AMD Radeon R9 380X Review | 118 Data compared

The Sapphire Radeon R9 380X Nitro OC 4GB is a factory-overclocked graphics card designed to bridge the price and performance gap between Nvidia's GTX 960 and GTX 970. Priced at $239.99, it features a fully enabled Antigua XT GPU core built on a 28nm process with GCN 1.2 architecture. A major pro of this specific Sapphire model is its out-of-the-box speed bump, boasting a 1040 MHz core clock and a 1500 MHz memory clock (6000 MHz effective) compared to the standard reference configurations. It provides excellent performance for 1080p and entry-level 1440p gaming, outpacing competing Nvidia options in synthetic tests like 3DMark Fire Strike and real-world titles like Thief and Battlefield 4. Physically, the card includes a robust Dual-X GPU cooler with dual 10cm ball-bearing fans and a premium backplate, which keeps the build rigid and allows it to fit easily into standard PC cases due to its compact 9.35-inch length. However, the card carries several distinct cons related to efficiency, optimization, and raw platform overhead. Its chief downside is poor energy efficiency; because of the aggressive factory overclock, the...

The AMD Radeon R9 380X is a mid-range graphics card designed to target "beyond 1080p" gaming, positioned strategically to fill a performance and pricing gap between Nvidia's GTX 960 and GTX 970. Built on the third-generation GCN architecture (GCN 1.2), it utilizes a fully enabled Antigua (Tonga) GPU featuring 2,048 stream processors, 128 texture units, and 32 ROPs. The card offers 4GB of GDDR5 memory across a 256-bit interface, delivering a total bandwidth of 182.4GB/sec. It is launched at an MSRP of £185 ($229), promising roughly double the performance of older cards like the GTX 660 or HD 7850. A major pro of the R9 380X is its modern layout feature set, which includes lossless colour data compression for better bandwidth efficiency, Direct X12 and Vulkan API support with hardware-accelerated asynchronous shaders, FreeSync, and Virtual Super Resolution. It also allows for native CrossFire support directly over the PCI-E bus. On the cons side, the architecture relies on an older 28nm process node and carries a high Typical Board Power of 190W, requiring dual 6-pin power connectors. Furthermore, despite its updated...

The AnandTech review of the AMD Radeon R9 380X, featuring the custom ASUS STRIX R9 380X OC edition, evaluates the card as a solid filler for the market gap between the sub-$200 budget cards and higher-end $300+ options. Architecturally, the R9 380X features a fully enabled "Tonga" (Antigua XT) silicon core, boosting compute units from 28 to 32, which drives a direct 14% improvement in texel throughput over the standard R9 380. Main pros highlighted in the review include its highly efficient architectural features—such as enhanced color compression, excellent tessellation performance, and native support for AMD FreeSync. Furthermore, the custom ASUS STRIX model is praised for its exceptional build quality, operating quietly while keeping thermal loads at a healthy level. However, the card struggles with overall market positioning, acting as its own primary con. Priced at an MSRP of $229 (and $259 for the premium ASUS STRIX model), it acts as a "value spoiler" in retail. While it easily outperforms the NVIDIA GTX 960, it sits in an awkward pricing bracket where spending roughly 26% more on a premium tier...

The AMD Radeon R9 380X, specifically tested as the ASUS STRIX OC edition ($260), successfully threads a thin needle by targetting an underserved gap between the $200 and $300 price points. Built on a fully enabled 28nm Antigua (formerly Tonga) architecture, it packs 2,048 cores, 128 texture units, and a 256-bit GDDR5 memory interface. It introduces valuable GCN 1.2 feature updates, including upgraded lossless delta color compression, 4K H.264 video decoding/encoding, and full support for DirectX 12, Vulkan, FreeSync, and Virtual Super Resolution (VSR). The ASUS STRIX version stands out with its premium DirectCU II dual-fan cooler, which delivers completely silent operations at idle and remains blissfully quiet under heavy gaming loads, backed by a robust 8-phase digital VRM design and a full-length backplate. However, the card faces notable challenges regarding its power efficiency and broader market positioning. Despite AMD's claims of a significantly lower TDP compared to previous architectures, actual system power consumption benchmarks revealed that the overclocked ASUS model consumed nearly the same power as its predecessor (the R9 280X) and came within 20W of the more powerful...

The bit-tech review outlines the performance capability of the AMD Radeon R9 380X, specifically focusing on the Asus Radeon R9 380X Strix OC 4GB version. Testing results show that the card serves as a capable performer for 1080p gaming under "Very High" settings. In Grand Theft Auto V, the card manages a minimum of 62 frames per second (fps) and an average of 85 fps at 1,080 x 1,080 resolution. The pros of this card include excellent hardware implementation by Asus, featuring semi-passive, temperature-controlled 92mm fans that stay completely quiet during low-load situations, a premium 6 power phase design, and excellent manual voltage control that yields up to a 15% core clock speed increase when overclocked. Furthermore, its GCN 1.2 architecture brings modern feature support, such as DirectX 12, Vulkan API, FreeSync, and specialized lossless color data compression. However, the review exposes notable cons regarding the card’s performance consistency and market value. While it is marketed as a 1440p entry card, the R9 380X struggles to guarantee future-proof longevity at higher resolutions. In Grand Theft Auto V at 2,560 x...

