Radeon R9 390X
VS
GeForce GTX TITAN Black

Radeon R9 390X vs GeForce GTX TITAN Black

AMD

Radeon R9 390X

2015Boost: 1050 MHz
VS
NVIDIA

GeForce GTX TITAN Black

2014Core: 889 MHzBoost: 980 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 390X is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.1% higher G3D Mark score and 33.3% more VRAM (8 GB vs 6 GB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the GeForce GTX TITAN Black.

InsightRadeon R9 390XGeForce GTX TITAN Black
Performance
Leading raw performance (+1.1%)
Lower raw frame rates (-1.1%)
Longevity
🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / GCN 2.0 (2013−2017))
🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / Kepler (2012−2018))
Ecosystem
Supports FSR Upscaling
Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM
✅ More VRAM (+33.3%)
❌ Less VRAM capacity
Efficiency
Normal Efficiency
Normal Efficiency
Case Fit
Standard Size (277mm)
Standard Size (267mm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Radeon R9 390X offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon R9 390X holds the technical lead. Priced at $70 (vs $120), it costs 42% less, resulting in a 73.3% higher cost efficiency score.

InsightRadeon R9 390XGeForce GTX TITAN Black
Cost Efficiency
Better overall value (+73.3%)
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
More affordable ($70)
⚠️Higher upfront cost ($120)

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 390X and GeForce GTX TITAN Black

AMD

Radeon R9 390X

The Radeon R9 390X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in June 18 2015. It features the GCN 2.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1050 MHz. It has 2816 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 275W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,278 points. Launch price was $429.

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX TITAN Black

The GeForce GTX TITAN Black is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 18 2014. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 889 MHz to 980 MHz. It has 2880 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 250W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,177 points. Launch price was $999.

Graphics Performance

The Radeon R9 390X scores 9,278 and the GeForce GTX TITAN Black reaches 9,177 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon R9 390X is built on GCN 2.0 while the GeForce GTX TITAN Black uses Kepler, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 2,816 (Radeon R9 390X) vs 2,880 (GeForce GTX TITAN Black). Raw compute: 5.914 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 390X) vs 5.645 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX TITAN Black). Boost clocks: 1050 MHz vs 980 MHz.

FeatureRadeon R9 390XGeForce GTX TITAN Black
G3D Mark Score
9,278+1%
9,177
Architecture
GCN 2.0
Kepler
Process Node
28 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
2816
2880+2%
Compute (TFLOPS)
5.914 TFLOPS+5%
5.645 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1050 MHz+7%
980 MHz
ROPs
64+33%
48
TMUs
176
240+36%
L1 Cache
704 KB+193%
240 KB
L2 Cache
1 MB
1.5 MB+50%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureRadeon R9 390XGeForce GTX TITAN Black
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 390X comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX TITAN Black has 6 GB. The Radeon R9 390X offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 384 GB/s (Radeon R9 390X) vs 336 GB/s (GeForce GTX TITAN Black) — a 14.3% advantage for the Radeon R9 390X. Bus width: 512-bit vs 384-bit. L2 Cache: 1 MB (Radeon R9 390X) vs 1.5 MB (GeForce GTX TITAN Black) — the GeForce GTX TITAN Black has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureRadeon R9 390XGeForce GTX TITAN Black
VRAM Capacity
8 GB+33%
6 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
384 GB/s+14%
336 GB/s
Bus Width
512-bit+33%
384-bit
L2 Cache
1 MB
1.5 MB+50%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (12_0) (Radeon R9 390X) vs 12.0 (GeForce GTX TITAN Black). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureRadeon R9 390XGeForce GTX TITAN Black
DirectX
12 (12_0)
12.0
Vulkan
1.2
1.2
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: VCE 2.0 (Radeon R9 390X) vs NVENC 1.0 (GeForce GTX TITAN Black). Decoder: UVD 4.2 vs PureVideo HD VP5. Supported codecs: H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (Radeon R9 390X) vs MPEG-2,H.264 (GeForce GTX TITAN Black).

FeatureRadeon R9 390XGeForce GTX TITAN Black
Encoder
VCE 2.0
NVENC 1.0
Decoder
UVD 4.2
PureVideo HD VP5
Codecs
H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1
MPEG-2,H.264
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon R9 390X draws 275W versus the GeForce GTX TITAN Black's 250W — a 9.5% difference. The GeForce GTX TITAN Black is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 750W (Radeon R9 390X) vs 600W (GeForce GTX TITAN Black). Power connectors: 6-pin + 8-pin vs 6-pin + 8-pin. Card length: 277mm vs 267mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 80 vs 80°C.

FeatureRadeon R9 390XGeForce GTX TITAN Black
TDP
275W
250W-9%
Recommended PSU
750W
600W-20%
Power Connector
6-pin + 8-pin
6-pin + 8-pin
Length
277mm
267mm
Height
129mm
111mm
Slots
2
2
Temp (Load)
80
80°C
Perf/Watt
33.7
36.7+9%
💰

Value Analysis

The Radeon R9 390X launched at $429 MSRP and currently averages $70, while the GeForce GTX TITAN Black launched at $999 and now averages $120. The Radeon R9 390X costs 41.7% less ($50 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 132.5 (Radeon R9 390X) vs 76.5 (GeForce GTX TITAN Black) — the Radeon R9 390X offers 73.2% better value. The Radeon R9 390X is the newer GPU (2015 vs 2014).

FeatureRadeon R9 390XGeForce GTX TITAN Black
MSRP
$429-57%
$999
Avg Price (30d)
$70-42%
$120
Performance per Dollar
132.5+73%
76.5
Codename
Grenada
GK110B
Release
June 18 2015
February 18 2014
Ranking
#287
#288