GeForce GTX 960 vs Radeon R9 380
Raw performance is basically a wash between the GeForce GTX 960 and Radeon R9 380 β the gap is within margin of error. It also wins on performance-per-dollar, making it the cleaner choice when you can afford it.
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GeForce GTX 960 vs Radeon R9 380: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: GeForce GTX 960 vs Radeon R9 380
The GeForce GTX 960 and Radeon R9 380 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.
Price & Value
Pricing has the GeForce GTX 960 at $62,576 JPY, $125,198 JPY under the Radeon R9 380's $187,774 JPY. Because it's both faster and competitively priced, the GeForce GTX 960 wins on performance-per-dollar by about 200%. The GeForce GTX 960 still sits about $62,377 JPY above its $199 JPY MSRP. The Radeon R9 380 still sits about $187,575 JPY above its $199 JPY MSRP.
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.
Features & Ecosystem
Beyond raw numbers, the GeForce GTX 960 brings NVIDIA DLSS upscaling/frame generation and stronger ray tracing, while the Radeon R9 380 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 380?
The GeForce GTX 960 is the all-round winner here β it's faster and the better value, so buy it if it fits your budget. Only consider the Radeon R9 380 if you find it at a steep discount.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the GeForce GTX 960 better than the Radeon R9 380?
Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce GTX 960 or the Radeon R9 380?
Is the Radeon R9 380 worth the extra $125,198 JPY over the GeForce GTX 960?
Which should you buy: GeForce GTX 960 or Radeon R9 380?
Technical Specifications Comparison
Architecture & Cores
| Specification | GeForce GTX 960 | Radeon R9 380 |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Maxwell | GCN 3.0 |
| Process Node | TSMC 28nm | TSMC 28nm |
| CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / Stream Processors) | 1,024 | 1,792β |
Clock Speeds
| Specification | GeForce GTX 960 | Radeon R9 380 |
|---|---|---|
| Base Clock | 1,127 MHzβ | 970 MHz |
| Boost Clock | 1,178 MHzβ | 970 MHz |
Memory
| Specification | GeForce GTX 960 | Radeon R9 380 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 2 GB | 2 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bus | 128-bit | 256-bitβ |
| Memory Speed | 7 Gbpsβ | 5.5 Gbps |
| Bandwidth | 112 GB/s | 176 GB/sβ |
Connectivity & Power
| Specification | GeForce GTX 960 | Radeon R9 380 |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 3.0 x16 |
| TDP | 120 Wβ | 190 W |
| Power Connectors | 1x 6-pin | 2x 6-pin |
| Released | Jan 2015 | Jun 2015 |