Arc A380 vs GeForce GTX 970

Speed and memory

The Arc A380 and the GeForce GTX 970 are within a few percent of each other for gaming in our model, so you will not see a difference in play.

The Arc A380 has 6 GB of video memory and the GeForce GTX 970 has 4 GB. That difference matters at 1440p and in new games at High textures, and it can outweigh a small speed advantage as the card ages.

In our estimates for popular games at 1080p on High, the biggest gap is in Cyberpunk 2077 (27 against 19 fps), and the smallest is in Red Dead Redemption 2 (35 against 33 fps). Games that are light enough to run above 200 fps on both cards show little difference at all.

Power and value

The Arc A380 is rated at 75 W and the GeForce GTX 970 at 145 W. With a mid-range processor that means a power supply of about 450 W for the first and 550 W for the second. A gap of 70 W shows up in heat and fan noise, and in your electricity use over a few years.

At launch the Arc A380 cost $139 and the GeForce GTX 970 $329. Per dollar, the Arc A380 gave more performance (6.5 points per $100 against 2.7). Current prices differ, so run the same sum on what you can actually buy today.

Which one to buy

Choose the Arc A380 if you want the faster card, and it also has at least as much memory. It makes the most sense at 1440p and above, or on a monitor with a high refresh rate.

Choose the GeForce GTX 970 if the price gap matters more than the small speed difference. Whichever you pick, check reviews for the games you play, because two cards with similar scores can differ in individual titles.