GeForce GTX 970 vs Radeon R9 390X
The GeForce GTX 970 and Radeon R9 390X trade blows on raw performance, landing within a few percent of each other. Best performance and best value in one card here — the clear recommendation if you can afford it.
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GeForce GTX 970 vs Radeon R9 390X: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: GeForce GTX 970 vs Radeon R9 390X
The GeForce GTX 970 and Radeon R9 390X 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
The GeForce GTX 970 currently lists from $65 USD, $364 USD less than the Radeon R9 390X at $429 USD. Because it's both faster and competitively priced, the GeForce GTX 970 wins on performance-per-dollar by about 560%. The GeForce GTX 970 is trading below its $329 USD MSRP — a genuine deal.
Power & Efficiency
At 145W against 275W, the GeForce GTX 970 is both the lower-power and the more efficient card, making it the easier build to cool and power.
VRAM & Future-Proofing
VRAM favors the Radeon R9 390X at 8GB versus 4GB on the GeForce GTX 970 — that extra 4GB matters most at 4K, with high-res texture packs, and for content-creation/local-AI work.
Features & Ecosystem
Beyond raw numbers, the GeForce GTX 970 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 970 or Radeon R9 390X?
The GeForce GTX 970 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 390X if you find it at a steep discount.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the GeForce GTX 970 better than the Radeon R9 390X?
Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce GTX 970 or the Radeon R9 390X?
Is the Radeon R9 390X worth the extra $364 USD over the GeForce GTX 970?
Does the Radeon R9 390X have enough VRAM advantage to matter?
Which should you buy: GeForce GTX 970 or Radeon R9 390X?
Technical Specifications Comparison
Architecture & Cores
| Specification | GeForce GTX 970 | Radeon R9 390X |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Maxwell | GCN 2.0 |
| Process Node | TSMC 28nm | TSMC 28nm |
| CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / Stream Processors) | 1,664 | 2,816✓ |
Clock Speeds
| Specification | GeForce GTX 970 | Radeon R9 390X |
|---|---|---|
| Base Clock | 1,050 MHz | 1,050 MHz |
| Boost Clock | 1,178 MHz✓ | 1,050 MHz |
Memory
| Specification | GeForce GTX 970 | Radeon R9 390X |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 4 GB | 8 GB✓ |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bus | 256-bit | 512-bit✓ |
| Memory Speed | 7 Gbps✓ | 6 Gbps |
| Bandwidth | 224.3 GB/s | 384 GB/s✓ |
Connectivity & Power
| Specification | GeForce GTX 970 | Radeon R9 390X |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 3.0 x16 |
| TDP | 145 W✓ | 275 W |
| Power Connectors | 2x 6-pin | 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin |
| Released | Sep 2014 | Jun 2015 |