GeForce GTX 280M vs Radeon R5 420
GeForce GTX 280M
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Radeon R5 420
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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. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The GeForce GTX 280M is positioned at rank 120 and the Radeon R5 420 is on rank 175, so the GeForce GTX 280M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar GeForce GTX 280M
Performance Per Dollar Radeon R5 420
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The Radeon R5 420 is significantly newer (2017 vs 2008). The Radeon R5 420 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 280M is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.2% higher G3D Mark score and 100% more VRAM (1 GB vs 512 MB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon R5 420.
| Insight | GeForce GTX 280M | Radeon R5 420 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.2%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.2%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2008 / Tesla 2.0 (2007−2013)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2017 / GCN 4.0 (2016−2020)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) | ❌ Less VRAM capacity |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | — | — |
💎 Value Proposition
While current pricing data is unavailable, the GeForce GTX 280M 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 Radeon R5 420
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.
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% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | GeForce GTX 280M | Radeon R5 420 |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 2.1 (Compatible) | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| Frame Generation | FSR 3 (Compatible) | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | Standard | AMD Anti-Lag |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The GeForce GTX 280M comes with 1 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R5 420 has 512 MB. The GeForce GTX 280M offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 128-bit. 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% |
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% |
Value Analysis
The Radeon R5 420 is the newer GPU (2017 vs 2008).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 280M | Radeon R5 420 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | — | $80 |
| Avg Price (30d) | — | $20 |
| Codename | GT200 | Lexa |
| Release | June 16 2008 | April 20 2017 |
| Ranking | #802 | #773 |
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