AMD Radeon R9 M380 – Review, Price, Specification, And More

With so many graphics cards on the horizon, the AMD Radeon R9 M380 is an oft-forgotten graphics card. Released with the Apple iMac Retina 5K 27” way back in late 2015, Apple users were in cloud nine with its power. 

But how well does this graphics card and the 2015 iMac hold up in 2023? Read this review to find out!

AMD Radeon R9 M380 Specifications

Here are the main features and specifications of the AMD Radeon R9 M380:

AMD Radeon R9 M380 Benchmarks

To get a better understanding of how well the AMD Radeon R9 M980 works, I had to run many benchmark tests. All these tests were run on an old and refurbished 27” iMac (2015) that was released back in late 2015. The specifications of the iMac that I used are:

To show the capabilities of the AMD Radeon R9 M380, I have done some benchmarking testing. Here are some of the benchmark scores and what they signify about this laptop:

PassMark Performance Test Suite

Passmark Score: 2890

I conducted PassMark benchmark tests on this graphics card to check its capacity to take in various forms of load. Here, this benchmarking software simulates various types of work pressure the AMD Radeon R9 M380 would face in using various apps utilizing DX 9 to 12. In addition, simulations from 1080p to 4K and 3D tests are done by this tool as well. 

A PassMark score of 2890 is pretty weak compared to today’s standards. A PassMark score of 8000+ is suitable for today’s modern gaming and application needs.

3DMark 11

3DMark 11 Score: 6838

3DMark 11 is a benchmarking tool created by Futuremark. It simulates the load of running extensive DX11 processors like videos on the graphics card. Here, the app used two scenes – one of a sunken shipwreck and the other of an abandoned jungle temple. These two scenes are good since a lot of Tesselation and Volumetric Lighting are used, which is taxing on the GPU.

A 3DMark 11 score of 6838 is pretty weak compared to today’s standards. A 3DMark 11 score of 14000+ is suitable for today’s modern gaming and application needs.

AMD Radeon R9 M380 Reviews

Since the AMD Radeon R9 M380 does not come as a standalone graphics card, you can only use it if you buy an older 5k iMac 2015. Therefore, here are some reviews published by users on the website Productreview.com:

Here is a 3-star review:

“Love the big screen. It really makes working on it so much easier. However, I have to say that it cannot run big files on Photoshop or Illustrator well, which is a bummer, as I bought this Mac so that I can do some serious graphic designs. In all honesty, I thought it would run better.”

- MsTiff

Here is a 5-star review:

“I use a Mac at home and a PC at work, and I must say I love my Mac way more. I find the Mac more user-friendly, and they seem to last longer than the PC...it could be just the PC, so I'm sure there are better models than the one I use at work.

My Mac is fast, with multiple applications open at the same time. I use very large files, and my computer is still quick. I also find my Mac lasts longer before it starts to slow down. The previous Mac I got was 5 years till it got sluggish...again I am working with very large files.

I find the Mac service exceptional. They are awesome to deal with when you have any issues or are stuck trying to do something. I do purchase apple care, but even when it expires, they are still willing to help.

Good service goes a long way for me. I purchased it from the Apple store.”

-  thepersonwho

Here is a 1-star review:

“If you are thinking of getting this for work, with loads of software to run, better stay away. It is NOT built for work, definitely not for design work. Worst compatibility with Adobe software. This machine can't run Photoshop at all. Sadly I have to use it for my graphic work, which is heavily involved with Photoshop, and absolutely a nightmare using this iMac. And its finder is glitchy. So regretted we got this piece of junk.”

-  Jason

Here is another 5-star review which I recommend Adobe users to read:

“I cannot rate my iMac highly enough; everything about it is seamless; it can almost read my mind. I'm a graphic designer, and I expect a lot from my computer, it needs to keep up with me always. I have other apple products for working with clients onsite (MacBook pro, iPad pro), but my iMac is my workhorse and does all the heavy lifting, never misses a beat, and can keep up with my high-level needs.

I generally run Illustrator, Photoshop, Indesign, and Lightroom all at once, frequently swapping between the 4 while working on one project, and it keeps up beautifully, no lagging, no pauses at all.”

- Katie

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions):-

The answers to various gamers’ questions regarding the AMD Radeon R9 M380 are:

Final Verdict: Is The AMD Radeon R9 M380 A Good Buy In 2023?

No, the AMD Radeon R9 380 graphics card is not a good buy for any user in 2023. Available only with the Apple iMac Retina 5K 27” released way back in 2015, it’s a pretty ancient graphics card. If you want 45K displays, then only will I suggest looking forward to buying a refurbished iMac from 2015.

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