GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB vs Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB
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Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280
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Performance Spectrum - GPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. The GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB is positioned at rank #31 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Great cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB is significantly newer (2019 vs 2012). The GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.7% higher G3D Mark score. However, the Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.
| Insight | GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB | Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.7%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.7%) |
| Longevity | Pascal (2016−2021) (14nm) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+50%) |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | — | Standard Size (278mm) |
💎 Value Proposition
While current pricing data is unavailable, the GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB remains the clear technical winner. Check real-time availability to determine if the performance gap justifies the market price.
Performance Check
Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 7800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.
Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB and Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB
The GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 1 2019. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1366 MHz to 1442 MHz. It has 768 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,800 points.
Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280
The Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 31 2012. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1250 MHz. It has 1792 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,765 points. Launch price was $449.
Graphics Performance
The GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB scores 4,800 and the Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 reaches 4,765 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB is built on Pascal while the Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 uses GCN 1.0, both on 14 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 768 (GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB) vs 1,792 (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280). Raw compute: 2.215 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB) vs 2.867 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280). Boost clocks: 1442 MHz vs 1250 MHz.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB | Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 4,800 | 4,765 |
| Architecture | Pascal | GCN 1.0 |
| Process Node | 14 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 768 | 1792+133% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 2.215 TFLOPS | 2.867 TFLOPS+29% |
| Boost Clock | 1442 MHz+15% | 1250 MHz |
| ROPs | 24 | 32+33% |
| TMUs | 48 | 112+133% |
| L1 Cache | 288 KB | 448 KB+56% |
| L2 Cache | 768 KB | 768 KB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB | Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 2.1 (Compatible) | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| Frame Generation | FSR 3 (Compatible) | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | Standard | AMD Anti-Lag |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB comes with 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 has 3 GB. The Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 84 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB) vs 240 GB/s (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280) — a 185.7% advantage for the Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280. Bus width: 96-bit vs 384-bit.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB | Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 2 GB | 3 GB+50% |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 84 GB/s | 240 GB/s+186% |
| Bus Width | 96-bit | 384-bit+300% |
| L2 Cache | 768 KB | 768 KB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 (12_1) (GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB) vs 12 (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB | Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 (12_1) | 12 |
| Vulkan | 1.3+8% | 1.2 |
| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Max Displays | 4 | 4 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: NVENC (6th Gen) (GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB) vs VCE 1.0 (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280). Decoder: NVDEC (3rd Gen) vs UVD 3.2. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265 (HEVC),VP9 (GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,MVC (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB | Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | NVENC (6th Gen) | VCE 1.0 |
| Decoder | NVDEC (3rd Gen) | UVD 3.2 |
| Codecs | H.264,H.265 (HEVC),VP9 | H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,MVC |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB draws 75W versus the Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280's 200W — a 90.9% difference. The GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB) vs 500W (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 2x 6-pin. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 80°C.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB | Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 75W-63% | 200W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W-30% | 500W |
| Power Connector | PCIe-powered | 2x 6-pin |
| Length | — | 278mm |
| Height | — | 111mm |
| Slots | 0-100% | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | 80°C | 80°C |
| Perf/Watt | 64.0+169% | 23.8 |
Value Analysis
The GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB is the newer GPU (2019 vs 2012).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB | Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | — | $279 |
| Avg Price (30d) | — | $35 |
| Codename | GP107 | Tahiti |
| Release | February 1 2019 | January 31 2012 |
| Ranking | #453 | #454 |
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