RX Vega 64 vs R9 380
Head-to-head specifications
| Metric | RX Vega 64 | R9 380 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3DMark Time Spy | 4,431 | 1,218 | +263.8% |
| Avg FPS @ 1080p | 49 | 28 | +75.0% |
| Avg FPS @ 1440p | 29 | 15 | +93.3% |
| Avg FPS @ 4K | 16 | 8 | +100.0% |
| FP32 compute (TFLOPS) | 12.7 | 3.5 | +263.8% |
| VRAM | 8 GB HBM2 | 4 GB GDDR5 | — |
| Memory bandwidth (GB/s) | 410 | 224 | +83.0% |
| TDP (W) | 295 | 190 | — |
| Launch MSRP (USD) | $499 | $199 | +150.8% |
- RX Vega 64 averages 29 fps at 1440p versus 15 fps — about 93% faster.
- R9 380 draws less power (190W vs 295W).
Verdict: RX Vega 64 or R9 380?
RX Vega 64 advantages
- 1440p gaming (+48%)
- 4K gaming (+50%)
- Synthetic benchmark performance (+73%)
- Video memory (+50%)
- Memory bandwidth (+45%)
R9 380 advantages
- Power efficiency (+36%)
- Affordability (+60%)
Which should you choose?
- Choose the RX Vega 64 if you game at 1440p.
- Choose the R9 380 if you want lower power draw, heat and noise.
- Choose the RX Vega 64 if you game at 4K or drive a high-resolution display.
Value for money
RX Vega 64 delivers more performance per dollar, making it the better value of the two at their listed prices.
RX Vega 64 vs R9 380: which should you choose?
RX Vega 64 — AMD desktop graphics card (2017, Vega) with 8 GB of HBM2, averaging 29 fps at 1440p; launched at $499.
R9 380 — AMD desktop graphics card (2015, GCN 3.0) with 4 GB of GDDR5, averaging 15 fps at 1440p; launched at $199.
RX Vega 64 vs R9 380: RX Vega 64 is faster for gaming. RX Vega 64 averages 29 fps at 1440p versus 15 fps — about 93% faster. R9 380 draws less power (190W vs 295W).
1080p, 1440p and 4K
At 1440p — the most common enthusiast resolution — the RX Vega 64 averages 29 fps against 15. At 4K (16 vs 8 fps) VRAM (8GB vs 4GB) and memory bandwidth matter more.
Power and value
Board power is 295 W versus 190 W, which affects PSU headroom, case cooling and noise. At launch MSRPs of $499 vs $199, weigh the frame-rate lead against price and power draw for your target resolution.
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 RX Vega 64 better than the R9 380?
RX Vega 64 takes the overall edge, though R9 380 wins in specific areas worth weighing. RX Vega 64 averages 29 fps at 1440p versus 15 fps — about 93% faster.
What is the main difference between the RX Vega 64 and the R9 380?
RX Vega 64 averages 29 fps at 1440p versus 15 fps — about 93% faster. R9 380 draws less power (190W vs 295W).
Which is better value?
RX Vega 64 delivers more performance per dollar, making it the better value of the two at their listed prices.
Which should I choose?
Choose the RX Vega 64 if you game at 1440p. Choose the R9 380 if you want lower power draw, heat and noise.
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.