AMD Radeon R9 370X vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 Comparison

# AMD Radeon R9 370X vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580

The AMD Radeon R9 370X and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 represent two very different eras of GPU design, separated by nearly five years of architectural evolution. The data shows a clear generational gap: in the only shared benchmark (Geekbench OpenCL), the R9 370X scores 25,893 against the GTX 580's 15,283, a 69.4% advantage. Both cards sit at the 58th percentile among all GPUs, yet their paths to that ranking could hardly be more different. The R9 370X achieves parity with much newer hardware through efficiency, while the GTX 580 relies on raw, brute-force compute that was revolutionary for its time.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU wins in the head-to-head benchmark?

A: The AMD Radeon R9 370X wins the only shared test, Geekbench OpenCL, with a score of 25,893 versus 15,283 for the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 — a 69.4% margin.

Q: How do these cards compare in terms of their average benchmark scores?

A: The R9 370X averages 15,862 across all its benchmarks, while the GTX 580 averages 15,283 based on its single OpenCL result. That is only a 3.8% difference in overall averages, despite the large OpenCL gap.

Q: What are the closest rivals to each card according to the data?

A: The R9 370X's nearest rival is the AMD Radeon RX 7700 (avg score 15,852, just 0.1% lower), while the GTX 580's closest competitor is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (avg score 15,290, a 0% delta). Both cards effectively trade blows with much newer hardware.

Q: Do both cards support DirectX 12?

A: Yes, both support DirectX 12, but with different feature levels: the R9 370X supports 12 (11_1) while the GTX 580 supports 12 (11_0). The R9 370X also supports Vulkan 1.2.170, whereas the GTX 580 has no Vulkan support listed.

Q: What are the launch MSRP values of these two cards?

A: The AMD Radeon R9 370X had a launch MSRP of 199 USD. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 had a launch MSRP of 499 USD.

Q: How do their memory configurations differ?

A: The R9 370X ships with 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus delivering 179.2 GB/s bandwidth. The GTX 580 has 1536 MB of GDDR5 on a wider 384-bit bus, achieving 192.4 GB/s bandwidth.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two GPUs is profound. The R9 370X uses the Trinidad chip built on GCN 1.0 architecture, fabricated on TSMC's 28 nm process. The GTX 580 uses the GF110 chip based on Fermi 2.0 architecture, fabricated on a 40 nm process from the same foundry. This process difference is immediately visible in transistor density: the R9 370X packs 13.2 million transistors per square millimeter, while the GTX 580 manages only 5.8 million.

The R9 370X contains 2,800 million transistors on a 212 mm² die, whereas the GTX 580 holds 3,000 million transistors on a much larger 520 mm² die. This means the GTX 580's die is nearly two and a half times larger, yet contains fewer total transistors — a signal of how far manufacturing technology advanced between 2010 and 2015. The R9 370X's smaller, denser chip achieves higher performance with less silicon.

Shader architecture also diverges significantly. The R9 370X has 1,280 shading units, 80 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. The GTX 580 has 512 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 48 ROPs. Despite having fewer than half the shading units, the GTX 580's Fermi architecture was designed for high per-clock throughput. The R9 370X compensates with much higher clock speeds: 980 MHz base and 1030 MHz boost, compared to the GTX 580's memory clock of 1002 MHz (with no base or boost clock listed for the core).

Feature support also differs. The R9 370X supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The GTX 580 supports DirectX 12 (11_0) and OpenGL 4.6, but has no Vulkan support listed. The R9 370X uses PCIe 3.0 x16, while the GTX 580 uses PCIe 2.0 x16. Display outputs vary too: the R9 370X offers 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, and 1x DisplayPort 1.2, while the GTX 580 offers 2x DVI and 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The single head-to-head benchmark available is Geekbench OpenCL, and it tells a dramatic story. The R9 370X scores 25,893, while the GTX 580 scores 15,283. That is a 69.4% advantage for the AMD card — a massive gap that cannot be explained by any single specification alone.

Looking at the underlying compute metrics, the R9 370X delivers 2.637 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, compared to the GTX 580's 1.581 TFLOPS. That is a 66.8% advantage in raw floating-point throughput, closely matching the benchmark delta. The R9 370X also has a much higher texture rate: 82.40 GTexel/s versus 49.41 GTexel/s for the GTX 580, a 66.8% difference. Pixel rate favors the R9 370X as well, at 32.96 GPixel/s versus 24.70 GPixel/s.

Interestingly, the GTX 580 has a memory bandwidth advantage. Its 384-bit bus provides 192.4 GB/s, exceeding the R9 370X's 179.2 GB/s from a 256-bit bus. The GTX 580's memory clock runs at 1002 MHz (4 Gbps effective), while the R9 370X's memory runs at 1400 MHz (5.6 Gbps effective). The R9 370X compensates for its narrower bus with faster memory, but the GTX 580 still edges ahead in raw bandwidth. This does not help the GTX 580 in the OpenCL benchmark, likely because the workload is compute-bound rather than memory-bound.

