GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU vs Radeon R9 380

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU

2023Core: 2310 MHzBoost: 2535 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

Radeon R9 380

2015Boost: 970 MHz

Popular choices:

Performance Spectrum - GPU

About G3D Mark

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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU

2023

Why buy it

  • +190% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).
  • More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
  • Draws 160W instead of 220W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 30.2 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $199 MSRP).

Radeon R9 380

2015

Why buy it

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 30.2 vs 0 G3D/$ ($199 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (6,000 vs 17,400).
  • Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • Poor future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
  • 37.5% higher power demand at 220W vs 160W.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU better than Radeon R9 380?
Yes. GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 17,400 vs 6,000 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU is a 2023 card with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation, while Radeon R9 380 is a 2015 model from an older generation with FSR upscaling. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2023 generation instead of 2015, 190.0% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 8 GB instead of 4 GB, and better frame-generation support with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023) instead of FSR upscaling. That leaves it with more room for heavier textures, tougher ray tracing loads, and higher-end 1440p or 4K gaming over the next few years.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?
GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU is priced in an unclear MSRP range at an unclear MSRP versus $199 MSRP, and you are getting 190.0% higher G3D Mark. Radeon R9 380 really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.
Is Radeon R9 380 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
No, not for a fresh gaming build. Radeon R9 380 is 2015 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM, 6,000 in G3D Mark, and FSR upscaling. That is simply too far behind to be an easy modern recommendation.

Games Benchmarks

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 9800X3D 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetGeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 380
1080p
low177 FPS101 FPS
medium162 FPS87 FPS
high142 FPS70 FPS
ultra124 FPS41 FPS
1440p
low143 FPS88 FPS
medium118 FPS77 FPS
high101 FPS55 FPS
ultra93 FPS31 FPS
4K
low93 FPS28 FPS
medium79 FPS26 FPS
high66 FPS17 FPS
ultra59 FPS15 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 380
1080p
low409 FPS128 FPS
medium344 FPS98 FPS
high280 FPS78 FPS
ultra223 FPS52 FPS
1440p
low261 FPS72 FPS
medium217 FPS52 FPS
high180 FPS38 FPS
ultra147 FPS27 FPS
4K
low112 FPS27 FPS
medium91 FPS19 FPS
high76 FPS15 FPS
ultra59 FPS11 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 380
1080p
low783 FPS270 FPS
medium626 FPS216 FPS
high522 FPS180 FPS
ultra392 FPS135 FPS
1440p
low587 FPS202 FPS
medium470 FPS162 FPS
high392 FPS135 FPS
ultra294 FPS101 FPS
4K
low392 FPS135 FPS
medium313 FPS108 FPS
high261 FPS90 FPS
ultra196 FPS68 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 380
1080p
low775 FPS171 FPS
medium626 FPS142 FPS
high522 FPS128 FPS
ultra392 FPS103 FPS
1440p
low587 FPS121 FPS
medium470 FPS102 FPS
high392 FPS91 FPS
ultra294 FPS69 FPS
4K
low374 FPS71 FPS
medium313 FPS57 FPS
high261 FPS46 FPS
ultra196 FPS32 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU and Radeon R9 380

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU

The GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 18 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 2310 MHz to 2535 MHz. It has 4352 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 160W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 34 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 17,400 points. Launch price was $399.

AMD

Radeon R9 380

The Radeon R9 380 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in June 18 2015. It features the GCN 3.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 970 MHz. It has 1792 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 220W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 6,000 points. Launch price was $199.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU scores 17,400 versus the Radeon R9 380's 6,000 — the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU leads by 190%. The GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU is built on Ada Lovelace while the Radeon R9 380 uses GCN 3.0, both on 5 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 4,352 (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU) vs 1,792 (Radeon R9 380). Raw compute: 22.06 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU) vs 3.476 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 380). Boost clocks: 2535 MHz vs 970 MHz.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 380
G3D Mark Score
17,400+190%
6,000
Architecture
Ada Lovelace
GCN 3.0
Process Node
5 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
4352+143%
1792
Compute (TFLOPS)
22.06 TFLOPS+535%
3.476 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
2535 MHz+161%
970 MHz
ROPs
48+50%
32
TMUs
136+21%
112
L1 Cache
4.3 MB+877%
0.44 MB
L2 Cache
32 MB+6300%
0.5 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU is support for DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation. This allows it to generate entire frames using AI/Algorithms, essentially doubling the frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios or heavy ray-tracing titles. The Radeon R9 380 lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.The GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Radeon R9 380 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 380
Upscaling Tech
DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
Yes (DLSS 3.5)
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 380 has 4 GB. The GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 256 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU) vs 182.4 GB/s (Radeon R9 380) — a 40.4% advantage for the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU. Bus width: 128-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 32 MB (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon R9 380) — the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 380
VRAM Capacity
8 GB+100%
4 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
256 GB/s+40%
182.4 GB/s
Bus Width
128-bit
256-bit+100%
L2 Cache
32 MB+6300%
0.5 MB
🎬

Media & Encoding

Supported codecs: H.264,HEVC,AV1,VP9 (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU) vs H.264,H.265 (Radeon R9 380).

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 380
Encoder
NVENC (8th Gen)
Decoder
NVDEC (5th Gen)
Codecs
H.264,HEVC,AV1,VP9
H.264,H.265
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU draws 160W versus the Radeon R9 380's 220W — a 31.6% difference. The GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU) vs 500W (Radeon R9 380). Power connectors: Mobile vs 2x 6-pin.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 380
TDP
160W-27%
220W
Recommended PSU
650W
500W-23%
Power Connector
Mobile
2x 6-pin
Slots
0
Temp (Load)
80°C
Perf/Watt
108.8+299%
27.3
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2015).

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPURadeon R9 380
MSRP
$199
Codename
AD106
Antigua
Release
May 18 2023
June 18 2015
Ranking
#59
#396