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GeForce GTX 1050 Ti vs Radeon R9 390X

Quick Verdict

On raw speed the Radeon R9 390X comes out ahead: well ahead on speed, about 25% ahead of the GeForce GTX 1050 Ti. That said, the GeForce GTX 1050 Ti is the smarter buy on value — $222 EUR less for the performance on offer.

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

VS
NVIDIA GeForce
GTX 1050 Ti
Price
€142✓
Performance
4/100
VRAM
4 GB GDDR5
Key Specs Advantage
+33% Boost Clock (1,392 MHz vs 1,050 MHz)
€142BIOSTAR NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4 GB GDDR5, SCHEDA GRAFICA, 4 GB
Used - No Listing
AMD Radeon
R9 390X
Price
€364
Performance
5/100✓
VRAM
8 GB GDDR5✓
Key Specs Advantage
+300% Memory Bus (512-bit vs 128-bit)
+267% Stream Processors (2,816 vs 768)
+243% Bandwidth (384 GB/s vs 112 GB/s)
€364Asus Radeon R9390X-DC2-8GD5 Video Card, Black/Red
Used - No Listing
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Radeon R9 390X vs GeForce GTX 1050 Ti: In-Depth Breakdown

Performance: Radeon R9 390X vs GeForce GTX 1050 Ti

The Radeon R9 390X is significantly faster, around 25% ahead of the GeForce GTX 1050 Ti. Both cards sit in the same broad class, well suited to entry-level 1080p.

Price & Value

The GeForce GTX 1050 Ti currently lists from $142 EUR, $222 EUR less than the Radeon R9 390X at $364 EUR. Despite being slower, the GeForce GTX 1050 Ti offers the better performance-per-dollar (~105% better value), so budget-focused buyers should weigh it carefully. The Radeon R9 390X is trading below its $429 EUR MSRP — a genuine deal.

Power & Efficiency

At 75W against 275W, the GeForce GTX 1050 Ti is both the lower-power and the more efficient card, making it the easier build to cool and power. Its more modern Pascal architecture on a Samsung 14nm process is part of why it does more with each watt.

VRAM & Future-Proofing

VRAM favors the Radeon R9 390X at 8GB versus 4GB on the GeForce GTX 1050 Ti — that extra 4GB matters most at 4K, with high-res texture packs, and for content-creation/local-AI work.

Features & Ecosystem

Beyond raw numbers, the GeForce GTX 1050 Ti brings NVIDIA DLSS upscaling/frame generation and stronger ray tracing, while the Radeon R9 390X 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 1050 Ti or Radeon R9 390X?

Choose the Radeon R9 390X if you want the most performance and can absorb the higher price. If you're optimizing for value, the GeForce GTX 1050 Ti stretches your money further for only slightly lower performance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Radeon R9 390X better than the GeForce GTX 1050 Ti?

The Radeon R9 390X is significantly faster, roughly 25% ahead. The GeForce GTX 1050 Ti is still worth it if value matters more than top-end frames.

Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce GTX 1050 Ti or the Radeon R9 390X?

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 Radeon R9 390X worth the extra $222 EUR over the GeForce GTX 1050 Ti?

Only if you need the extra performance or features; on pure value the GeForce GTX 1050 Ti comes out ahead.

Does the Radeon R9 390X 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.

Which should you buy: GeForce GTX 1050 Ti or Radeon R9 390X?

Choose the Radeon R9 390X if you want the most performance and can absorb the higher price. If you're optimizing for value, the GeForce GTX 1050 Ti stretches your money further for only slightly lower performance.

Technical Specifications Comparison

Architecture & Cores

Architecture & Cores specifications comparison between GeForce GTX 1050 Ti and Radeon R9 390X
SpecificationGeForce GTX 1050 TiRadeon R9 390X
ArchitecturePascalGCN 2.0
Process NodeSamsung 14nmTSMC 28nm
CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / Stream Processors)7682,816✓

Clock Speeds

Clock Speeds specifications comparison between GeForce GTX 1050 Ti and Radeon R9 390X
SpecificationGeForce GTX 1050 TiRadeon R9 390X
Base Clock1,290 MHz✓1,050 MHz
Boost Clock1,392 MHz✓1,050 MHz

Memory

Memory specifications comparison between GeForce GTX 1050 Ti and Radeon R9 390X
SpecificationGeForce GTX 1050 TiRadeon R9 390X
VRAM Capacity4 GB8 GB✓
Memory TypeGDDR5GDDR5
Memory Bus128-bit512-bit✓
Memory Speed7 Gbps✓6 Gbps
Bandwidth112 GB/s384 GB/s✓

Connectivity & Power

Connectivity & Power specifications comparison between GeForce GTX 1050 Ti and Radeon R9 390X
SpecificationGeForce GTX 1050 TiRadeon R9 390X
InterfacePCIe 3.0 x16PCIe 3.0 x16
TDP75 W✓275 W
Power ConnectorsNone1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin
ReleasedOct 2016Jun 2015