GPU Comparison

Select up to 2 GPUs to analyze their pricing, performance, and specifications side-by-side.

Quick Verdict

On raw speed the Radeon R9 390X comes out dramatically faster — about 400% ahead of the GeForce GT 1030. But the GeForce GT 1030 is the better value, undercutting it by $344 USD for the performance you get.

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

VS
NVIDIA
GeForce GT 1030
Price
$85 USD
Performance
1%
VRAM
2 GB GDDR5
Key Specs Advantage
+40% Boost Clock (1,468 MHz vs 1,050 MHz)
Price
$429 USD
Performance
5%
VRAM
8 GB GDDR5
Key Specs Advantage
+700% Bandwidth (384 GB/s vs 48 GB/s)
+700% Memory Bus (512-bit vs 64-bit)
+633% Stream Processors (2,816 vs 384)

Radeon R9 390X vs GeForce GT 1030: In-Depth Breakdown

Performance: Radeon R9 390X vs GeForce GT 1030

The Radeon R9 390X is dramatically faster, around 400% ahead of the GeForce GT 1030. Both cards sit in the same broad class, well suited to entry-level 1080p.

Price & Value

The GeForce GT 1030 currently lists from $85 USD, $344 USD less than the Radeon R9 390X at $429 USD. Despite being slower, the GeForce GT 1030 offers the better performance-per-dollar, so budget-focused buyers should weigh it carefully.

Power & Efficiency

At 30W against 275W, the GeForce GT 1030 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

The Radeon R9 390X carries 8GB versus 2GB on the GeForce GT 1030. The extra 6GB helps at 4K, with high-resolution texture packs, and for content-creation or local-AI workloads that exhaust smaller buffers.

Generation & Longevity

The GeForce GT 1030 is roughly 2 years newer than the Radeon R9 390X (Pascal vs GCN 2.0), so it generally benefits from a more modern architecture and longer driver-support runway.

Features & Ecosystem

Beyond raw numbers, the GeForce GT 1030 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 GT 1030 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 GT 1030 stretches your money further for only slightly lower performance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Radeon R9 390X better than the GeForce GT 1030?

The Radeon R9 390X is dramatically faster, roughly 400% ahead. The GeForce GT 1030 is still worth it if value matters more than top-end frames.

Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce GT 1030 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 $344 USD over the GeForce GT 1030?

Only if you need the extra performance or features; on pure value the GeForce GT 1030 comes out ahead.

Does the Radeon R9 390X have enough VRAM advantage to matter?

Its 8GB (vs 2GB) gives real headroom for 4K, heavy texture mods, and creative/AI work. At 1080p the gap matters less.

Technical Specifications Comparison

Architecture & Cores

SpecificationGeForce GT 1030Radeon R9 390X
ArchitecturePascalGCN 2.0
Process NodeSamsung 14nmTSMC 28nm
CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / Stream Processors)3842,816

Clock Speeds

SpecificationGeForce GT 1030Radeon R9 390X
Base Clock1,227 MHz1,050 MHz
Boost Clock1,468 MHz1,050 MHz

Memory

SpecificationGeForce GT 1030Radeon R9 390X
VRAM Capacity2 GB8 GB
Memory TypeGDDR5GDDR5
Memory Bus64-bit512-bit
Memory Speed6 Gbps6 Gbps
Bandwidth48 GB/s384 GB/s

Connectivity & Power

SpecificationGeForce GT 1030Radeon R9 390X
InterfacePCIe 3.0 x16PCIe 3.0 x16
TDP30 W275 W
Power ConnectorsNone1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin
ReleasedMay 2017Jun 2015