Radeon R9 M390X vs Radeon RX Vega M GL

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 R9 M390X vs Radeon RX Vega M GL 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 R9 M390X vs Radeon RX Vega M GL: 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 R9 M390X

2015

Why buy it

✅13.1% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs Unknown).
✅Radeon RX Vega M GL is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon R9 M390X is the less risky modern option long term.

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.
❌
266.7% HIGHER MSRP
$550 MSRPvs$150 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 7.1 vs 26.0 G3D/$ ($550 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
❌15.4% higher power demand at 75W vs 65W.

Radeon RX Vega M GL

2018

Why buy it

✅Costs $400 less on MSRP ($150 MSRP vs $550 MSRP).
✅Delivers 267.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 26.0 vs 7.1 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs $550 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 75W, a 10W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon R9 M390X across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2018 hardware with Unknown of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

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 13.1% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward Radeon RX Vega M GL instead at 3,906 vs 3,895, so for this question the real-game FPS result matters more than the synthetic split.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

Radeon R9 M390X is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 4 GB vs Unknown of VRAM. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon RX Vega M GL makes the most sense to buy today. It is $400 cheaper on MSRP at $150 vs $550, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 267.7% (26.0 vs 7.1), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p, Radeon RX Vega M GL is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Radeon R9 M390X has the stronger long-term case.

Radeon R9 M390X vs Radeon RX Vega M GL Technical Specifications

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

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.

Radeon RX Vega M GL

The Radeon RX Vega M GL is manufactured by AMD. It was released in February 1 2018. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 931 MHz to 1011 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 65W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,906 points.

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Graphics Performance

The Radeon R9 M390X scores 3,895 and the Radeon RX Vega M GL reaches 3,906 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.3% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon R9 M390X is built on GCN 3.0 while the Radeon RX Vega M GL uses GCN 4.0, both on 28 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 2,048 (Radeon R9 M390X) vs 1,280 (Radeon RX Vega M GL). Raw compute: 2.961 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 M390X) vs 2.588 TFLOPS (Radeon RX Vega M GL).

Feature	Radeon R9 M390X	Radeon RX Vega M GL
G3D Mark Score	3,895	3,906
Architecture	GCN 3.0	GCN 4.0
Process Node	28 nm	14 nm
Shading Units	2048+60%	1280
Compute (TFLOPS)	2.961 TFLOPS+14%	2.588 TFLOPS
ROPs	32	32
TMUs	128+60%	80
L1 Cache	512 KB+60%	320 KB
L2 Cache	0.5 MB	1 MB+100%
Frame Generation	FSR upscaling	FSR upscaling

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon R9 M390X	Radeon RX Vega M GL
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 R9 M390X has 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon RX Vega M GL carries 0 MB. Radeon R9 M390X gives you 100+% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 160 GB/s (Radeon R9 M390X) vs 179.2 GB/s (Radeon RX Vega M GL) — a 12% advantage for the Radeon RX Vega M GL. Memory bus width is 256-bit on the Radeon R9 M390X and 1024-bit on the Radeon RX Vega M GL. L2 Cache: 0.5 MB (Radeon R9 M390X) vs 1 MB (Radeon RX Vega M GL) — the Radeon RX Vega M GL has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Radeon R9 M390X	Radeon RX Vega M GL
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	Shared System RAM
Memory Type	GDDR5	HBM2
Memory Bandwidth	160 GB/s	179.2 GB/s+12%
Bus Width	256-bit	1024-bit+300%
L2 Cache	0.5 MB	1 MB+100%

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Power & Dimensions

The Radeon R9 M390X draws 75W versus the Radeon RX Vega M GL's 65W — a 14.3% difference. The Radeon RX Vega M GL is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon R9 M390X) vs 1W (Radeon RX Vega M GL). Power connectors: Mobile vs Integrated.

Feature	Radeon R9 M390X	Radeon RX Vega M GL
TDP	75W	65W-13%
Recommended PSU	350W	1W-100%
Power Connector	Mobile	Integrated
Length	—	0mm
Height	—	0mm
Slots	—	0
Temp (Load)	—	80
Perf/Watt	51.9	60.1+16%

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Value Analysis

At launch, the Radeon R9 M390X came in at $550, while the Radeon RX Vega M GL launched at $150. On MSRP, Radeon RX Vega M GL was 72.7% cheaper ($400 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 7.1 (Radeon R9 M390X) vs 26.0 (Radeon RX Vega M GL) — the Radeon RX Vega M GL offers 266.2% better value. The newer card here is Radeon RX Vega M GL (2018 vs 2015).

Feature	Radeon R9 M390X	Radeon RX Vega M GL
MSRP	$550	$150-73%
Performance per Dollar	7.1	26.0+266%
Codename	Amethyst	Polaris 22
Release	May 5 2015	February 1 2018
Ranking	#504	#500

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