GPU Comparison

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

Quick Verdict

On raw speed the GeForce GTX 1060 comes out dramatically faster — about 133% ahead of the Radeon R9 380. It also wins on performance-per-dollar, making it the cleaner choice when you can afford it.

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

VS
NVIDIA
GeForce GTX 1060
Price
$90 USD
Performance
7%
VRAM
6 GB GDDR5
Key Specs Advantage
+76% Boost Clock (1,708 MHz vs 970 MHz)
+9% Bandwidth (192 GB/s vs 176 GB/s)
Price
$349 USD
Performance
3%
VRAM
2 GB GDDR5
Key Specs Advantage
+40% Stream Processors (1,792 vs 1,280)
+33% Memory Bus (256-bit vs 192-bit)

GeForce GTX 1060 vs Radeon R9 380: In-Depth Breakdown

Performance: GeForce GTX 1060 vs Radeon R9 380

The GeForce GTX 1060 is dramatically faster, around 133% ahead of the Radeon R9 380. Both cards sit in the same broad class, well suited to entry-level 1080p.

Price & Value

The GeForce GTX 1060 currently lists from $90 USD, $259 USD less than the Radeon R9 380 at $349 USD. Because it's both faster and competitively priced, the GeForce GTX 1060 wins on performance-per-dollar by about 805%. The GeForce GTX 1060 is trading below its $299 USD MSRP — a genuine deal. The Radeon R9 380 still sits about $150 USD above its $199 USD MSRP.

Power & Efficiency

At 120W against 190W, the GeForce GTX 1060 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 TSMC 16nm process is part of why it does more with each watt.

VRAM & Future-Proofing

The GeForce GTX 1060 carries 6GB versus 2GB on the Radeon R9 380. The extra 4GB helps at 4K, with high-resolution texture packs, and for content-creation or local-AI workloads that exhaust smaller buffers.

Features & Ecosystem

Beyond raw numbers, the GeForce GTX 1060 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 1060 or Radeon R9 380?

The GeForce GTX 1060 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 380 if you find it at a steep discount.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the GeForce GTX 1060 better than the Radeon R9 380?

The GeForce GTX 1060 is dramatically faster, roughly 133% ahead. If your budget allows, it's the stronger pick.

Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce GTX 1060 or the Radeon R9 380?

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 380 worth the extra $259 USD over the GeForce GTX 1060?

Only if you need the extra performance or features; on pure value the GeForce GTX 1060 comes out ahead.

Does the GeForce GTX 1060 have enough VRAM advantage to matter?

Its 6GB (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 GTX 1060Radeon R9 380
ArchitecturePascalGCN 3.0
Process NodeTSMC 16nmTSMC 28nm
CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / Stream Processors)1,2801,792

Clock Speeds

SpecificationGeForce GTX 1060Radeon R9 380
Base Clock1,506 MHz970 MHz
Boost Clock1,708 MHz970 MHz

Memory

SpecificationGeForce GTX 1060Radeon R9 380
VRAM Capacity6 GB2 GB
Memory TypeGDDR5GDDR5
Memory Bus192-bit256-bit
Memory Speed8 Gbps5.5 Gbps
Bandwidth192 GB/s176 GB/s

Connectivity & Power

SpecificationGeForce GTX 1060Radeon R9 380
InterfacePCIe 3.0 x16PCIe 3.0 x16
TDP120 W190 W
Power Connectors1x 6-pin2x 6-pin
ReleasedJul 2016Jun 2015