GPU Comparison
Select up to 2 GPUs to analyze their pricing, performance, and specifications side-by-side.
Market Value Leader
Market comparison is currently pending while we verify the latest benchmarks for Radeon R9 380 and Radeon R9 390X.
The Radeon R9 390X is dramatically faster than the Radeon R9 380, leading by roughly 67% in our performance index.
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Comparable or lower specs
Radeon R9 390X vs Radeon R9 380: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: Radeon R9 390X vs Radeon R9 380
The Radeon R9 390X is dramatically faster, around 67% ahead of the Radeon R9 380. Both cards sit in the same broad class, well suited to entry-level 1080p. The Radeon R9 390X packs 2,816 stream processors versus 1,792 on the Radeon R9 380.
Power & Efficiency
The Radeon R9 380 pulls less power (190W vs 275W), so it's the easier card to cool and the lighter load on your PSU. The faster Radeon R9 390X draws more overall but extracts more performance from each watt — plan for a sturdier power supply if you pick it.
VRAM & Future-Proofing
With 8GB against 2GB, the Radeon R9 390X has more headroom for 4K textures and memory-hungry creative/AI tasks where the Radeon R9 380's 2GB can fall short. The Radeon R9 390X's memory is also faster — 384 GB/s versus 176 GB/s (512-bit vs 256-bit bus) — which helps feed the GPU at 4K and with heavy textures.
Which should you buy: Radeon R9 380 or Radeon R9 390X?
The Radeon R9 390X is the faster card by about 67%. 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 Radeon R9 390X better than the Radeon R9 380?
Which is better for 4K gaming, the Radeon R9 380 or the Radeon R9 390X?
Does the Radeon R9 390X have enough VRAM advantage to matter?
Technical Specifications Comparison
Architecture & Cores
| Specification | Radeon R9 380 | Radeon R9 390X |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | GCN 3.0 | GCN 2.0 |
| Process Node | TSMC 28nm | TSMC 28nm |
| CUDA Cores (Stream Processors / Stream Processors) | 1,792 | 2,816✓ |
Clock Speeds
| Specification | Radeon R9 380 | Radeon R9 390X |
|---|---|---|
| Base Clock | 970 MHz | 1,050 MHz✓ |
| Boost Clock | 970 MHz | 1,050 MHz✓ |
Memory
| Specification | Radeon R9 380 | Radeon R9 390X |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 2 GB | 8 GB✓ |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bus | 256-bit | 512-bit✓ |
| Memory Speed | 5.5 Gbps | 6 Gbps✓ |
| Bandwidth | 176 GB/s | 384 GB/s✓ |
Connectivity & Power
| Specification | Radeon R9 380 | Radeon R9 390X |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 3.0 x16 |
| TDP | 190 W✓ | 275 W |
| Power Connectors | 2x 6-pin | 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin |
| Released | Jun 2015 | Jun 2015 |