Radeon R9 290 vs Radeon R9 380

Speed and memory

The Radeon R9 290 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.

Both cards have 4 GB of video memory, so memory will not separate them.

In our estimates for popular games at 1080p on High, the biggest gap is in Fortnite (71 against 71 fps), and the smallest is in ELDEN RING (20 against 20 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 290 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 Radeon R9 290 cost $399 and the Radeon R9 380 $199. Per dollar, the Radeon R9 380 gave more performance (3.0 points per $100 against 1.5). Current prices differ, so run the same sum on what you can actually buy today.

Which one to buy

Choose the Radeon R9 290 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 Radeon R9 380 if the price gap matters more than the small speed difference, or if you want lower power draw and a quieter PC. Whichever you pick, check reviews for the games you play, because two cards with similar scores can differ in individual titles.