Radeon 680M vs Radeon R9 M390X

AMD

Radeon 680M

2023Core: 2000 MHzBoost: 2200 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
AMD

Radeon R9 M390X

2015Core: 723 MHz
Similar parts
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Radeon 680M vs Radeon R9 M390X Performance Spectrum

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.

Radeon 680M vs Radeon R9 M390X FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Radeon 680M vs Radeon R9 M390X: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

Radeon 680M

2023

Why buy it

  • Better long-term bet: RDNA 2.0 (2020−2025) on 6nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
  • Draws 50W instead of 75W, a 25W reduction.
  • More future proof: RDNA 2.0 (2020−2025) on 6nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than Radeon R9 M390X across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 7.1 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $550 MSRP).

Radeon R9 M390X

2015

Why buy it

  • 18.6% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 7.1 vs 0 G3D/$ ($550 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 2 GB).

Trade-offs

  • 2015 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 50% higher power demand at 75W vs 50W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Radeon R9 M390X is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 18.6% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 1.5% in PassMark G3D (3,895 vs 3,836), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
Radeon 680M is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 6nm process instead of 28nm, 12 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2023 generation instead of 2015. That gives it the more rounded hardware package for newer games.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Radeon R9 M390X makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon R9 M390X is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Radeon 680M has the stronger long-term case.

Radeon 680M vs Radeon R9 M390X Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

AMD

Radeon 680M

The Radeon 680M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 3 2023. It features the RDNA 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 2000 MHz to 2200 MHz. It has 768 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 6 nm process technology. It features 12 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,836 points.

AMD

Radeon R9 M390X

The Radeon R9 M390X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in May 5 2015. It features the GCN 3.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 723 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,895 points.

Graphics Performance

The Radeon 680M scores 3,836 and the Radeon R9 M390X reaches 3,895 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.5% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon 680M is built on RDNA 2.0 while the Radeon R9 M390X uses GCN 3.0, both on 6 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 768 (Radeon 680M) vs 2,048 (Radeon R9 M390X). Raw compute: 3.379 TFLOPS (Radeon 680M) vs 2.961 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 M390X).

FeatureRadeon 680MRadeon R9 M390X
G3D Mark Score
3,836
3,895+2%
Architecture
RDNA 2.0
GCN 3.0
Process Node
6 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
768
2048+167%
Compute (TFLOPS)
3.379 TFLOPS+14%
2.961 TFLOPS
ROPs
32
32
TMUs
48
128+167%
L1 Cache
256 KB
512 KB+100%
L2 Cache
2 MB+300%
0.5 MB
Frame Generation
FSR upscaling + RSR
FSR upscaling

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureRadeon 680MRadeon R9 M390X
Upscaling Tech
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
AMD Anti-Lag
AMD Anti-Lag
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Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon 680M has 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 M390X carries 4 GB. Radeon R9 M390X gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is System on the Radeon 680M and 256-bit on the Radeon R9 M390X. L2 Cache: 2 MB (Radeon 680M) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon R9 M390X) — the Radeon 680M has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureRadeon 680MRadeon R9 M390X
VRAM Capacity
2 GB
4 GB+100%
Memory Type
Shared
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
System
160 GB/s
Bus Width
System
256-bit
L2 Cache
2 MB+300%
0.5 MB
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Power & Dimensions

The Radeon 680M draws 50W versus the Radeon R9 M390X's 75W — a 40% difference. The Radeon 680M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon 680M) vs 350W (Radeon R9 M390X). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs Mobile.

FeatureRadeon 680MRadeon R9 M390X
TDP
50W-33%
75W
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
Mobile
Length
1mm
Slots
0
Perf/Watt
76.7+48%
51.9
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is Radeon 680M (2023 vs 2015).

FeatureRadeon 680MRadeon R9 M390X
MSRP
$550
Codename
Rembrandt+
Amethyst
Release
January 3 2023
May 5 2015
Ranking
#512
#504

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