Radeon RX 590 vs Radeon R9 390X
Radeon RX 590
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Radeon R9 390X
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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.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The Radeon RX 590 uses modern memory architecture. The Radeon RX 590 likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon R9 390X lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon RX 590 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.4% higher G3D Mark score. This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon R9 390X.
| Insight | Radeon RX 590 | Radeon R9 390X |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.4%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.4%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2018 / GCN 4.0 (2016−2020)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / GCN 2.0 (2013−2017)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+0%) |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | Standard Size (277mm) |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon RX 590 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Priced at $65 versus $70 for the Radeon R9 390X, it costs 7% less. While it maintains competitive performance, this results in a 8.1% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon RX 590 | Radeon R9 390X |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+8.1%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($65) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($70) |
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 RX 590 and Radeon R9 390X
Radeon RX 590
The Radeon RX 590 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 15 2018. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1469 MHz to 1545 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 175W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,315 points. Launch price was $279.
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.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon RX 590 scores 9,315 and the Radeon R9 390X reaches 9,278 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon RX 590 is built on GCN 4.0 while the Radeon R9 390X uses GCN 2.0, both on 12 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 2,304 (Radeon RX 590) vs 2,816 (Radeon R9 390X). Raw compute: 7.119 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 590) vs 5.914 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 390X). Boost clocks: 1545 MHz vs 1050 MHz.
| Feature | Radeon RX 590 | Radeon R9 390X |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 9,315 | 9,278 |
| Architecture | GCN 4.0 | GCN 2.0 |
| Process Node | 12 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 2304 | 2816+22% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 7.119 TFLOPS+20% | 5.914 TFLOPS |
| Boost Clock | 1545 MHz+47% | 1050 MHz |
| ROPs | 32 | 64+100% |
| TMUs | 144 | 176+22% |
| L1 Cache | 576 KB | 704 KB+22% |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB+100% | 1 MB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon RX 590 | Radeon R9 390X |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 2.1 | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| Frame Generation | FSR 3 (Compatible) | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | AMD Anti-Lag | AMD Anti-Lag |
Video Memory (VRAM)
Both cards feature 8 GB of GDDR5. Memory bandwidth: 256 GB/s (Radeon RX 590) vs 384 GB/s (Radeon R9 390X) — a 50% advantage for the Radeon R9 390X. Bus width: 256-bit vs 512-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (Radeon RX 590) vs 1 MB (Radeon R9 390X) — the Radeon RX 590 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon RX 590 | Radeon R9 390X |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 256 GB/s | 384 GB/s+50% |
| Bus Width | 256-bit | 512-bit+100% |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB+100% | 1 MB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12.0 (Radeon RX 590) vs 12 (12_0) (Radeon R9 390X). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.
| Feature | Radeon RX 590 | Radeon R9 390X |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12.0 | 12 (12_0) |
| Vulkan | 1.2 | 1.2 |
| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Max Displays | 4 | 4 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: VCE 3.4 (Radeon RX 590) vs VCE 2.0 (Radeon R9 390X). Decoder: UVD 6.3 vs UVD 4.2. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (Radeon RX 590) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (Radeon R9 390X).
| Feature | Radeon RX 590 | Radeon R9 390X |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | VCE 3.4 | VCE 2.0 |
| Decoder | UVD 6.3 | UVD 4.2 |
| Codecs | MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC | H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon RX 590 draws 175W versus the Radeon R9 390X's 275W — a 44.4% difference. The Radeon RX 590 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Radeon RX 590) vs 750W (Radeon R9 390X). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 6-pin + 8-pin. Card length: 241mm vs 277mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 80.
| Feature | Radeon RX 590 | Radeon R9 390X |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 175W-36% | 275W |
| Recommended PSU | 500W-33% | 750W |
| Power Connector | 8-pin | 6-pin + 8-pin |
| Length | 241mm | 277mm |
| Height | 111mm | 129mm |
| Slots | 2 | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | 80°C | 80 |
| Perf/Watt | 53.2+58% | 33.7 |
Value Analysis
The Radeon RX 590 launched at $279 MSRP and currently averages $65, while the Radeon R9 390X launched at $429 and now averages $70. The Radeon RX 590 costs 7.1% less ($5 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 143.3 (Radeon RX 590) vs 132.5 (Radeon R9 390X) — the Radeon RX 590 offers 8.2% better value. The Radeon RX 590 is the newer GPU (2018 vs 2015).
| Feature | Radeon RX 590 | Radeon R9 390X |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $279-35% | $429 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $65-7% | $70 |
| Performance per Dollar | 143.3+8% | 132.5 |
| Codename | Polaris 30 | Grenada |
| Release | November 15 2018 | June 18 2015 |
| Ranking | #285 | #287 |
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