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 GTX 780 Ti

2013

Why buy it

✅Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation (2023).
❌Poor future-proofing: 2013-era hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
150.5% HIGHER MSRP
$699 MSRPvs$279 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 13.5 vs 33.4 G3D/$ ($699 MSRP vs $279 MSRP).

Radeon RX 590

2018

Why buy it

✅Costs $420 less on MSRP ($279 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
✅Delivers 146.5% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 33.4 vs 13.5 G3D/$ ($279 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation (2023).
✅166.7% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 3 GB).
✅Less risky long-term buy than GeForce GTX 780 Ti: it remains the more sensible modern option while GeForce GTX 780 Ti is already legacy-tier future-proofing.

Trade-offs

❌Limited future-proofing: older hardware, 8 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in upcoming AAA games.

GeForce GTX 780 Ti

2013

Radeon RX 590

2018

Why buy it

✅Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Why buy it

✅Costs $420 less on MSRP ($279 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
✅Delivers 146.5% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 33.4 vs 13.5 G3D/$ ($279 MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation (2023).
✅166.7% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 3 GB).
✅Less risky long-term buy than GeForce GTX 780 Ti: it remains the more sensible modern option while GeForce GTX 780 Ti is already legacy-tier future-proofing.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation (2023).
❌Poor future-proofing: 2013-era hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already a legacy-tier option for modern games.
❌
150.5% HIGHER MSRP
$699 MSRPvs$279 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 13.5 vs 33.4 G3D/$ ($699 MSRP vs $279 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Limited future-proofing: older hardware, 8 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in upcoming AAA games.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce GTX 780 Ti better than Radeon RX 590?

Yes, but this is not really about a huge raw performance gap. The broader synthetic picture is also very close at 9,469 vs 9,315 in G3D Mark. The bigger reason to prefer GeForce GTX 780 Ti is the overall package: you are getting no meaningful modern upscaling stack.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Radeon RX 590 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2018 generation instead of 2013, more VRAM at 8 GB instead of 3 GB, better upscaling support with FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack and better frame-generation support with FSR Frame Generation (2023) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, and a 12nm process instead of 28nm. That extra memory headroom makes it the safer pick for newer games, heavier textures, and higher settings over time.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

GeForce GTX 780 Ti is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce GTX 780 Ti is about 150.5% more expensive on MSRP at $699 MSRP versus $279 MSRP, and you are getting 1.7% higher G3D Mark. Radeon RX 590 really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

When does Radeon RX 590 make more sense than GeForce GTX 780 Ti?

Yes. Radeon RX 590 is still an excellent gaming GPU in 2026: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It makes more sense if your priority is newer architecture, lower power draw (175W vs 250W), future-proofing, and staying closer to $279 MSRP more than squeezing out the extra headroom of GeForce GTX 780 Ti. The trade-off is that GeForce GTX 780 Ti currently gives you 1.7% higher G3D Mark. Radeon RX 590 still holds the G3D-per-dollar lead, so the performance win comes with a real value premium.

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.

GeForce GTX 780 Ti Benchmark Check

Radeon RX 590 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 780 Ti	Radeon RX 590
1080p
low	89 FPS	139 FPS
medium	74 FPS	124 FPS
high	59 FPS	108 FPS
ultra	40 FPS	93 FPS
1440p
low	71 FPS	122 FPS
medium	59 FPS	100 FPS
high	43 FPS	84 FPS
ultra	29 FPS	76 FPS
4K
low	29 FPS	71 FPS
medium	26 FPS	60 FPS
high	19 FPS	46 FPS
ultra	16 FPS	40 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 780 Ti Open Radeon RX 590

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 780 Ti	Radeon RX 590
1080p
low	171 FPS	164 FPS
medium	143 FPS	141 FPS
high	113 FPS	124 FPS
ultra	82 FPS	95 FPS
1440p
low	114 FPS	95 FPS
medium	85 FPS	76 FPS
high	65 FPS	61 FPS
ultra	45 FPS	49 FPS
4K
low	49 FPS	46 FPS
medium	39 FPS	37 FPS
high	34 FPS	32 FPS
ultra	26 FPS	27 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 780 Ti Open Radeon RX 590

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 780 Ti	Radeon RX 590
1080p
low	426 FPS	419 FPS
medium	341 FPS	335 FPS
high	284 FPS	279 FPS
ultra	213 FPS	210 FPS
1440p
low	320 FPS	314 FPS
medium	256 FPS	252 FPS
high	213 FPS	210 FPS
ultra	160 FPS	157 FPS
4K
low	213 FPS	210 FPS
medium	170 FPS	168 FPS
high	142 FPS	140 FPS
ultra	107 FPS	105 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 780 Ti Open Radeon RX 590

