GeForce GTX 280M vs Radeon HD 8550D

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 280M vs Radeon HD 8550D 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 280M vs Radeon HD 8550D: 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 280M

2008

Why buy it

✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (1 GB vs 512 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon HD 8550D across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2008 hardware with 1 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 11.3 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $50 MSRP).
❌81.5% higher power demand at 236W vs 130W.

Radeon HD 8550D

2012

Why buy it

✅12.4% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 11.3 vs 0 G3D/$ ($50 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Draws 130W instead of 236W, a 106W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 1 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2012 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?

Radeon HD 8550D is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 12.4% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward GeForce GTX 280M instead at 576 vs 567, so for this question the real-game FPS result matters more than the synthetic split.

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

GeForce GTX 280M is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 1 GB vs 512 MB of VRAM. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon HD 8550D 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 8550D is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce GTX 280M has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 280M vs Radeon HD 8550D Technical Specifications

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

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.

Radeon HD 8550D

The Radeon HD 8550D is manufactured by AMD. It was released in March 5 2012. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1000 MHz. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 130W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 567 points. Launch price was $249.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 280M scores 576 and the Radeon HD 8550D reaches 567 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.6% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 280M is built on Tesla 2.0 while the Radeon HD 8550D uses GCN 1.0, both on 65 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 240 (GeForce GTX 280M) vs 1,024 (Radeon HD 8550D). Raw compute: 0.6221 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 280M) vs 1.761 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 8550D).

Feature	GeForce GTX 280M	Radeon HD 8550D
G3D Mark Score	576+2%	567
Architecture	Tesla 2.0	GCN 1.0
Process Node	65 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	240	1024+327%
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.6221 TFLOPS	1.761 TFLOPS+183%
ROPs	32	32
TMUs	80+25%	64
L2 Cache	256 KB	512 KB+100%

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 280M gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon HD 8550D leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce GTX 280M	Radeon HD 8550D
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

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 280M has 1 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 8550D carries 512 MB. GeForce GTX 280M 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 GTX 280M and 128-bit on the Radeon HD 8550D. L2 Cache: 256 KB (GeForce GTX 280M) vs 512 KB (Radeon HD 8550D) — the Radeon HD 8550D has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 280M	Radeon HD 8550D
VRAM Capacity	1 GB+100%	0.5 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	Unknown
Bus Width	128-bit	128-bit
L2 Cache	256 KB	512 KB+100%

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 280M draws 236W versus the Radeon HD 8550D's 130W — a 57.9% difference. The Radeon HD 8550D is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 280M) vs 350W (Radeon HD 8550D). Power connectors: None vs 1x 6-pin.

Feature	GeForce GTX 280M	Radeon HD 8550D
TDP	236W	130W-45%
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	None	1x 6-pin
Slots	0	—
Temp (Load)	85°C	—
Perf/Watt	2.4	4.4+83%

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Value Analysis

The newer card here is Radeon HD 8550D (2012 vs 2008).

Feature	GeForce GTX 280M	Radeon HD 8550D
MSRP	—	$50
Codename	GT200	Pitcairn
Release	June 16 2008	March 5 2012
Ranking	#802	#503

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