The R9 370X also benefits from having 2 GB of memory versus 1536 MB on the GTX 580. While this may not matter for the OpenCL test, it suggests the R9 370X can handle larger working sets without spilling to system memory.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Radeon R9 370X | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 |

|---|---|---|

| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | Fermi 2.0 |

| Process Node | 28 nm | 40 nm |

| Transistors | 2,800 million | 3,000 million |

| Die Size | 212 mm² | 520 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 13.2M / mm² | 5.8M / mm² |

| Shading Units | 1280 | 512 |

| TMUs | 80 | 64 |

| ROPs | 32 | 48 |

| Base Clock | 980 MHz | — |

| Boost Clock | 1030 MHz | — |

| Memory Clock | 1400 MHz (5.6 Gbps) | 1002 MHz (4 Gbps) |

| Memory Size | 2 GB | 1536 MB |

| Memory Bus | 256 bit | 384 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 179.2 GB/s | 192.4 GB/s |

| Pixel Rate | 32.96 GPixel/s | 24.70 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 82.40 GTexel/s | 49.41 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 2.637 TFLOPS | 1.581 TFLOPS |

| TDP | 180 W | 244 W |

| Power Connectors | 2x 6-pin | 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin |

| Suggested PSU | 450 W | 550 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 2.0 x16 |

| Display Outputs | 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, 1x DP 1.2 | 2x DVI, 1x mini-HDMI 1.3a |

| DirectX | 12 (11_1) | 12 (11_0) |

| Vulkan | 1.2.170 | — |

| Length | 221 mm | 267 mm |

| Release Date | 2015-08-26 | 2010-11-08 |

| Launch MSRP | 199 USD | 499 USD |

Where Each One Wins

The R9 370X wins decisively in compute workloads, as evidenced by its 69.4% OpenCL advantage. Its higher FP32 throughput (2.637 vs 1.581 TFLOPS), faster texture rate (82.40 vs 49.41 GTexel/s), and higher pixel rate (32.96 vs 24.70 GPixel/s) make it the stronger choice for general-purpose compute, modern game engines, and any workload that leverages shader math. The R9 370X also wins on efficiency: its 180 W TDP is 64 W lower than the GTX 580's 244 W, while delivering dramatically more performance. It achieves this with a smaller PCB (221 mm vs 267 mm) and a lower suggested PSU (450 W vs 550 W).

The GTX 580 wins on memory bandwidth, delivering 192.4 GB/s versus 179.2 GB/s. It also has more ROPs (48 vs 32), which could benefit certain fill-rate-bound scenarios, though its lower pixel rate (24.70 GPixel/s) suggests the ROP advantage does not translate into practical wins. The GTX 580's wider 384-bit memory bus is a legacy of its larger, more complex die design. In terms of pure specifications, the GTX 580 also has a higher transistor count (3,000 million vs 2,800 million), but this is offset by its much larger die and lower density.

The GTX 580's nearest rival analysis shows it performs essentially on par with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (0% delta) and an AMD Radeon 680M (0.1% delta). The R9 370X sits 0.1% below an AMD Radeon RX 7700 and 1% above an AMD Radeon RX 9060. This means both cards, despite their age, still occupy a competitive performance tier. However, the R9 370X achieves this with a much smaller die and lower power draw, while the GTX 580 relies on a massive 520 mm² chip and 244 W TDP.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear winner: the AMD Radeon R9 370X outperforms the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 in every compute metric that matters for modern workloads. Its 69.4% OpenCL lead is backed by superior FP32 throughput, faster texture and pixel rates, and nearly double the shading units. The R9 370X also consumes 64 W less power, requires a less demanding PSU (450 W vs 550 W), and fits in a shorter chassis (221 mm vs 267 mm). For anyone choosing between these two on the used market, the R9 370X is the obvious pick for compute, gaming, and efficiency.

That said, the GTX 580 is not without merit. Its memory bandwidth advantage (192.4 GB/s) and larger ROP count (48) suggest it could still hold its own in bandwidth-sensitive scenarios or legacy applications that were optimized for Fermi's architecture. Its single OpenCL score of 15,283 places it in the same performance tier as the R9 370X's average of 15,862, meaning the gap in overall real-world performance may be narrower than the head-to-head benchmark suggests. The GTX 580 also launched at a much higher MSRP (499 USD vs 199 USD), reflecting its flagship status at the time, though the R9 370X's lower launch price came with better performance per dollar.

For modern users, the R9 370X's support for Vulkan 1.2.170 and DirectX 12 (11_1) makes it more future-proof. The GTX 580's lack of Vulkan support and older DirectX feature level (11_0) could be limiting in current games and applications. The R9 370X also offers a DisplayPort 1.2 output, enabling modern display connectivity, whereas the GTX 580 is limited to DVI and mini-HDMI 1.3a.

In the final analysis, the R9 370X wins this comparison on nearly every front: performance, efficiency, features, and price. The GTX 580 remains a historical curiosity — a powerful GPU for its era that still holds its own against modern entry-level cards — but it cannot match the architectural efficiency and compute capability of the newer AMD part. The 69.4% OpenCL delta is the single most telling statistic in this matchup, and it decisively favors the R9 370X.