GeForce GTX 280M vs GeForce GTX 1060

GeForce GTX 280M

2008Core: 602 MHz

GeForce GTX 1060

2016Core: 1607 MHzBoost: 1733 MHz

Performance Spectrum - GPU

GeForce GTX 280M

236

576

0.0%

GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB

GeForce GTX 1070 Ti

GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER

GeForce GTX 1060

180

10,064

+1647.2%

GeForce GTX 680

GeForce GTX 970XM FORCE

GeForce RTX 2050 Mobile

GeForce GTX TITAN Z

GeForce GTX 980 Ti

GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile

GeForce RTX 2080 Ti

GeForce RTX 4080 Mobile

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 280M is positioned at rank #120 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Balanced cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar GeForce GTX 280M

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

MSRP: $399|Avg: $280

693%

GeForce RTX 5060

MSRP: $299|Avg: $299

666%

Radeon RX 5600 XT

MSRP: $279|Avg: $180

658%

Radeon RX 9060

MSRP: $249|Avg: $249

657%

GeForce RTX 5050

MSRP: $249|Avg: $249

655%

GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

MSRP: $249|Avg: $150

652%

Arc A580

MSRP: $179|Avg: $179

643%

Radeon RX 9060 XT

MSRP: $299|Avg: $299

641%

Radeon RX 9060 XT 8GB

MSRP: $299|Avg: $299

635%

#10

Radeon RX 7600

MSRP: $269|Avg: $250

633%

#11

Radeon RX 6600

MSRP: $329|Avg: $180

626%

#12

GeForce RTX 4060

MSRP: $299|Avg: $299

624%

#13

Arc B570

MSRP: $219|Avg: $219

613%

#14

Arc B580

MSRP: $249|Avg: $249

613%

#84

Radeon Ryzen 5 6600H

MSRP: $350|Avg: $350

94%

#105

Radeon R5 430 OEM

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $13

764%

#120

GeForce GTX 280M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#122

GeForce GTS 450

MSRP: $129|Avg: $20

99%

#123

Radeon HD 8570D

MSRP: $40|Avg: $15

99%

#125

Radeon HD 8650G

MSRP: $50|Avg: $50

96%

#126

GeForce GT 630

MSRP: $69|Avg: $20

95%

#128

Radeon HD 6770

MSRP: $129|Avg: $129

94%

#129

GeForce GT 440

MSRP: $79|Avg: $40

93%

#130

Radeon R7 340

MSRP: $99|Avg: $25

93%

#133

Radeon HD 6750

MSRP: $109|Avg: $109

92%

#135

Radeon R5 240

MSRP: $59|Avg: $10

90%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

⚠️ Generational Difference

The GeForce GTX 1060 is significantly newer (2016 vs 2008). The GeForce GTX 1060 likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The GeForce GTX 280M lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.

🚀 Performance Leadership

The GeForce GTX 1060 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1647.2% higher G3D Mark score and 500% more VRAM (6 GB vs 1 GB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the GeForce GTX 280M.

Insight	GeForce GTX 280M	GeForce GTX 1060
Performance	❌Lower raw frame rates (-1647.2%)	✅Leading raw performance (+1647.2%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2008 / Tesla 2.0 (2007−2013))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2016 / Pascal (2016−2021))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	❌ Less VRAM capacity	✅ More VRAM (+500%)
Efficiency	⚡ Higher Power Consumption	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt
Case Fit	—	📏 Compact / SFF Friendly

💎 Value Proposition

While current pricing data is unavailable, the GeForce GTX 1060 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.

GeForce GTX 280M Benchmark Check

GeForce GTX 1060 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 280M and GeForce GTX 1060

GeForce GTX 280M

The GeForce GTX 280M 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: 576 points. Launch price was $649.

GeForce GTX 1060

The GeForce GTX 1060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 27 2016. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1607 MHz to 1733 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 180W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 10,064 points. Launch price was $599.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 280M scores 576 versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 10,064 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 1647.2%. The GeForce GTX 280M is built on Tesla 2.0 while the GeForce GTX 1060 uses Pascal, both on 65 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 240 (GeForce GTX 280M) vs 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060). Raw compute: 0.6221 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 280M) vs 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060).

Feature	GeForce GTX 280M	GeForce GTX 1060
G3D Mark Score	576	10,064+1647%
Architecture	Tesla 2.0	Pascal
Process Node	65 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	240	2560+967%
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.6221 TFLOPS	8.873 TFLOPS+1326%
ROPs	32	64+100%
TMUs	80	160+100%
L2 Cache	0.25 MB	2 MB+700%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 280M	GeForce GTX 1060
Upscaling Tech	FSR 2.1 (Compatible)	FSR 2.1 (Compatible)
Frame Generation	FSR 3 (Compatible)	FSR 3 (Compatible)
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	Standard	Standard

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 280M comes with 1 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 1060 has 6 GB. The GeForce GTX 1060 offers 500% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 192-bit. L2 Cache: 0.25 MB (GeForce GTX 280M) vs 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) — the GeForce GTX 1060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 280M	GeForce GTX 1060
VRAM Capacity	1 GB	6 GB+500%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	192 GB/s
Bus Width	128-bit	192-bit+50%
L2 Cache	0.25 MB	2 MB+700%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11.1 (10_0) (GeForce GTX 280M) vs 12 (GeForce GTX 1060). OpenGL: 3.3 vs 4.5. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 280M	GeForce GTX 1060
DirectX	11.1 (10_0)	12+8%
OpenGL	3.3	4.5+36%
Max Displays	2	4+100%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: PureVideo HD VP2 (GeForce GTX 280M) vs NVENC (Pascal) (GeForce GTX 1060). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP2 vs NVDEC (Pascal). Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (GeForce GTX 280M) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060).

Feature	GeForce GTX 280M	GeForce GTX 1060
Encoder	PureVideo HD VP2	NVENC (Pascal)
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP2	NVDEC (Pascal)
Codecs	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2	H.264,H.265/HEVC

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 280M draws 236W versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 180W — a 26.9% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 280M) vs 400W (GeForce GTX 1060). Power connectors: None vs 6-pin.