GPU Comparison

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

Quick Verdict

On raw speed the GeForce RTX 3090 comes out dramatically faster — about 457% ahead of the Radeon RX 590. It also wins on performance-per-dollar, making it the cleaner choice when you can afford it.

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VS
NVIDIA
GeForce RTX 3090
Price
$1,350 USD
Performance
39%
VRAM
24 GB GDDR6X
Key Specs Advantage
+356% CUDA Cores (10,496 vs 2,304)
+266% Bandwidth (936 GB/s vs 256 GB/s)
+50% Memory Bus (384-bit vs 256-bit)
Price
$499 USD
Performance
7%
VRAM
8 GB GDDR5
Key Specs Advantage

Comparable or lower specs

GeForce RTX 3090 vs Radeon RX 590: In-Depth Breakdown

Performance: GeForce RTX 3090 vs Radeon RX 590

The GeForce RTX 3090 is dramatically faster, around 457% ahead of the Radeon RX 590. That gap is enough to move it up a tier: the GeForce RTX 3090 is comfortable at 1440p, while the Radeon RX 590 is better matched to entry-level 1080p.

Price & Value

The Radeon RX 590 currently lists from $499 USD, $851 USD less than the GeForce RTX 3090 at $1,350 USD. Because it's both faster and competitively priced, the GeForce RTX 3090 wins on performance-per-dollar by about 106%. The Radeon RX 590 still sits about $220 USD above its $279 USD MSRP. The GeForce RTX 3090 is trading below its $1,499 USD MSRP — a genuine deal.

Power & Efficiency

On power, the Radeon RX 590 is the gentler choice at 225W versus 350W. The GeForce RTX 3090 is more efficient per watt because it's faster, but its higher 350W draw means more heat and a bigger PSU. Its more modern Ampere architecture on a Samsung 8nm process is part of why it does more with each watt.

VRAM & Future-Proofing

The GeForce RTX 3090 carries 24GB versus 8GB on the Radeon RX 590. The extra 16GB helps at 4K, with high-resolution texture packs, and for content-creation or local-AI workloads that exhaust smaller buffers.

Generation & Longevity

The GeForce RTX 3090 is roughly 2 years newer than the Radeon RX 590 (Ampere vs GCN 4.0 (Polaris)), so it generally benefits from a more modern architecture and longer driver-support runway.

Features & Ecosystem

Beyond raw numbers, the GeForce RTX 3090 brings NVIDIA DLSS upscaling/frame generation and stronger ray tracing, while the Radeon RX 590 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 RTX 3090 or Radeon RX 590?

The GeForce RTX 3090 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 RX 590 if you find it at a steep discount.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the GeForce RTX 3090 better than the Radeon RX 590?

The GeForce RTX 3090 is dramatically faster, roughly 457% ahead. If your budget allows, it's the stronger pick.

Which is better for 4K gaming, the GeForce RTX 3090 or the Radeon RX 590?

Neither is a dedicated 4K card; both are best at 1440p. For 4K you'd want a faster GPU, or lean on upscaling.

Is the GeForce RTX 3090 worth the extra $851 USD over the Radeon RX 590?

Often yes — despite the higher price the GeForce RTX 3090 delivers better performance-per-dollar here.

Does the GeForce RTX 3090 have enough VRAM advantage to matter?

Its 24GB (vs 8GB) gives real headroom for 4K, heavy texture mods, and creative/AI work. At 1080p the gap matters less.

Technical Specifications Comparison

Architecture & Cores

SpecificationGeForce RTX 3090Radeon RX 590
ArchitectureAmpereGCN 4.0 (Polaris)
Process NodeSamsung 8nmGloFo 12nm
CUDA Cores (CUDA Cores / Stream Processors)10,4962,304
Ray Tracing Cores82
Tensor / AI Cores328

Clock Speeds

SpecificationGeForce RTX 3090Radeon RX 590
Base Clock1,395 MHz1,469 MHz
Boost Clock1,695 MHz1,545 MHz

Memory

SpecificationGeForce RTX 3090Radeon RX 590
VRAM Capacity24 GB8 GB
Memory TypeGDDR6XGDDR5
Memory Bus384-bit256-bit
Memory Speed19.5 Gbps8 Gbps
Bandwidth936 GB/s256 GB/s

Connectivity & Power

SpecificationGeForce RTX 3090Radeon RX 590
InterfacePCIe 4.0 x16PCIe 3.0 x16
TDP350 W225 W
Power Connectors1x 12-pin1x 8-pin
ReleasedSep 2020Nov 2018