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 780 Ti	Radeon RX 590
1080p
low	145 FPS	403 FPS
medium	115 FPS	335 FPS
high	96 FPS	279 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	210 FPS
1440p
low	105 FPS	314 FPS
medium	85 FPS	252 FPS
high	71 FPS	210 FPS
ultra	55 FPS	157 FPS
4K
low	63 FPS	176 FPS
medium	47 FPS	138 FPS
high	37 FPS	122 FPS
ultra	26 FPS	101 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 780 Ti Open Radeon RX 590

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 780 Ti and Radeon RX 590

GeForce GTX 780 Ti

The GeForce GTX 780 Ti is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in November 7 2013. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 875 MHz to 928 MHz. It has 2880 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 250W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,469 points. Launch price was $699.

Radeon RX 590

The Radeon RX 590 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 15 2018. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1469 MHz to 1545 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 175W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,315 points. Launch price was $279.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 780 Ti scores 9,469 and the Radeon RX 590 reaches 9,315 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 780 Ti is built on Kepler while the Radeon RX 590 uses GCN 4.0, both on 28 nm vs 12 nm. Shader units: 2,880 (GeForce GTX 780 Ti) vs 2,304 (Radeon RX 590). Raw compute: 5.345 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 780 Ti) vs 7.119 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 590). Boost clocks: 928 MHz vs 1545 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 780 Ti	Radeon RX 590
G3D Mark Score	9,469+2%	9,315
Architecture	Kepler	GCN 4.0
Process Node	28 nm	12 nm
Shading Units	2880+25%	2304
Compute (TFLOPS)	5.345 TFLOPS	7.119 TFLOPS+33%
Boost Clock	928 MHz	1545 MHz+66%
ROPs	48+50%	32
TMUs	240+67%	144
L1 Cache	240 KB	576 KB+140%
L2 Cache	1.5 MB	2 MB+33%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the Radeon RX 590 is support for FSR Frame Generation. This allows it to generate entire frames using AI/Algorithms, essentially doubling the frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios or heavy ray-tracing titles. The GeForce GTX 780 Ti lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.The GeForce GTX 780 Ti gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Radeon RX 590 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce GTX 780 Ti	Radeon RX 590
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	FSR Frame Generation
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 780 Ti comes with 3 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon RX 590 has 8 GB. The Radeon RX 590 offers 166.7% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 336 GB/s (GeForce GTX 780 Ti) vs 256 GB/s (Radeon RX 590) — a 31.3% advantage for the GeForce GTX 780 Ti. Bus width: 384-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 1.5 MB (GeForce GTX 780 Ti) vs 2 MB (Radeon RX 590) — the Radeon RX 590 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 780 Ti	Radeon RX 590
VRAM Capacity	3 GB	8 GB+167%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	336 GB/s+31%	256 GB/s
Bus Width	384-bit+50%	256-bit
L2 Cache	1.5 MB	2 MB+33%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (GeForce GTX 780 Ti) vs 12.0 (Radeon RX 590). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 780 Ti	Radeon RX 590
DirectX	12	12.0
Vulkan	1.2	1.2
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 1st gen (GeForce GTX 780 Ti) vs VCE 3.4 (Radeon RX 590). Decoder: NVDEC 1st gen vs UVD 6.3. Supported codecs: H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GeForce GTX 780 Ti) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (Radeon RX 590).

Feature	GeForce GTX 780 Ti	Radeon RX 590
Encoder	NVENC 1st gen	VCE 3.4
Decoder	NVDEC 1st gen	UVD 6.3
Codecs	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 780 Ti draws 250W versus the Radeon RX 590's 175W — a 35.3% difference. The Radeon RX 590 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 600W (GeForce GTX 780 Ti) vs 500W (Radeon RX 590). Power connectors: 6-pin + 8-pin vs 8-pin. Card length: 267mm vs 241mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 83°C vs 80°C.

Feature	GeForce GTX 780 Ti	Radeon RX 590
TDP	250W	175W-30%
Recommended PSU	600W	500W-17%
Power Connector	6-pin + 8-pin	8-pin
Length	267mm	241mm
Height	111mm	111mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	83°C	80°C-4%
Perf/Watt	37.9	53.2+40%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 780 Ti launched at $699 MSRP, while the Radeon RX 590 launched at $279. The Radeon RX 590 costs 60.1% less ($420 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 13.5 (GeForce GTX 780 Ti) vs 33.4 (Radeon RX 590) — the Radeon RX 590 offers 147.4% better value. The Radeon RX 590 is the newer GPU (2018 vs 2013).