GeForce GTX 280 vs GeForce GTX 560M

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 GTX 280 vs GeForce GTX 560M 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 GTX 280 vs GeForce GTX 560M: 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 GTX 280

2008

Why buy it

✅51.6% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 2.0 vs 0 G3D/$ ($649 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 1 GB vs 3 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2008 hardware with 1 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌214.7% higher power demand at 236W vs 75W.

GeForce GTX 560M

2011

Why buy it

✅200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (3 GB vs 1 GB).
✅Draws 75W instead of 236W, a 161W reduction.
✅More future proof: Fermi 2.0 (2010−2014) on 40nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 280 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2011 hardware with 3 GB 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 2.0 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $649 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce GTX 280 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 51.6% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 0.3% in PassMark G3D (1,285 vs 1,281), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

GeForce GTX 280 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond because it comes out ahead on the available hardware-headroom signals for this matchup.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce GTX 280 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce GTX 280 vs GeForce GTX 560M Technical Specifications

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

GeForce GTX 280

The GeForce GTX 280 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in June 16 2008. It features the Tesla 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 602 MHz. It has 240 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 236W. Manufactured using 65 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,285 points. Launch price was $649.

GeForce GTX 560M

The GeForce GTX 560M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 30 2011. It features the Fermi 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 775 MHz. It has 192 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,281 points.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 280 scores 1,285 and the GeForce GTX 560M reaches 1,281 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.3% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 280 is built on Tesla 2.0 while the GeForce GTX 560M uses Fermi 2.0, both on 65 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 240 (GeForce GTX 280) vs 192 (GeForce GTX 560M). Raw compute: 0.6221 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 280) vs 0.5952 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 560M).

Feature	GeForce GTX 280	GeForce GTX 560M
G3D Mark Score	1,285	1,281
Architecture	Tesla 2.0	Fermi 2.0
Process Node	65 nm	40 nm
Shading Units	240+25%	192
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.6221 TFLOPS+5%	0.5952 TFLOPS
ROPs	32+33%	24
TMUs	80+150%	32
L2 Cache	256 KB	384 KB+50%

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 280	GeForce GTX 560M
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 280 has 1 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 560M carries 3 GB. GeForce GTX 560M gives you 200% 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 GTX 280 and 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 560M. L2 Cache: 256 KB (GeForce GTX 280) vs 384 KB (GeForce GTX 560M) — the GeForce GTX 560M has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 280	GeForce GTX 560M
VRAM Capacity	1 GB	3 GB+200%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	Unknown
Bus Width	128-bit	128-bit
L2 Cache	256 KB	384 KB+50%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11.1 (10_0) (GeForce GTX 280) vs 12 (11_0) (GeForce GTX 560M). Vulkan: N/A vs 1.2. OpenGL: 3.3 vs 4.0. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.

Feature	GeForce GTX 280	GeForce GTX 560M
DirectX	11.1 (10_0)	12 (11_0)+8%
Vulkan	N/A	1.2
OpenGL	3.3	4.0+21%
Max Displays	2	2

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: None (GeForce GTX 280) vs PureVideo HD VP4 (GeForce GTX 560M). Decoder: PureVideo HD (VP2) vs PureVideo HD VP4. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (GeForce GTX 280) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 ASP (GeForce GTX 560M).

Feature	GeForce GTX 280	GeForce GTX 560M
Encoder	None	PureVideo HD VP4
Decoder	PureVideo HD (VP2)	PureVideo HD VP4
Codecs	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 ASP

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 280 draws 236W versus the GeForce GTX 560M's 75W — a 103.5% difference. The GeForce GTX 560M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce GTX 280) vs 350W (GeForce GTX 560M). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin vs 1x 6-pin. Typical load temperature: 85 vs 85°C.

Feature	GeForce GTX 280	GeForce GTX 560M
TDP	236W	75W-68%
Recommended PSU	550W	350W-36%
Power Connector	1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin	1x 6-pin
Length	267mm	—
Height	111mm	—
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	85	85°C
Perf/Watt	5.4	17.1+217%

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Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce GTX 560M (2011 vs 2008).

Feature	GeForce GTX 280	GeForce GTX 560M
MSRP	$649	—
Codename	GT200	GF116
Release	June 16 2008	May 30 2011
Ranking	#802	#804

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