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GeForce GTX 960 vs Radeon R9 380X

Quick Verdict

Raw performance is basically a wash between the GeForce GTX 960 and Radeon R9 380X — the gap is within margin of error.

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

VS
NVIDIA GeForce
GTX 960
Price
€541✓
Performance
3/100✓
VRAM
2 GB GDDR5
Key Specs Advantage
+21% Boost Clock (1,178 MHz vs 970 MHz)
€541ASUS Strix GeForce GTX 960 Carte Graphique overclockée 2 Go DDR5 128 Bits DisplayPort HDMI 2.0 DVI-I
Used - No Listing
AMD Radeon
R9 380X
Price
Reference GPU
Performance
3/100✓
VRAM
4 GB GDDR5✓
Key Specs Advantage
+100% Stream Processors (2,048 vs 1,024)
+100% Memory Bus (256-bit vs 128-bit)
+63% Bandwidth (182.4 GB/s vs 112 GB/s)
Reference GPUNo Listing Available
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GeForce GTX 960 vs Radeon R9 380X: In-Depth Breakdown

Performance: GeForce GTX 960 vs Radeon R9 380X

The GeForce GTX 960 and Radeon R9 380X post nearly the same score in our performance index, so neither holds a meaningful raw-speed advantage. Both are best suited to entry-level 1080p gaming.

Power & Efficiency

Power draw favors the GeForce GTX 960 (120W vs 190W), and it's the more efficient card too, so it's the easy pick if thermals or a smaller PSU matter.

VRAM & Future-Proofing

The Radeon R9 380X carries 4GB versus 2GB on the GeForce GTX 960. The extra 2GB helps at 4K, with high-resolution texture packs, and for content-creation or local-AI workloads that exhaust smaller buffers.

Features & Ecosystem

Beyond raw numbers, the GeForce GTX 960 brings NVIDIA DLSS upscaling/frame generation and stronger ray tracing, while the Radeon R9 380X 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 960 or Radeon R9 380X?

The GeForce GTX 960 is the faster card. 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 GeForce GTX 960 better than the Radeon R9 380X?

They're very close on raw performance. Pick based on price, VRAM, and power draw rather than speed.

Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce GTX 960 or the Radeon R9 380X?

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.

Does the Radeon R9 380X have enough VRAM advantage to matter?

Its 4GB (vs 2GB) gives real headroom for 4K, heavy texture mods, and creative/AI work. At 1080p the gap matters less.

Which should you buy: GeForce GTX 960 or Radeon R9 380X?

The GeForce GTX 960 is the faster card. 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.

Technical Specifications Comparison

Architecture & Cores

Architecture & Cores specifications comparison between GeForce GTX 960 and Radeon R9 380X
SpecificationGeForce GTX 960Radeon R9 380X
ArchitectureMaxwellGCN 3.0
Process NodeTSMC 28nmTSMC 28nm
CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / Stream Processors)1,0242,048✓

Clock Speeds

Clock Speeds specifications comparison between GeForce GTX 960 and Radeon R9 380X
SpecificationGeForce GTX 960Radeon R9 380X
Base Clock1,127 MHz✓970 MHz
Boost Clock1,178 MHz✓970 MHz

Memory

Memory specifications comparison between GeForce GTX 960 and Radeon R9 380X
SpecificationGeForce GTX 960Radeon R9 380X
VRAM Capacity2 GB4 GB✓
Memory TypeGDDR5GDDR5
Memory Bus128-bit256-bit✓
Memory Speed7 Gbps✓5.7 Gbps
Bandwidth112 GB/s182.4 GB/s✓

Connectivity & Power

Connectivity & Power specifications comparison between GeForce GTX 960 and Radeon R9 380X
SpecificationGeForce GTX 960Radeon R9 380X
InterfacePCIe 3.0 x16PCIe 3.0 x16
TDP120 W✓190 W
Power Connectors1x 6-pin2x 6-pin
ReleasedJan 2015Nov 2015