GeForce GTX 280M vs Radeon R5 420

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 R5 420 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 R5 420: 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

✅15.6% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (1 GB vs 512 MB).

Trade-offs

❌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 7.2 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $80 MSRP).
❌372% higher power demand at 236W vs 50W.

Radeon R5 420

2017

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 7.2 vs 0 G3D/$ ($80 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Draws 50W instead of 236W, a 186W reduction.
✅More future proof: GCN 4.0 (2016−2020) on 14nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 280M across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 1 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2017 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?

GeForce GTX 280M is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 15.6% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 0.2% in PassMark G3D (576 vs 575), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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 R5 420 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 R5 420 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 R5 420 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 R5 420

The Radeon R5 420 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 20 2017. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1183 MHz to 1124 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 575 points. Launch price was $79.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 280M scores 576 and the Radeon R5 420 reaches 575 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 280M is built on Tesla 2.0 while the Radeon R5 420 uses GCN 4.0, both on 65 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 240 (GeForce GTX 280M) vs 384 (Radeon R5 420). Raw compute: 0.6221 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 280M) vs 0.9085 TFLOPS (Radeon R5 420).

Feature	GeForce GTX 280M	Radeon R5 420
G3D Mark Score	576	575
Architecture	Tesla 2.0	GCN 4.0
Process Node	65 nm	14 nm
Shading Units	240	384+60%
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.6221 TFLOPS	0.9085 TFLOPS+46%
ROPs	32+100%	16
TMUs	80+233%	24
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 R5 420 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce GTX 280M	Radeon R5 420
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 R5 420 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 R5 420. L2 Cache: 256 KB (GeForce GTX 280M) vs 512 KB (Radeon R5 420) — the Radeon R5 420 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 280M	Radeon R5 420
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 R5 420's 50W — a 130.1% difference. The Radeon R5 420 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 280M) vs 350W (Radeon R5 420). Power connectors: None vs None.

Feature	GeForce GTX 280M	Radeon R5 420
TDP	236W	50W-79%
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	None	None
Slots	0	—
Temp (Load)	85°C	—
Perf/Watt	2.4	11.5+379%

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Value Analysis

The newer card here is Radeon R5 420 (2017 vs 2008).

Feature	GeForce GTX 280M	Radeon R5 420
MSRP	—	$80
Codename	GT200	Lexa
Release	June 16 2008	April 20 2017
Ranking	#802	#773

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