The TechSpot review of the AMD Radeon R9 380X highlights the card as a strong, quiet, and cool-running 1080p gaming solution, featuring a fully unlocked "Tonga" architecture that effectively bridges the $200-$300 price gap over the GTX 960. However, significant drawbacks include a restrictive 256-bit memory bus that limits high-end 1440p performance, high power consumption nearly equal to the faster R9 390, and only marginal performance gains over the standard R9 380. YouTube ·

The AMD Radeon R9 380X, evaluated via the factory-overclocked Sapphire Nitro edition, serves as a mainstream GPU refresh built on the 28nm GCN 1.2 "Tonga" architecture. It features a fully enabled core configuration yielding 2,048 shaders and 4GB of GDDR5 VRAM across a 256-bit memory bus. In terms of real-world gaming performance, the card functions as an excellent option for maxed-out 1080p gaming across most modern titles. It can even manage playable frame rates at 1440p on "High" settings if visual compromises like lowering anti-aliasing are made. The review ultimately awards the card a score of 85 out of 100, concluding that it stands out as the fastest graphics processor available for under $250 at its time of release. Pros and Cons The review highlights several distinct performance and design factors: Pros: Offers a great price-to-performance ratio, outperforming Nvidia’s competing 2GB GTX 960 by roughly 20% at 1080p and 1440p Ultra settings. The custom Sapphire Nitro open-air cooling design runs remarkably quiet and keeps temperatures well-regulated. It also represents a substantial upgrade for users jumping from older hardware like the...

Summary The AMD R9 380X, reviewed via the Sapphire Nitro edition, is a solid 1080p gaming graphics card priced around $230 to $240 that bridges the gap between the R9 380 and R9 390. It delivers strong out-of-the-box raw frame-rate performance, beating its direct price competitor—the NVIDIA GTX 960 4GB—in several titles like Grand Theft Auto V (by ~13%) and Shadow of Mordor (by 19%). Architecturally, it utilizes AMD's 28nm Graphics Core Next (GCN) architecture with 2048 stream processors and 128 texture mapping units, offering a slight architectural refresh focused on better thermal management and improved DirectX 12 asynchronous shader execution. Additionally, AMD shows massive strides in driver stabilization with this release, yielding zero technical glitches during extensive gameplay testing. Pros & Cons Pro: Superior raw out-of-the-box FPS performance over the GTX 960 in the majority of tested games. Pro: Drastically improved, stable, and reliable AMD driver support with no crashes or artifacting. Pro: Well-constructed Sapphire Nitro cooling shroud featuring an aesthetically pleasing metal backplate. Con: High power consumption, drawing roughly 85W more than the highly efficient GTX 960. Con:...

The AMD Radeon R9 380X utilizes a fully unlocked Antigua/Tonga processor built on a 28nm process to offer a competitive mid-range desktop graphics card. It features 2,048 stream processors, 128 texture units, a 256-bit memory interface, and 4GB of GDDR5 VRAM. In 1080p and 1440p gaming benchmarks, the card demonstrates performance leadership over its direct competitor, the Nvidia GeForce GTX 960. The tested Sapphire Nitro variant provides superb construction quality, quiet fan operation, a solid backplate, and an aggressive factory overclock of 1040MHz core and 6.0gbps memory. It also provides users with manual overclocking headroom up to 1150MHz. However, the card exhibits clear drawbacks regarding power efficiency, driver stability, and overall performance scaling. It consumes 35% more peak system power than the GTX 960, drawing 306W at load. In terms of performance gains, it only offers a modest 10% to 15% uplift over the standard, cheaper R9 380. This positioning fails to cleanly bridge the massive 38% performance gap leading up to the high-end R9 390. Furthermore, AMD's DirectX 11 drivers suffer from high CPU overhead and poor multi-threading optimization....

The goldfries review of the Sapphire NITRO Radeon R9 380X praises it as an excellent budget-friendly option, retailing between RM 1,100 and RM 1,200, which offers a great price-to-performance ratio compared to pricier rivals like the R9 390 and GTX 970. Tested on an Intel Core i7-5960X system, the card delivered solid 1080p gaming performance, averaging 61 fps in Metro Last Light, 69 fps in Bioshock Infinite and Shadow of Mordor, and 49 fps in The Division. A major pro highlighted in the review is the improved build quality and the "awesome" NITRO cooling system, which features large fans and a beautiful backplate, maintaining a quiet operation at 72°C under load (and dropping to 59°C at full RPM). However, the card also exhibits a few notable drawbacks. The primary con mentioned by the reviewer is its high power consumption relative to its performance level, with an estimated card-only power draw of 207W during Furmark burn-in testing. Additionally, the card struggled under maximum settings in demanding titles, dipping to an unplayable 26 fps in Grand Theft Auto V. It also suffered...

