GeForce GTX 780 vs Radeon R9 380

Speed and memory

The GeForce GTX 780 and the Radeon R9 380 are within a few percent of each other for gaming in our model, so you will not see a difference in play.

The GeForce GTX 780 has 3 GB of video memory and the Radeon R9 380 has 4 GB. That is a small difference and unlikely to decide anything.

In our estimates for popular games at 1080p on High, the biggest gap is in Red Dead Redemption 2 (17 against 23 fps), and the smallest is in Cyberpunk 2077 (10 against 13 fps). Games that are light enough to run above 200 fps on both cards show little difference at all.

Power and value

The GeForce GTX 780 is rated at 250 W and the Radeon R9 380 at 190 W. With a mid-range processor that means a power supply of about 650 W for the first and 550 W for the second. A gap of 60 W shows up in heat and fan noise, and in your electricity use over a few years.

At launch the GeForce GTX 780 cost $649 and the Radeon R9 380 $199. Per dollar, the Radeon R9 380 gave more performance (3.0 points per $100 against 0.9). Current prices differ, so run the same sum on what you can actually buy today.

Which one to buy

Choose the GeForce GTX 780 if you want the faster card, and you can accept 3 GB of memory. It makes the most sense at 1440p and above, or on a monitor with a high refresh rate.

Choose the Radeon R9 380 if the price gap matters more than the small speed difference, and you value the extra video memory. Whichever you pick, check reviews for the games you play, because two cards with similar scores can differ in individual titles.