GeForce GTX TITAN Z vs Radeon R9 390

G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

The Radeon R9 390 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.5% higher G3D Mark score. However, the GeForce GTX TITAN Z offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.

Insight	GeForce GTX TITAN Z	Radeon R9 390
Performance	❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.5%)	✅Leading raw performance (+0.5%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / Kepler (2012−2018))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / GCN 2.0 (2013−2017))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	✅ More VRAM (+50%)	❌ Less VRAM capacity
Efficiency	⚡ Higher Power Consumption	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt
Case Fit	Standard Size (267mm)	Standard Size (275mm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Radeon R9 390 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon R9 390 holds the technical lead. Priced at $65 (vs $400), it costs 84% less, resulting in a 518.5% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	GeForce GTX TITAN Z	Radeon R9 390
Cost Efficiency	❌Lower cost efficiency	✅Better overall value (+518.5%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($400)	✅More affordable ($65)

Performance Check

Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 7800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.

Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.

GeForce GTX TITAN Z Benchmark Check

Radeon R9 390 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX TITAN Z and Radeon R9 390

GeForce GTX TITAN Z

The GeForce GTX TITAN Z is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 28 2014. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 705 MHz to 876 MHz. It has 5760 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 375W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 8,811 points. Launch price was $2,999.

Radeon R9 390

The Radeon R9 390 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in June 18 2015. It features the GCN 2.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1000 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 300W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 8,855 points. Launch price was $329.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX TITAN Z scores 8,811 and the Radeon R9 390 reaches 8,855 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.5% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX TITAN Z is built on Kepler while the Radeon R9 390 uses GCN 2.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 5,760 (GeForce GTX TITAN Z) vs 2,560 (Radeon R9 390). Raw compute: 5.046 TFLOPS ×2 (GeForce GTX TITAN Z) vs 5.12 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 390). Boost clocks: 876 MHz vs 1000 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX TITAN Z	Radeon R9 390
G3D Mark Score	8,811	8,855
Architecture	Kepler	GCN 2.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	5760 ×2+125%	2560
Compute (TFLOPS)	5.046 TFLOPS ×2	5.12 TFLOPS+1%
Boost Clock	876 MHz	1000 MHz+14%
ROPs	48 ×2	64+33%
TMUs	240 ×2+50%	160
L1 Cache	240 KB	640 KB+167%
L2 Cache	1.5 MB+50%	1 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX TITAN Z	Radeon R9 390
Upscaling Tech	FSR 2.1 (Compatible)	FSR 1.0 (Software)
Frame Generation	FSR 3 (Compatible)	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	Standard	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX TITAN Z comes with 12 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 390 has 8 GB. The GeForce GTX TITAN Z offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 336 GB/s x2 (GeForce GTX TITAN Z) vs 320 GB/s (Radeon R9 390) — a 950.6% advantage for the GeForce GTX TITAN Z. Bus width: 384-bit x2 vs 512-bit. L2 Cache: 1.5 MB (GeForce GTX TITAN Z) vs 1 MB (Radeon R9 390) — the GeForce GTX TITAN Z has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX TITAN Z	Radeon R9 390
VRAM Capacity	12 GB+50%	8 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	336 GB/s x2+5%	320 GB/s
Bus Width	384-bit x2	512-bit+33%
L2 Cache	1.5 MB+50%	1 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX TITAN Z) vs 12.0 (Radeon R9 390). Vulkan: 1.0 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 6.

Feature	GeForce GTX TITAN Z	Radeon R9 390
DirectX	12	12.0
Vulkan	1.0	1.2+20%
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	6+50%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 1st gen (GeForce GTX TITAN Z) vs VCE 2.0 (Radeon R9 390). Decoder: NVDEC 1st gen vs UVD 4.2. Supported codecs: H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GeForce GTX TITAN Z) vs MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1 (Radeon R9 390).

Feature	GeForce GTX TITAN Z	Radeon R9 390
Encoder	NVENC 1st gen	VCE 2.0
Decoder	NVDEC 1st gen	UVD 4.2
Codecs	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1	MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX TITAN Z draws 375W versus the Radeon R9 390's 300W — a 22.2% difference. The Radeon R9 390 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 700W (GeForce GTX TITAN Z) vs 750W (Radeon R9 390). Power connectors: 2x 8-pin vs 6-pin + 8-pin. Card length: 267mm vs 275mm, occupying 3 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 95°C.

Feature	GeForce GTX TITAN Z	Radeon R9 390
TDP	375W	300W-20%
Recommended PSU	700W-7%	750W
Power Connector	2x 8-pin	6-pin + 8-pin
Length	267mm	275mm
Height	111mm	109mm
Slots	3	2-33%
Temp (Load)	80°C-16%	95°C
Perf/Watt	23.5	29.5+26%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX TITAN Z launched at $2999 MSRP and currently averages $400, while the Radeon R9 390 launched at $329 and now averages $65. The Radeon R9 390 costs 83.8% less ($335 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 22.0 (GeForce GTX TITAN Z) vs 136.2 (Radeon R9 390) — the Radeon R9 390 offers 519.1% better value. The Radeon R9 390 is the newer GPU (2015 vs 2014).