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GeForce GTX TITAN vs Radeon R9 390X

Quick Verdict

Raw performance is basically a wash between the GeForce GTX TITAN and Radeon R9 390X β€” the gap is within margin of error. 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
AMD Radeon
R9 390X
Price
$429 USD
Performance
5/100βœ“
VRAM
8 GB GDDR5βœ“
Key Specs Advantage
+33% Bandwidth (384 GB/s vs 288.4 GB/s)
+33% Memory Bus (512-bit vs 384-bit)
+20% Boost Clock (1,050 MHz vs 876 MHz)

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

Performance: GeForce GTX TITAN vs Radeon R9 390X

The GeForce GTX TITAN 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

Pricing has the GeForce GTX TITAN at $180 USD, $249 USD under the Radeon R9 390X's $429 USD. Because it's both faster and competitively priced, the GeForce GTX TITAN wins on performance-per-dollar by about 138%. The GeForce GTX TITAN is trading below its $999 USD MSRP β€” a genuine deal.

Power & Efficiency

Power draw favors the GeForce GTX TITAN (230W vs 275W), and it's the more efficient card too, so it's the easy pick if thermals or a smaller PSU matter.

VRAM & Future-Proofing

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

Generation & Longevity

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

Features & Ecosystem

Beyond raw numbers, the GeForce GTX TITAN 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 TITAN or Radeon R9 390X?

The GeForce GTX TITAN is the all-round winner here β€” 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 TITAN better than the Radeon R9 390X?

They're very close on raw performance. The GeForce GTX TITAN edges ahead on value, so price and availability should decide it.

Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce GTX TITAN 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 $249 USD over the GeForce GTX TITAN?

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

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

Its 8GB (vs 6GB) gives real headroom for 4K, heavy texture mods, and creative/AI work. At 1080p the gap matters less.

Which should you buy: GeForce GTX TITAN or Radeon R9 390X?

The GeForce GTX TITAN is the all-round winner here β€” 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.

Technical Specifications Comparison

Architecture & Cores

Architecture & Cores specifications comparison between GeForce GTX TITAN and Radeon R9 390X
SpecificationGeForce GTX TITANRadeon R9 390X
ArchitectureKeplerGCN 2.0
Process NodeTSMC 28nmTSMC 28nm
CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / Stream Processors)2,6882,816βœ“

Clock Speeds

Clock Speeds specifications comparison between GeForce GTX TITAN and Radeon R9 390X
SpecificationGeForce GTX TITANRadeon R9 390X
Base Clock837 MHz1,050 MHzβœ“
Boost Clock876 MHz1,050 MHzβœ“

Memory

Memory specifications comparison between GeForce GTX TITAN and Radeon R9 390X
SpecificationGeForce GTX TITANRadeon R9 390X
VRAM Capacity6 GB8 GBβœ“
Memory TypeGDDR5GDDR5
Memory Bus384-bit512-bitβœ“
Memory Speed6 Gbps6 Gbps
Bandwidth288.4 GB/s384 GB/sβœ“

Connectivity & Power

Connectivity & Power specifications comparison between GeForce GTX TITAN and Radeon R9 390X
SpecificationGeForce GTX TITANRadeon R9 390X
InterfacePCIe 3.0 x16PCIe 3.0 x16
TDP230 Wβœ“275 W
Power Connectors1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin
ReleasedFeb 2013Jun 2015