GeForce GTX 770 vs Radeon R9 280X

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 Radeon R9 280X is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 2.3% higher G3D Mark score. However, the GeForce GTX 770 offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.

Insight	GeForce GTX 770	Radeon R9 280X
Performance	❌Lower raw frame rates (-2.3%)	✅Leading raw performance (+2.3%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / Kepler (2012−2018))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	✅ More VRAM (+33.3%)	❌ Less VRAM capacity
Efficiency	⚡ Higher Power Consumption	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt
Case Fit	Standard Size (267mm)	—

💎 Value Proposition

The GeForce GTX 770 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the GeForce GTX 770 holds the technical lead. Priced at $40 (vs $60), it costs 33% less, resulting in a 46.6% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	GeForce GTX 770	Radeon R9 280X
Cost Efficiency	✅Better overall value (+46.6%)	❌Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅More affordable ($40)	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($60)

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 770 Benchmark Check

Radeon R9 280X Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 770 and Radeon R9 280X

GeForce GTX 770

The GeForce GTX 770 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 30 2013. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 1046 MHz to 1085 MHz. It has 1536 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 230W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,961 points. Launch price was $399.

Radeon R9 280X

The Radeon R9 280X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in October 8 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1000 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 6,100 points. Launch price was $299.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 770 scores 5,961 and the Radeon R9 280X reaches 6,100 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.3% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 770 is built on Kepler while the Radeon R9 280X uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,536 (GeForce GTX 770) vs 2,048 (Radeon R9 280X). Raw compute: 3.333 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 770) vs 4.096 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 280X). Boost clocks: 1085 MHz vs 1000 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 770	Radeon R9 280X
G3D Mark Score	5,961	6,100+2%
Architecture	Kepler	GCN 1.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	1536	2048+33%
Compute (TFLOPS)	3.333 TFLOPS	4.096 TFLOPS+23%
Boost Clock	1085 MHz+9%	1000 MHz
ROPs	32	32
TMUs	128	128
L1 Cache	128 KB	512 KB+300%
L2 Cache	512 KB	768 KB+50%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 770	Radeon R9 280X
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 770 comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 280X has 3 GB. The GeForce GTX 770 offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 224 GB/s (GeForce GTX 770) vs 288 GB/s (Radeon R9 280X) — a 28.6% advantage for the Radeon R9 280X. Bus width: 256-bit vs 384-bit. L2 Cache: 512 KB (GeForce GTX 770) vs 768 KB (Radeon R9 280X) — the Radeon R9 280X has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 770	Radeon R9 280X
VRAM Capacity	4 GB+33%	3 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	224 GB/s	288 GB/s+29%
Bus Width	256-bit	384-bit+50%
L2 Cache	512 KB	768 KB+50%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.0 (GeForce GTX 770) vs 12 (11_1) (Radeon R9 280X). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 3.

Feature	GeForce GTX 770	Radeon R9 280X
DirectX	12.0	12 (11_1)
Vulkan	1.1	1.2+9%
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4+33%	3

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Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 1st gen (GeForce GTX 770) vs VCE 2.0 (Radeon R9 280X). Decoder: PureVideo VP5 vs UVD 4.2. Supported codecs: H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GeForce GTX 770) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 (Radeon R9 280X).

Feature	GeForce GTX 770	Radeon R9 280X
Encoder	NVENC 1st gen	VCE 2.0
Decoder	PureVideo VP5	UVD 4.2
Codecs	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 770 draws 230W versus the Radeon R9 280X's 200W — a 14% difference. The Radeon R9 280X is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 600W (GeForce GTX 770) vs 500W (Radeon R9 280X). Power connectors: 6-pin + 8-pin vs 6-pin + 8-pin. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 75°C.

Feature	GeForce GTX 770	Radeon R9 280X
TDP	230W	200W-13%
Recommended PSU	600W	500W-17%
Power Connector	6-pin + 8-pin	6-pin + 8-pin
Length	267mm	—
Height	111mm	—
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	80°C	75°C-6%
Perf/Watt	25.9	30.5+18%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 770 launched at $399 MSRP and currently averages $40, while the Radeon R9 280X launched at $299 and now averages $60. The GeForce GTX 770 costs 33.3% less ($20 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 149.0 (GeForce GTX 770) vs 101.7 (Radeon R9 280X) — the GeForce GTX 770 offers 46.5% better value.