GeForce GTX 760 vs Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280

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.

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

Performance Per Dollar

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

🚀 Performance Leadership

The GeForce GTX 760 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1% higher G3D Mark score and 33.3% more VRAM (4 GB vs 3 GB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280.

Insight	GeForce GTX 760	Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280
Performance	✅Leading raw performance (+1%)	❌Lower raw frame rates (-1%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / Kepler (2012−2018))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	✅ More VRAM (+33.3%)	❌ Less VRAM capacity
Efficiency	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt	⚡ Higher Power Consumption
Case Fit	📏 Compact / SFF Friendly	Standard Size (278mm)

💎 Value Proposition

The GeForce GTX 760 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the GeForce GTX 760 holds the technical lead. Priced at $30 (vs $35), it costs 14% less, resulting in a 17.8% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	GeForce GTX 760	Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280
Cost Efficiency	✅Better overall value (+17.8%)	❌Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅More affordable ($30)	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($35)

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 760 Benchmark Check

Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 760 and Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280

GeForce GTX 760

The GeForce GTX 760 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in June 25 2013. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 980 MHz to 1033 MHz. It has 1152 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 170W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,813 points. Launch price was $249.

Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280

The Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 31 2012. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1250 MHz. It has 1792 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,765 points. Launch price was $449.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 760 scores 4,813 and the Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 reaches 4,765 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 760 is built on Kepler while the Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,152 (GeForce GTX 760) vs 1,792 (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280). Raw compute: 2.378 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 760) vs 2.867 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280). Boost clocks: 1033 MHz vs 1250 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 760	Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280
G3D Mark Score	4,813+1%	4,765
Architecture	Kepler	GCN 1.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	1152	1792+56%
Compute (TFLOPS)	2.378 TFLOPS	2.867 TFLOPS+21%
Boost Clock	1033 MHz	1250 MHz+21%
ROPs	32	32
TMUs	96	112+17%
L1 Cache	96 KB	448 KB+367%
L2 Cache	512 KB	768 KB+50%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 760	Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280
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 760 comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 has 3 GB. The GeForce GTX 760 offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 760) vs 240 GB/s (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280) — a 25% advantage for the Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280. Bus width: 256-bit vs 384-bit. L2 Cache: 512 KB (GeForce GTX 760) vs 768 KB (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280) — the Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 760	Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280
VRAM Capacity	4 GB+33%	3 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	192 GB/s	240 GB/s+25%
Bus Width	256-bit	384-bit+50%
L2 Cache	512 KB	768 KB+50%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GeForce GTX 760) vs 12 (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.3 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 760	Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280
DirectX	12 (11_0)	12
Vulkan	1.2	1.2
OpenGL	4.3	4.6+7%
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 1st gen (GeForce GTX 760) vs VCE 1.0 (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280). Decoder: NVDEC 1st gen vs UVD 3.2. Supported codecs: H.264 (GeForce GTX 760) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,MVC (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280).

Feature	GeForce GTX 760	Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280
Encoder	NVENC 1st gen	VCE 1.0
Decoder	NVDEC 1st gen	UVD 3.2
Codecs	H.264	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,MVC

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 760 draws 170W versus the Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280's 200W — a 16.2% difference. The GeForce GTX 760 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce GTX 760) vs 500W (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs 2x 6-pin. Card length: 241mm vs 278mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 80°C.

Feature	GeForce GTX 760	Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280
TDP	170W-15%	200W
Recommended PSU	500W	500W
Power Connector	2x 6-pin	2x 6-pin
Length	241mm	278mm
Height	111mm	111mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	80°C	80°C
Perf/Watt	28.3+19%	23.8

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 760 launched at $249 MSRP and currently averages $30, while the Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 launched at $279 and now averages $35. The GeForce GTX 760 costs 14.3% less ($5 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 160.4 (GeForce GTX 760) vs 136.1 (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280) — the GeForce GTX 760 offers 17.9% better value. The GeForce GTX 760 is the newer GPU (2013 vs 2012).