GeForce GTX 280M
VS
GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

GeForce GTX 280M vs GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 280M

2008Core: 602 MHz
VS
NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

2022Core: 1515 MHzBoost: 1755 MHz

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 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

#1
GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
MSRP: $399|Avg: $280
693%
#2
GeForce RTX 5060
MSRP: $299|Avg: $299
666%
#3
Radeon RX 5600 XT
MSRP: $279|Avg: $180
658%
#4
Radeon RX 9060
MSRP: $249|Avg: $249
657%
#5
GeForce RTX 5050
MSRP: $249|Avg: $249
655%
#6
GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
MSRP: $249|Avg: $150
652%
#7
Arc A580
MSRP: $179|Avg: $179
643%
#8
Radeon RX 9060 XT
MSRP: $299|Avg: $299
641%
#9
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 GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

#1
GeForce RTX 3060 Ti
MSRP: $399|Avg: $280
106%
#2
GeForce RTX 5060
MSRP: $299|Avg: $299
102%
#3
Radeon RX 5600 XT
MSRP: $279|Avg: $180
101%
#4
Radeon RX 9060
MSRP: $249|Avg: $249
101%
#5
GeForce RTX 5050
MSRP: $249|Avg: $249
101%
#6
GeForce RTX 3050 OEM
MSRP: $249|Avg: $150
100%
#7
Arc A580
MSRP: $179|Avg: $179
99%
#8
Radeon RX 9060 XT
MSRP: $299|Avg: $299
98%
#9
Radeon RX 9060 XT 8GB
MSRP: $299|Avg: $299
97%
#10
Radeon RX 7600
MSRP: $269|Avg: $250
97%
#11
Radeon RX 6600
MSRP: $329|Avg: $180
96%
#12
GeForce RTX 4060
MSRP: $299|Avg: $299
96%
#13
Arc B570
MSRP: $219|Avg: $219
94%
#14
Arc B580
MSRP: $249|Avg: $249
94%
#15
Radeon RX 6500 XT
MSRP: $199|Avg: $150
94%
#16
GeForce RTX 3070
MSRP: $499|Avg: $200
93%
#17
Radeon RX 6700
MSRP: $379|Avg: $300
92%
#18
Radeon RX 6600 XT
MSRP: $379|Avg: $170
91%
#19
Radeon RX590 GME
MSRP: $173|Avg: $115
91%
#20
Radeon RX 6650 XT
MSRP: $399|Avg: $230
90%
#21
GeForce RTX 5060 Ti
MSRP: $379|Avg: $379
89%
Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

⚠️ Generational Difference

The GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is significantly newer (2022 vs 2008). The GeForce RTX 3050 OEM 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 RTX 3050 OEM is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1964.6% higher G3D Mark score and 700% more VRAM (8 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.

InsightGeForce GTX 280MGeForce RTX 3050 OEM
Performance
Lower raw frame rates (-1964.6%)
Leading raw performance (+1964.6%)
Longevity
🛑Obsolete Architecture (2008 / Tesla 2.0 (2007−2013))
🏆Elite Architecture (Ampere (2020−2025) / 8nm)
Ecosystem
Supports FSR Upscaling
✨ DLSS 3/4 + Frame Gen Support
VRAM
❌ Less VRAM capacity
🎮 High Capacity (8 GB)
Efficiency
⚡ Higher Power Consumption
💡 Excellent Perf/Watt
Case Fit
📏 Compact / SFF Friendly

💎 Value Proposition

While current pricing data is unavailable, the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM 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 280M and GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

NVIDIA

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.

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

The GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 4 2022. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1515 MHz to 1755 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 130W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 20 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 11,892 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 280M scores 576 versus the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM's 11,892 — the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM leads by 1964.6%. The GeForce GTX 280M is built on Tesla 2.0 while the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM uses Ampere, both on 65 nm vs 8 nm. Shader units: 240 (GeForce GTX 280M) vs 2,560 (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM). Raw compute: 0.6221 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 280M) vs 8.986 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM).

FeatureGeForce GTX 280MGeForce RTX 3050 OEM
G3D Mark Score
576
11,892+1965%
Architecture
Tesla 2.0
Ampere
Process Node
65 nm
8 nm
Shading Units
240
2560+967%
Compute (TFLOPS)
0.6221 TFLOPS
8.986 TFLOPS+1344%
ROPs
32
32
TMUs
80
80
L2 Cache
0.25 MB
2 MB+700%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureGeForce GTX 280MGeForce RTX 3050 OEM
Upscaling Tech
FSR 2.1 (Compatible)
DLSS 2.0
Frame Generation
FSR 3 (Compatible)
FSR 3 / AFMF (Compatible)
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
Standard
NVIDIA Reflex
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 280M comes with 1 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM has 8 GB. The GeForce RTX 3050 OEM offers 700% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 0.25 MB (GeForce GTX 280M) vs 2 MB (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM) — the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce GTX 280MGeForce RTX 3050 OEM
VRAM Capacity
1 GB
8 GB+700%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth
Unknown
224 GB/s
Bus Width
128-bit
128-bit
L2 Cache
0.25 MB
2 MB+700%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11.1 (10_0) (GeForce GTX 280M) vs 12.2 (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM). OpenGL: 3.3 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce GTX 280MGeForce RTX 3050 OEM
DirectX
11.1 (10_0)
12.2+10%
OpenGL
3.3
4.6+39%
Max Displays
2
4+100%
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: PureVideo HD VP2 (GeForce GTX 280M) vs 8th Gen NVENC (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP2 vs 5th Gen NVDEC. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (GeForce GTX 280M) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Decode) (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM).

FeatureGeForce GTX 280MGeForce RTX 3050 OEM
Encoder
PureVideo HD VP2
8th Gen NVENC
Decoder
PureVideo HD VP2
5th Gen NVDEC
Codecs
H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2
MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Decode)
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 280M draws 236W versus the GeForce RTX 3050 OEM's 130W — a 57.9% difference. The GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 280M) vs 450W (GeForce RTX 3050 OEM). Power connectors: None vs 8-pin. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 75°C.

FeatureGeForce GTX 280MGeForce RTX 3050 OEM
TDP
236W
130W-45%
Recommended PSU
350W-22%
450W
Power Connector
None
8-pin
Length
235mm
Height
124mm
Slots
0-100%
2
Temp (Load)
85°C
75°C-12%
Perf/Watt
2.4
91.5+3713%
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3050 OEM is the newer GPU (2022 vs 2008).

FeatureGeForce GTX 280MGeForce RTX 3050 OEM
MSRP
$249
Avg Price (30d)
$150
Codename
GT200
GA106
Release
June 16 2008
January 4 2022
Ranking
#802
#224