GTX 780 Max-Q vs RX M 590
Head-to-head specifications
| Metric | GTX 780 Max-Q | RX M 590 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3DMark Time Spy | 1,015 | 2,117 | -52.1% |
| Avg FPS @ 1080p | 26 | 34 | -23.5% |
| Avg FPS @ 1440p | 14 | 19 | -26.3% |
| Avg FPS @ 4K | 7 | 10 | -30.0% |
| FP32 compute (TFLOPS) | 2.9 | 6.1 | -52.1% |
| VRAM | 3 GB GDDR5 | 8 GB GDDR5 | — |
| Memory bandwidth (GB/s) | 336 | 224 | +50.0% |
| TDP (W) | 112 | 146 | — |
- RX M 590 averages 19 fps at 1440p versus 14 fps — about 26% faster.
- GTX 780 Max-Q draws less power (112W vs 146W).
Verdict: GTX 780 Max-Q or RX M 590?
GTX 780 Max-Q advantages
- Memory bandwidth (+33%)
- Power efficiency (+23%)
RX M 590 advantages
- 1440p gaming (+26%)
- 4K gaming (+30%)
- Synthetic benchmark performance (+52%)
- Video memory (+63%)
Which should you choose?
- Choose the GTX 780 Max-Q if you work with high-resolution textures or memory-bound workloads.
- Choose the RX M 590 if you game at 1440p.
- Choose the GTX 780 Max-Q if you want lower power draw, heat and noise.
GTX 780 Max-Q vs RX M 590: which should you choose?
GTX 780 Max-Q — NVIDIA laptop graphics card (2013, Kepler) with 3 GB of GDDR5, averaging 14 fps at 1440p.
RX M 590 — AMD desktop graphics card (2018, Polaris) with 8 GB of GDDR5, averaging 19 fps at 1440p.
GTX 780 Max-Q vs RX M 590: RX M 590 is faster for gaming. RX M 590 averages 19 fps at 1440p versus 14 fps — about 26% faster. GTX 780 Max-Q draws less power (112W vs 146W).
1080p, 1440p and 4K
At 1440p — the most common enthusiast resolution — the RX M 590 averages 19 fps against 14. At 4K (7 vs 10 fps) VRAM (3GB vs 8GB) and memory bandwidth matter more.
Power and value
Board power is 112 W versus 146 W, which affects PSU headroom, case cooling and noise.
The verdict
Both are credible choices in the graphics card comparison space; the specification table above lays out every metric so you can weigh the trade-offs that matter to you. Pick the one whose strengths line up with how you will actually use it.
Frequently asked questions
Is the GTX 780 Max-Q better than the RX M 590?
RX M 590 takes the overall edge, though GTX 780 Max-Q wins in specific areas worth weighing. RX M 590 averages 19 fps at 1440p versus 14 fps — about 26% faster.
What is the main difference between the GTX 780 Max-Q and the RX M 590?
RX M 590 averages 19 fps at 1440p versus 14 fps — about 26% faster. GTX 780 Max-Q draws less power (112W vs 146W).
Which should I choose?
Choose the GTX 780 Max-Q if you work with high-resolution textures or memory-bound workloads. Choose the RX M 590 if you game at 1440p.
Methodology
Graphics cards are compared on 3DMark Time Spy scores, average gaming frame rates at 1080p/1440p/4K, FP32 compute throughput, VRAM capacity and type, memory bandwidth, board power (TDP) and launch MSRP — plus AI workload throughput (Stable Diffusion iterations/s and local LLM tokens/s) where measured. Vintage and server GPUs without modern benchmark results are compared on specifications only, clearly labelled. Frame rates are averages across a game suite at high settings; specific titles vary.