GeForce Go 7900 GTX vs Radeon HD 8280

NVIDIA

GeForce Go 7900 GTX

2015Core: 1000 MHzBoost: 1075 MHz
Similar parts
·······
VS
AMD

Radeon HD 8280

2013Core: 725 MHzBoost: 775 MHz
Similar parts
·······

GeForce Go 7900 GTX vs Radeon HD 8280 Performance Spectrum

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.

GeForce Go 7900 GTX vs Radeon HD 8280 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.

GeForce Go 7900 GTX vs Radeon HD 8280: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

GeForce Go 7900 GTX

2015

Why buy it

  • 21.5% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 256 MB vs 512 MB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2015 hardware with 256 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 5.2 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $50 MSRP).
  • 400% higher power demand at 250W vs 50W.

Radeon HD 8280

2013

Why buy it

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 5.2 vs 0 G3D/$ ($50 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (512 MB vs 256 MB).
  • Draws 50W instead of 250W, a 200W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce Go 7900 GTX across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • 2013 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce Go 7900 GTX is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 21.5% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 3.4% in PassMark G3D (270 vs 261), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce Go 7900 GTX is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a newer 2015 generation instead of 2013. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Radeon HD 8280 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon HD 8280 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce Go 7900 GTX has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce Go 7900 GTX vs Radeon HD 8280 Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce Go 7900 GTX

The GeForce Go 7900 GTX is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in June 2 2015. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1000 MHz to 1075 MHz. It has 2816 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 250W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 270 points. Launch price was $649.

AMD

Radeon HD 8280

The Radeon HD 8280 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 1 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 725 MHz to 775 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 261 points.

Graphics Performance

The GeForce Go 7900 GTX scores 270 and the Radeon HD 8280 reaches 261 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 3.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce Go 7900 GTX is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the Radeon HD 8280 uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 2,816 (GeForce Go 7900 GTX) vs 640 (Radeon HD 8280). Raw compute: 6.06 TFLOPS (GeForce Go 7900 GTX) vs 0.992 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 8280). Boost clocks: 1075 MHz vs 775 MHz.

FeatureGeForce Go 7900 GTXRadeon HD 8280
G3D Mark Score
270+3%
261
Architecture
Maxwell 2.0
GCN 1.0
Process Node
28 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
2816+340%
640
Compute (TFLOPS)
6.06 TFLOPS+511%
0.992 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1075 MHz+39%
775 MHz
ROPs
96+500%
16
TMUs
176+340%
40
L1 Cache
1 MB+525%
0.16 MB
L2 Cache
3 MB+1100%
0.25 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce Go 7900 GTX gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon HD 8280 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce Go 7900 GTXRadeon HD 8280
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce Go 7900 GTX has 256 MB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 8280 carries 512 MB. Radeon HD 8280 gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce Go 7900 GTX and 128-bit on the Radeon HD 8280. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce Go 7900 GTX) vs 0.25 MB (Radeon HD 8280) — the GeForce Go 7900 GTX has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce Go 7900 GTXRadeon HD 8280
VRAM Capacity
0.25 GB
0.5 GB+100%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
Unknown
Unknown
Bus Width
128-bit
128-bit
L2 Cache
3 MB+1100%
0.25 MB
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce Go 7900 GTX draws 250W versus the Radeon HD 8280's 50W — a 133.3% difference. The Radeon HD 8280 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce Go 7900 GTX) vs 350W (Radeon HD 8280). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 1x 6-pin.

FeatureGeForce Go 7900 GTXRadeon HD 8280
TDP
250W
50W-80%
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
1x 6-pin
Length
0mm
Height
0mm
Slots
0
Temp (Load)
85°C
Perf/Watt
1.1
5.2+373%
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce Go 7900 GTX (2015 vs 2013).

FeatureGeForce Go 7900 GTXRadeon HD 8280
MSRP
$50
Codename
GM200
Venus
Release
June 2 2015
April 1 2013
Ranking
#179
#745

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.