GeForce GTX 1080 vs Radeon R9 390X
The GeForce GTX 1080 is dramatically faster than the Radeon R9 390X, leading by roughly 160% in our performance index. It is also the stronger value pick here, so it's the easy recommendation if your budget allows.
Market Value Leader
GeForce GTX 1080 is the clear winner, offering 13.3% better value than Radeon R9 390X.
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GeForce GTX 1080 vs Radeon R9 390X: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: GeForce GTX 1080 vs Radeon R9 390X
The GeForce GTX 1080 is dramatically faster, around 160% ahead of the Radeon R9 390X. Both cards sit in the same broad class, well suited to entry-level 1080p.
Price & Value
Right now the Radeon R9 390X starts at $103 EUR against $236 EUR for the GeForce GTX 1080. Because it's both faster and competitively priced, the GeForce GTX 1080 wins on performance-per-dollar by about 13%. The Radeon R9 390X is trading below its $429 EUR MSRP — a genuine deal. The GeForce GTX 1080 is trading below its $599 EUR MSRP — a genuine deal.
Power & Efficiency
The GeForce GTX 1080 draws just 180W versus 275W for the Radeon R9 390X, and it also delivers more performance per watt — so it runs cooler and quieter and needs less PSU headroom. Its more modern Pascal architecture on a TSMC 16nm process is part of why it does more with each watt.
Features & Ecosystem
Beyond raw numbers, the GeForce GTX 1080 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 1080 or Radeon R9 390X?
The GeForce GTX 1080 is the all-round winner here — it's faster and the better value, so buy it if it fits your budget. Only consider the Radeon R9 390X if you find it at a steep discount.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the GeForce GTX 1080 better than the Radeon R9 390X?
Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce GTX 1080 or the Radeon R9 390X?
Is the GeForce GTX 1080 worth the extra $133 EUR over the Radeon R9 390X?
Which should you buy: GeForce GTX 1080 or Radeon R9 390X?
Technical Specifications Comparison
Architecture & Cores
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1080 | Radeon R9 390X |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Pascal | GCN 2.0 |
| Process Node | TSMC 16nm | TSMC 28nm |
| CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / Stream Processors) | 2,560 | 2,816✓ |
Clock Speeds
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1080 | Radeon R9 390X |
|---|---|---|
| Base Clock | 1,607 MHz✓ | 1,050 MHz |
| Boost Clock | 1,733 MHz✓ | 1,050 MHz |
Memory
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1080 | Radeon R9 390X |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5X | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bus | 256-bit | 512-bit✓ |
| Memory Speed | 10 Gbps✓ | 6 Gbps |
| Bandwidth | 320 GB/s | 384 GB/s✓ |
Connectivity & Power
| Specification | GeForce GTX 1080 | Radeon R9 390X |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 3.0 x16 |
| TDP | 180 W✓ | 275 W |
| Power Connectors | 1x 8-pin | 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin |
| Released | May 2016 | Jun 2015 |