GeForce GTX 950 vs Radeon HD 7970 / 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 GeForce GTX 950 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 2.1% higher G3D Mark score. However, the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.

Insight	GeForce GTX 950	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
Performance	✅Leading raw performance (+2.1%)	❌Lower raw frame rates (-2.1%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / Maxwell 2.0 (2014−2019))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	❌ Less VRAM capacity	✅ More VRAM (+50%)
Efficiency	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt	⚡ Higher Power Consumption
Case Fit	📏 Compact / SFF Friendly	Standard Size (275mm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X holds the technical lead. Priced at $40 (vs $48), it costs 17% less, resulting in a 17.6% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	GeForce GTX 950	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
Cost Efficiency	❌Lower cost efficiency	✅Better overall value (+17.6%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($48)	✅More affordable ($40)

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 950 Benchmark Check

Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 950 and Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X

GeForce GTX 950

The GeForce GTX 950 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 20 2015. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1024 MHz to 1188 MHz. It has 768 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 90W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,357 points. Launch price was $159.

Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X

The Radeon HD 7970 / 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: 5,248 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 950 scores 5,357 and the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X reaches 5,248 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 950 is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 768 (GeForce GTX 950) vs 2,048 (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X). Raw compute: 1.825 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 950) vs 4.096 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X). Boost clocks: 1188 MHz vs 1000 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 950	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
G3D Mark Score	5,357+2%	5,248
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	GCN 1.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	768	2048+167%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.825 TFLOPS	4.096 TFLOPS+124%
Boost Clock	1188 MHz+19%	1000 MHz
ROPs	32	32
TMUs	48	128+167%
L1 Cache	288 KB	512 KB+78%
L2 Cache	1 MB+33%	0.75 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 950	Radeon HD 7970 / 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 950 comes with 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X has 3 GB. The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 106 GB/s (GeForce GTX 950) vs 264 GB/s (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) — a 149.1% advantage for the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X. Bus width: 128-bit vs 384-bit. L2 Cache: 1 MB (GeForce GTX 950) vs 0.75 MB (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) — the GeForce GTX 950 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 950	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
VRAM Capacity	2 GB	3 GB+50%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	106 GB/s	264 GB/s+149%
Bus Width	128-bit	384-bit+200%
L2 Cache	1 MB+33%	0.75 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12_1 (GeForce GTX 950) vs 12 (11_1) (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X). Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 6.

Feature	GeForce GTX 950	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
DirectX	12_1	12 (11_1)
Max Displays	4	6+50%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 2nd Gen (GeForce GTX 950) vs VCE 1.0 (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X). Decoder: NVDEC 2nd Gen vs UVD 3.2. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265 (GeForce GTX 950) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,MPEG-4 (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X).

Feature	GeForce GTX 950	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
Encoder	NVENC 2nd Gen	VCE 1.0
Decoder	NVDEC 2nd Gen	UVD 3.2
Codecs	H.264,H.265	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,MPEG-4

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 950 draws 90W versus the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X's 200W — a 75.9% difference. The GeForce GTX 950 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 950) vs 500W (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 6-pin + 8-pin. Card length: 202mm vs 275mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 950	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
TDP	90W-55%	200W
Recommended PSU	350W-30%	500W
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	6-pin + 8-pin
Length	202mm	275mm
Height	—	111mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	—	80 C
Perf/Watt	59.5+127%	26.2

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 950 launched at $159 MSRP and currently averages $48, while the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X launched at $299 and now averages $40. The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X costs 16.7% less ($8 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 111.6 (GeForce GTX 950) vs 131.2 (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) — the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X offers 17.6% better value. The GeForce GTX 950 is the newer GPU (2015 vs 2013).