Skip to content

GeForce GTX 1630 vs Radeon R9 390X

Quick Verdict

On raw speed the Radeon R9 390X comes out ahead: well ahead on speed, about 25% ahead of the GeForce GTX 1630. That said, the GeForce GTX 1630 is the smarter buy on value β€” $170 USD less for the performance on offer.

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

VS
NVIDIA GeForce
GTX 1630
Price
$259 USDβœ“
Performance
4/100
VRAM
4 GB GDDR6
Key Specs Advantage
+70% Boost Clock (1,785 MHz vs 1,050 MHz)
AMD Radeon
R9 390X
Price
$429 USD
Performance
5/100βœ“
VRAM
8 GB GDDR5βœ“
Key Specs Advantage
+700% Memory Bus (512-bit vs 64-bit)
+450% Stream Processors (2,816 vs 512)
+300% Bandwidth (384 GB/s vs 96 GB/s)

Radeon R9 390X vs GeForce GTX 1630: In-Depth Breakdown

Performance: Radeon R9 390X vs GeForce GTX 1630

The Radeon R9 390X is significantly faster, around 25% ahead of the GeForce GTX 1630. Both cards sit in the same broad class, well suited to entry-level 1080p.

Price & Value

The GeForce GTX 1630 currently lists from $259 USD, $170 USD less than the Radeon R9 390X at $429 USD. Despite being slower, the GeForce GTX 1630 offers the better performance-per-dollar (~33% better value), so budget-focused buyers should weigh it carefully. The GeForce GTX 1630 still sits about $110 USD above its $149 USD MSRP.

Power & Efficiency

At 75W against 275W, the GeForce GTX 1630 is both the lower-power and the more efficient card, making it the easier build to cool and power. Its more modern Turing architecture on a TSMC 12nm process is part of why it does more with each watt.

VRAM & Future-Proofing

VRAM favors the Radeon R9 390X at 8GB versus 4GB on the GeForce GTX 1630 β€” that extra 4GB matters most at 4K, with high-res texture packs, and for content-creation/local-AI work.

Generation & Longevity

The GeForce GTX 1630 is roughly 7 years newer than the Radeon R9 390X (Turing 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 GTX 1630 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 1630 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 GTX 1630 stretches your money further for only slightly lower performance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Radeon R9 390X better than the GeForce GTX 1630?

The Radeon R9 390X is significantly faster, roughly 25% ahead. The GeForce GTX 1630 is still worth it if value matters more than top-end frames.

Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce GTX 1630 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 $170 USD over the GeForce GTX 1630?

Only if you need the extra performance or features; on pure value the GeForce GTX 1630 comes out ahead.

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

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

Which should you buy: GeForce GTX 1630 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 GTX 1630 stretches your money further for only slightly lower performance.

Technical Specifications Comparison

Architecture & Cores

Architecture & Cores specifications comparison between GeForce GTX 1630 and Radeon R9 390X
SpecificationGeForce GTX 1630Radeon R9 390X
ArchitectureTuringGCN 2.0
Process NodeTSMC 12nmTSMC 28nm
CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / Stream Processors)5122,816βœ“

Clock Speeds

Clock Speeds specifications comparison between GeForce GTX 1630 and Radeon R9 390X
SpecificationGeForce GTX 1630Radeon R9 390X
Base Clock1,740 MHzβœ“1,050 MHz
Boost Clock1,785 MHzβœ“1,050 MHz

Memory

Memory specifications comparison between GeForce GTX 1630 and Radeon R9 390X
SpecificationGeForce GTX 1630Radeon R9 390X
VRAM Capacity4 GB8 GBβœ“
Memory TypeGDDR6GDDR5
Memory Bus64-bit512-bitβœ“
Memory Speed12 Gbpsβœ“6 Gbps
Bandwidth96 GB/s384 GB/sβœ“

Connectivity & Power

Connectivity & Power specifications comparison between GeForce GTX 1630 and Radeon R9 390X
SpecificationGeForce GTX 1630Radeon R9 390X
InterfacePCIe 3.0 x16PCIe 3.0 x16
TDP75 Wβœ“275 W
Power ConnectorsNone1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin
ReleasedJun 2022Jun 2015