faster, roughly 20% ahead. The Radeon RX 590 is still worth it if value matters more than top-end frames.

Which is better for 4K gaming, the Radeon RX 590 or the GeForce GTX 980?

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 worth the extra $455 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.