Radeon R9 285 vs Radeon R9 380

Speed and memory

The Radeon R9 285 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 Radeon R9 285 has 2 GB of video memory and the Radeon R9 380 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 Red Dead Redemption 2 (13 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 Radeon R9 285 is rated at 190 W and the Radeon R9 380 at 190 W. With a mid-range processor that means a power supply of about 550 W for the first and 550 W for the second. The power draw is close enough that cooling and noise will be similar.

At launch the Radeon R9 285 cost $249 and the Radeon R9 380 $199. Per dollar, the Radeon R9 380 gave more performance (3.0 points per $100 against 2.4). Current prices differ, so run the same sum on what you can actually buy today.

Which one to buy

Choose the Radeon R9 285 if you want the faster card, and you can accept 2 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.