Radeon 540 vs Radeon R9 M390X

When comparing Radeon 540 and Radeon R9 M390X, we look primarily at benchmarks and game tests. But it is not only about the numbers. Often you can find third-party models with higher clock speeds, better cooling, or a customizable RGB lighting. Not all of them will have all the features you need. Another thing to consider is the port selection. Most graphics cards have at least one DisplayPort and HDMI interface, but some monitors require DVI. Before you buy, check the TDP of the graphics card - this characteristic will help you estimate the consumption of the graphics card. You may even have to upgrade your PSU to meet its requirements. An important factor when choosing between Radeon 540 and Radeon R9 M390X is the price. Does the additional cost justify the performance hit? Our comparison should help you make the right decision.

Radeon R9 M390X is a Laptop Graphics Card

Note: Radeon R9 M390X is only used in laptop graphics. It has lower GPU clock speed compared to the desktop variant, which results in lower power consumption, but also 10-30% lower gaming performance. Check available laptop models with Radeon R9 M390X here:

Main Specs

  Radeon 540 Radeon R9 M390X
Power consumption (TDP) 50 Watt 100 Watt
Interface PCIe 3.0 x8 PCIe 3.0 x16
Supplementary power connectors None None
Memory type GDDR5 GDDR5
Maximum RAM amount 2 GB 4 GB
Display Connectors 1x DVI, 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort No outputs
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  • Radeon R9 M390X has 100% more power consumption, than Radeon 540.
  • Radeon 540 is connected by PCIe 3.0 x8, and Radeon R9 M390X uses PCIe 3.0 x16 interface.
  • Radeon R9 M390X has 2 GB more memory, than Radeon 540.
  • Radeon 540 is used in Desktops, and Radeon R9 M390X - in Laptops.
  • Radeon 540 is build with GCN 4.0 architecture, and Radeon R9 M390X - with GCN 3.
  • Core clock speed of Radeon 540 is 377 MHz higher, than Radeon R9 M390X.
  • Radeon 540 is manufactured by 14 nm process technology, and Radeon R9 M390X - by 28 nm process technology.

Game benchmarks

high / 1080p 6−7 21−24
ultra / 1080p 3−4 12−14
QHD / 1440p 0−1 8−9
4K / 2160p 5−6
low / 720p 14−16 40−45
medium / 1080p 7−8 27−30
The average gaming FPS of Radeon R9 M390X in Assassin's Creed Odyssey is 225% more, than Radeon 540.

Full Specs

  Radeon 540 Radeon R9 M390X
Architecture GCN 4.0 GCN 3
Code name Lexa Amethyst (XT) / Tonga
Type Desktop Laptop
Release date 26 March 2019 9 June 2015
Pipelines 512 2048
Core clock speed 1100 MHz 723 MHz
Boost Clock 1124 MHz
Transistor count 2,200 million 5,000 million
Manufacturing process technology 14 nm 28 nm
Texture fill rate 35.97 92.54
Floating-point performance 2,961 gflops
Length 145 mm
Memory bus width 64 Bit 256 Bit
Memory clock speed 7000 MHz
Memory bandwidth 56 GB/s 160.0 GB/s
Shared memory -
DirectX 12 (12_0)
Shader Model 6.4 6.3
OpenGL 4.6 4.4
OpenCL 2.0 Not Listed
Vulkan 1.2.131 +
FreeSync +
Bus support PCIe 3.0
Laptop size large
Eyefinity +
HD3D +
PowerTune +
DualGraphics +
ZeroCore +
Switchable graphics +
Mantle +
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