Arc A380 vs Radeon R9 280X

CPU

GPU

Arc A380

2022Core: 2000 MHzBoost: 2050 MHz

Arc family

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Radeon R9 280X

2013Boost: 1000 MHz

Similar parts

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Arc A380 vs Radeon R9 280X Performance Spectrum

Arc A380

6 GB 75

6,301

+3.3%

Arc 8-Core iGPU

Arc Graphics 130V

Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arc)

6,100

0.0%

About G3D Mark

G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

Arc A380 vs Radeon R9 280X FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Arc A380 vs Radeon R9 280X: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

Arc A380

2022

Why buy it

✅4.9% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $150 less on MSRP ($149 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Delivers 107.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 42.3 vs 20.4 G3D/$ ($149 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 3 GB).
✅Better long-term bet: Generation 12.7 (2022−2023) on 6nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

Radeon R9 280X

2013

Why buy it

✅Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Arc A380 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2013 hardware with 3 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
❌
100.7% HIGHER MSRP
$299 MSRPvs$149 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 20.4 vs 42.3 G3D/$ ($299 MSRP vs $149 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Arc A380 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 4.9% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 3.3% in PassMark G3D (6,301 vs 6,100), so the answer here is pretty clean.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

Arc A380 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 6 GB vs 3 GB of VRAM, a 6nm process instead of 28nm, 8 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2022 generation instead of 2013. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Arc A380 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $150 cheaper on MSRP at $149 vs $299, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 107.3% (42.3 vs 20.4), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

Arc A380 vs Radeon R9 280X Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Arc A380

The Arc A380 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in June 14 2022. It features the Generation 12.7 architecture. The core clock ranges from 2000 MHz to 2050 MHz. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 6 nm process technology. It features 8 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 6,301 points. Launch price was $149.

Radeon R9 280X

The Radeon R9 280X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in October 8 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1000 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 6,100 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Arc A380 scores 6,301 and the Radeon R9 280X reaches 6,100 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 3.3% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Arc A380 is built on Generation 12.7 while the Radeon R9 280X uses GCN 1.0, both on 6 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 1,024 (Arc A380) vs 2,048 (Radeon R9 280X). Raw compute: 4.198 TFLOPS (Arc A380) vs 4.096 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 280X). Boost clocks: 2050 MHz vs 1000 MHz.

Feature	Arc A380	Radeon R9 280X
G3D Mark Score	6,301+3%	6,100
Architecture	Generation 12.7	GCN 1.0
Process Node	6 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	1024	2048+100%
Compute (TFLOPS)	4.198 TFLOPS+2%	4.096 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	2050 MHz+105%	1000 MHz
ROPs	32	32
TMUs	64	128+100%
L2 Cache	4 MB+433%	0.75 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Arc A380	Radeon R9 280X
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	Standard	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Arc A380 has 6 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 280X carries 3 GB. Arc A380 gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 186 GB/s (Arc A380) vs 288 GB/s (Radeon R9 280X) — a 54.8% advantage for the Radeon R9 280X. Memory bus width is 96-bit on the Arc A380 and 384-bit on the Radeon R9 280X. L2 Cache: 4 MB (Arc A380) vs 0.75 MB (Radeon R9 280X) — the Arc A380 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Arc A380	Radeon R9 280X
VRAM Capacity	6 GB+100%	3 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	186 GB/s	288 GB/s+55%
Bus Width	96-bit	384-bit+300%
L2 Cache	4 MB+433%	0.75 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (Arc A380) vs 12 (11_1) (Radeon R9 280X). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 3.

Feature	Arc A380	Radeon R9 280X
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12 (11_1)
Vulkan	1.3+8%	1.2
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4+33%	3

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: Xe Media Engine (Arc A380) vs VCE 2.0 (Radeon R9 280X). Decoder: Xe Media Engine vs UVD 4.2. Supported codecs: AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9 (Arc A380) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 (Radeon R9 280X).

Feature	Arc A380	Radeon R9 280X
Encoder	Xe Media Engine	VCE 2.0
Decoder	Xe Media Engine	UVD 4.2
Codecs	AV1,H.265,H.264,VP9	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Arc A380 draws 75W versus the Radeon R9 280X's 200W — a 90.9% difference. The Arc A380 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (Arc A380) vs 500W (Radeon R9 280X). Power connectors: None vs 6-pin + 8-pin. Typical load temperature: 59 vs 75°C.

Feature	Arc A380	Radeon R9 280X
TDP	75W-63%	200W
Recommended PSU	300W-40%	500W
Power Connector	None	6-pin + 8-pin
Length	190mm	—
Height	114mm	—
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	59-21%	75°C
Perf/Watt	84.0+175%	30.5

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Arc A380 came in at $149, while the Radeon R9 280X launched at $299. On MSRP, Arc A380 was 50.2% cheaper ($150 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 42.3 (Arc A380) vs 20.4 (Radeon R9 280X) — the Arc A380 offers 107.4% better value. The newer card here is Arc A380 (2022 vs 2013).

Feature	Arc A380	Radeon R9 280X
MSRP	$149-50%	$299
Performance per Dollar	42.3+107%	20.4
Codename	DG2-128	Tahiti
Release	June 14 2022	October 8 2013
Ranking	#384	#404

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