GPU Comparison

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

Quick Verdict

The GeForce GTX 980 is dramatically faster than the Radeon R9 390, leading by roughly 50% in our performance index. The Radeon R9 390, however, delivers more performance per dollar — $788 EUR cheaper.

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

VS
Price
€824
Benchmark %
12%
VRAM
4 GB GDDR5
Key Specs Advantage
+22% Boost Clock (1,216 MHz vs 1,000 MHz)
AMD
Radeon R9 390
Price
€36
Benchmark %
8%
VRAM
8 GB GDDR5
Key Specs Advantage
+100% Memory Bus (512-bit vs 256-bit)
+71% Bandwidth (384 GB/s vs 224.3 GB/s)
+25% Stream Processors (2,560 vs 2,048)

GeForce GTX 980 vs Radeon R9 390: In-Depth Breakdown

Performance: GeForce GTX 980 vs Radeon R9 390

The GeForce GTX 980 is dramatically faster, around 50% 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 $36 EUR against $824 EUR for the GeForce GTX 980. Despite being slower, the Radeon R9 390 offers the better performance-per-dollar (~1424% better value), so budget-focused buyers should weigh it carefully. The Radeon R9 390 is trading below its $329 EUR MSRP — a genuine deal. The GeForce GTX 980 still sits about $275 EUR above its $549 EUR MSRP.

Power & Efficiency

The GeForce GTX 980 draws just 165W 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 4GB, the Radeon R9 390 has more headroom for 4K textures and memory-hungry creative/AI tasks where the GeForce GTX 980's 4GB can fall short.

Features & Ecosystem

Beyond raw numbers, the GeForce GTX 980 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 or Radeon R9 390?

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 R9 390 stretches your money further for only slightly lower performance.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

The GeForce GTX 980 is dramatically faster, roughly 50% 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 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 worth the extra $788 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 4GB) gives real headroom for 4K, heavy texture mods, and creative/AI work. At 1080p the gap matters less.

Technical Specifications Comparison

Architecture & Cores

SpecificationGeForce GTX 980Radeon R9 390
ArchitectureMaxwellGCN 2.0
Process NodeTSMC 28nmTSMC 28nm
CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / Stream Processors)2,0482,560

Clock Speeds

SpecificationGeForce GTX 980Radeon R9 390
Base Clock1,126 MHz1,000 MHz
Boost Clock1,216 MHz1,000 MHz

Memory

SpecificationGeForce GTX 980Radeon R9 390
VRAM Capacity4 GB8 GB
Memory TypeGDDR5GDDR5
Memory Bus256-bit512-bit
Memory Speed7 Gbps6 Gbps
Bandwidth224.3 GB/s384 GB/s

Connectivity & Power

SpecificationGeForce GTX 980Radeon R9 390
InterfacePCIe 3.0 x16PCIe 3.0 x16
TDP165 W275 W
Power Connectors2x 6-pin1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin
ReleasedSep 2014Jun 2015