The Sapphire Nitro R9 380X 4G D5 is a highly competent mid-range graphics card that utilizes all 2048 available processor cores of the Antigua GPU architecture, offering a measurable performance boost over the original R9 380. Priced at £199, this model stands out for its exceptional build quality and robust design, featuring an integrated backplate that protects internal components while facilitating heat dissipation. Sapphire enhances the reference layout with a factory overclock of 1040MHz and a custom "Dual-X" cooling system equipped with thick 10mm heat pipes. In terms of performance, the card excels at delivering smooth 1080p gaming with average frame rates around 60fps at high or ultra settings, and it can even handle 1440p gaming on less demanding titles if quality settings are dialed back. Pros and Cons Pros Cons * Smooth 1080p gaming up to 60fps * Limited 1440p capabilities on demanding games * Factory overclocked to 1040MHz * Lacks HDMI 2.0 (caps 4K TV playback refresh rates) * Twin thermostatically-controlled quiet fans * Only a small performance jump over the cheaper standard R9 380 * Sturdy backplate...

The bit-tech review of the AMD Radeon R9 380X, specifically evaluating the Asus Radeon R9 380X Strix OC 4GB, concludes that this mid-range graphics card serves as a solid bridge for mainstream PC gaming. In performance testing, the card excels at 1080p and handles 1440p settings comfortably. For example, in the Battlefield 4 benchmark at 1080p Ultra settings, it delivers a playable 51 FPS average and 42 FPS minimum. When pushed to 1440p Ultra, the frame rate drops to a 33 FPS average, demonstrating its limits on highly demanding titles. Performance analysis shows the card is roughly 8% faster than a heavily overclocked Nvidia GTX 960 at 1080p, expanding to a 14% lead at 1440p due to its larger 4GB frame buffer and higher memory bandwidth. However, it lags significantly behind the higher-tier GTX 970, which outperforms the R9 380X by nearly 30%. The review highlights distinct pros and cons regarding both AMD's architecture and Asus's custom design. On the positive side, Asus's Strix hardware elements provide an exceptional 6 power phase setup, Super Alloy Power components, and a premium...

The Trusted Reviews evaluation of the AMD Radeon R9 380X highlights its near-flawless 1080p and capable 1440p gaming performance, positioning it between the Nvidia GTX 960 and 970 with 4GB of GDDR5 VRAM and efficient thermal management. Proponents of the card will appreciate its solid, heat-conscious design that avoids excessive strain during extended, heavy usage. However, the card is less energy-efficient than its competitors, with a 190W TDP that reflects a higher power consumption, and it is surrounded by enticing alternatives. While it outperforms the cheaper GTX 960, the R9 380X's value is challenged by its close pricing to superior competitors and modest performance gains over the standard R9 380.

The AMD Radeon R9 380X, evaluated here through the Sapphire Nitro edition, was launched to strategically fill a gap in the mid-range graphics card market, specifically targeting a sweet spot between Nvidia's GTX 960 and GTX 970. Based on the 28nm Antigua XT architecture, this GPU represents the fully unlocked implementation of the Tonga die previously seen in the R9 285 and R9 380, now boasting a complete core count of 2,048 stream processors, 128 texture units, and a 4GB GDDR5 frame buffer operating on a 256-bit memory bus. Priced competitively, it leverages AMD's up-to-date GCN 1.2 technology, delivering integrated support for features such as DirectX 12, FreeSync, TrueAudio, LiquidVR, and Virtual Super Resolution to enhance contemporary gaming setups. A major benefit of this graphics card is its highly attractive price-to-performance ratio, making it an excellent choice for budget-conscious upgrade seekers looking for the fastest sub-£200 option. On the downside, the underlying architecture relies heavily on older, recycled technology rather than groundbreaking new silicon. Additionally, it carries a relatively high 190W Thermal Design Power (TDP) that demands external power via...

The AMD Radeon R9 380X Nitro, featuring the fully unlocked Tonga (Antigua) GPU architecture, launches as a mid-range compromise positioned structurally between Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 960 and GTX 970. Tested by Tom's Hardware, the card delivers a modest performance "mini-evolution," tracking roughly 9% to 10% faster than the standard R9 380 depending on the resolution. While AMD markets the card for 2560x1440 (QHD) gaming, it struggles to handle demanding titles at high settings without bottlenecks. However, the aggressive final retail pricing of $230 ($240 for overclocked partner boards) makes it a highly competitive value proposition for budget-conscious builders who want more power than a GTX 960 without paying the premium for a GTX 970. Pros and Cons Pros: Sapphire's Nitro implementation features an exceptional backplate design and a top-notch cooling apparatus that keeps the card very quiet and relatively cool. The fan controller is highly optimized, and coil whine is virtually nonexistent under normal loads. Additionally, it incorporates modern features like FreeSync and TrueAudio at an attractive, budget-friendly entry price. Cons: The card lacks the generation-defining architectural leap needed to...