Radeon R9 390
VS
GeForce GTX TITAN Z

Radeon R9 390 vs GeForce GTX TITAN Z

AMD

Radeon R9 390

2015Boost: 1000 MHz
VS
NVIDIA

GeForce GTX TITAN Z

2014Core: 705 MHzBoost: 876 MHz

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.

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.

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

💎 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.

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

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.

Technical Specifications

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

AMD

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.

NVIDIA

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.

Graphics Performance

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

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

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

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

Video Memory (VRAM)

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

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

Display & API Support

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

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

Media & Encoding

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

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

Power & Dimensions

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

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

Value Analysis

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

FeatureRadeon R9 390GeForce GTX TITAN Z
MSRP
$329-89%
$2999
Avg Price (30d)
$65-84%
$400
Performance per Dollar
136.2+519%
22.0
Codename
Grenada
GK110B
Release
June 18 2015
May 28 2014
Ranking
#296
#300