GeForce RTX 3070 vs Radeon R9 380X

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3070

2020Core: 1500 MHzBoost: 1725 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

Radeon R9 380X

2015Boost: 970 MHz

Popular choices:

RTX 3070

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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

GeForce RTX 3070

2020

Why buy it

  • +261.6% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Delivers 66% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.4 vs 26.8 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs $229 MSRP).
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).
  • More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

Radeon R9 380X

2015

Why buy it

  • Costs $270 less on MSRP ($229 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
  • Measures 221mm instead of 242mm, a 21mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (6,131 vs 22,172).
  • Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
  • Poor future-proofing: 2015-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 26.8 vs 44.4 G3D/$ ($229 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3070 better than Radeon R9 380X?
Yes. GeForce RTX 3070 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 22,172 vs 6,131 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3070 is a 2020 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Radeon R9 380X is a 2015 model from an older generation with FSR upscaling. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 3070 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2020 generation instead of 2015, 261.6% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 8 GB instead of 4 GB, and the stronger feature stack with DLSS Super Resolution instead of FSR upscaling. That leaves it with more room for heavier textures, tougher ray tracing loads, and higher-end 1440p or 4K gaming over the next few years.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?
GeForce RTX 3070 is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce RTX 3070 is about 117.9% more expensive on MSRP at $499 MSRP versus $229 MSRP, and you are getting 261.6% higher G3D Mark. Radeon R9 380X really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.
Is Radeon R9 380X still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
No, not for a fresh gaming build. Radeon R9 380X is 2015 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM, 6,131 in G3D Mark, and FSR upscaling. That is simply too far behind to be an easy modern recommendation.

Games Benchmarks

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 9800X3D 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3070Radeon R9 380X
1080p
low158 FPS78 FPS
medium140 FPS67 FPS
high123 FPS54 FPS
ultra104 FPS35 FPS
1440p
low134 FPS68 FPS
medium109 FPS60 FPS
high96 FPS43 FPS
ultra86 FPS27 FPS
4K
low80 FPS25 FPS
medium67 FPS23 FPS
high52 FPS15 FPS
ultra45 FPS13 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3070Radeon R9 380X
1080p
low470 FPS133 FPS
medium405 FPS105 FPS
high327 FPS86 FPS
ultra277 FPS61 FPS
1440p
low294 FPS78 FPS
medium246 FPS58 FPS
high213 FPS44 FPS
ultra179 FPS31 FPS
4K
low141 FPS31 FPS
medium120 FPS23 FPS
high105 FPS18 FPS
ultra83 FPS13 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce RTX 3070Radeon R9 380X
1080p
low885 FPS276 FPS
medium712 FPS221 FPS
high619 FPS184 FPS
ultra499 FPS138 FPS
1440p
low692 FPS207 FPS
medium557 FPS166 FPS
high473 FPS138 FPS
ultra374 FPS103 FPS
4K
low479 FPS138 FPS
medium388 FPS110 FPS
high330 FPS92 FPS
ultra249 FPS69 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce RTX 3070Radeon R9 380X
1080p
low600 FPS135 FPS
medium527 FPS112 FPS
high433 FPS97 FPS
ultra385 FPS83 FPS
1440p
low489 FPS100 FPS
medium433 FPS83 FPS
high339 FPS72 FPS
ultra297 FPS58 FPS
4K
low292 FPS60 FPS
medium270 FPS47 FPS
high238 FPS37 FPS
ultra200 FPS26 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3070 and Radeon R9 380X

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3070

The GeForce RTX 3070 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1500 MHz to 1725 MHz. It has 5888 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 220W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 46 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 22,172 points. Launch price was $499.

AMD

Radeon R9 380X

The Radeon R9 380X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 19 2015. It features the GCN 3.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 970 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 250W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 6,131 points. Launch price was $229.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3070 scores 22,172 versus the Radeon R9 380X's 6,131 — the GeForce RTX 3070 leads by 261.6%. The GeForce RTX 3070 is built on Ampere while the Radeon R9 380X uses GCN 3.0, both on 8 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 5,888 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 2,048 (Radeon R9 380X). Raw compute: 20.31 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 3.973 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 380X). Boost clocks: 1725 MHz vs 970 MHz.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Radeon R9 380X
G3D Mark Score
22,172+262%
6,131
Architecture
Ampere
GCN 3.0
Process Node
8 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
5888+188%
2048
Compute (TFLOPS)
20.31 TFLOPS+411%
3.973 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1725 MHz+78%
970 MHz
ROPs
96+200%
32
TMUs
184+44%
128
L1 Cache
5.8 MB+1060%
0.5 MB
L2 Cache
4 MB+700%
0.5 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3070 gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Radeon R9 380X relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Radeon R9 380X
Upscaling Tech
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3070 comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 380X has 4 GB. The GeForce RTX 3070 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 448 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 106 GB/s (Radeon R9 380X) — a 322.6% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3070. Bus width: 256-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 4 MB (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon R9 380X) — the GeForce RTX 3070 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Radeon R9 380X
VRAM Capacity
8 GB+100%
4 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
448 GB/s+323%
106 GB/s
Bus Width
256-bit+100%
128-bit
L2 Cache
4 MB+700%
0.5 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 12 (12_0) (Radeon R9 380X). Vulkan: 1.4 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Radeon R9 380X
DirectX
12 Ultimate
12 (12_0)
Vulkan
1.4+8%
1.3
OpenGL
4.6
4.6
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 7th gen (GeForce RTX 3070) vs VCE 3.0 (Radeon R9 380X). Decoder: NVDEC 5th gen vs UVD 6.0. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs H.264,H.265,MPEG-2,MPEG-4,VC-1 (Radeon R9 380X).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Radeon R9 380X
Encoder
NVENC 7th gen
VCE 3.0
Decoder
NVDEC 5th gen
UVD 6.0
Codecs
H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1,VP9
H.264,H.265,MPEG-2,MPEG-4,VC-1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3070 draws 220W versus the Radeon R9 380X's 250W — a 12.8% difference. The GeForce RTX 3070 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 500W (Radeon R9 380X). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 2x 6-pin. Card length: 242mm vs 221mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 75.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Radeon R9 380X
TDP
220W-12%
250W
Recommended PSU
650W
500W-23%
Power Connector
8-pin
2x 6-pin
Length
242mm
221mm
Height
112mm
111mm
Slots
2
2
Temp (Load)
75°C
75
Perf/Watt
100.8+311%
24.5
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3070 launched at $499 MSRP, while the Radeon R9 380X launched at $229. The Radeon R9 380X costs 54.1% less ($270 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 44.4 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 26.8 (Radeon R9 380X) — the GeForce RTX 3070 offers 65.7% better value. The GeForce RTX 3070 is the newer GPU (2020 vs 2015).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Radeon R9 380X
MSRP
$499
$229-54%
Performance per Dollar
44.4+66%
26.8
Codename
GA104
Antigua
Release
September 1 2020
November 19 2015
Ranking
#63
#394