GeForce RTX 2060 vs Radeon R9 M280X

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 RTX 2060 vs Radeon R9 M280X 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 RTX 2060 vs Radeon R9 M280X: 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 RTX 2060

2019

Why buy it

✅577.3% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 1142.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 40.4 vs 3.3 G3D/$ ($349 MSRP vs $250 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).
✅Better long-term bet: Turing (2018−2022) on 12nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

Radeon R9 M280X

2013

Why buy it

✅Costs $99 less on MSRP ($250 MSRP vs $349 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 2060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
❌2013 hardware with 4 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 3.3 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($250 MSRP vs $349 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce RTX 2060 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 577.3% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 1633.9% in PassMark G3D (14,114 vs 814), so the answer here is pretty clean.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce RTX 2060 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 6 GB vs 4 GB of VRAM, a 12nm process instead of 28nm, 30 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2019 generation instead of 2013. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce RTX 2060 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $99 more expensive on MSRP at $349 vs $250, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 1142.1% (40.4 vs 3.3), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce RTX 2060 vs Radeon R9 M280X Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

GeForce RTX 2060

The GeForce RTX 2060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 7 2019. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 1365 MHz to 1680 MHz. It has 1920 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 160W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. It features 30 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 14,114 points. Launch price was $349.

Radeon R9 M280X

The Radeon R9 M280X 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: 814 points. Launch price was $299.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 2060 scores 14,114 versus the Radeon R9 M280X's 814 — the GeForce RTX 2060 leads by 1633.9%. The GeForce RTX 2060 is built on Turing while the Radeon R9 M280X uses GCN 1.0, both on 12 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 1,920 (GeForce RTX 2060) vs 2,048 (Radeon R9 M280X). Raw compute: 6.451 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 2060) vs 4.096 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 M280X). Boost clocks: 1680 MHz vs 1000 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060	Radeon R9 M280X
G3D Mark Score	14,114+1634%	814
Architecture	Turing	GCN 1.0
Process Node	12 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	1920	2048+7%
Compute (TFLOPS)	6.451 TFLOPS+57%	4.096 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1680 MHz+68%	1000 MHz
ROPs	48+50%	32
TMUs	120	128+7%
L1 Cache	1.9 MB+280%	0.5 MB
L2 Cache	3 MB+300%	0.75 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 2060 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon R9 M280X leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060	Radeon R9 M280X
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 2 Super Resolution	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 RTX 2060 has 6 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 M280X carries 4 GB. GeForce RTX 2060 gives you 50% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 336 GB/s (GeForce RTX 2060) vs 80 GB/s (Radeon R9 M280X) — a 320% advantage for the GeForce RTX 2060. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 2060 and 128-bit on the Radeon R9 M280X. L2 Cache: 3 MB (GeForce RTX 2060) vs 0.75 MB (Radeon R9 M280X) — the GeForce RTX 2060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060	Radeon R9 M280X
VRAM Capacity	6 GB+50%	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	336 GB/s+320%	80 GB/s
Bus Width	192-bit+50%	128-bit
L2 Cache	3 MB+300%	0.75 MB

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 2060 draws 160W versus the Radeon R9 M280X's 200W — a 22.2% difference. The GeForce RTX 2060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce RTX 2060) vs 350W (Radeon R9 M280X). Power connectors: 8-pin vs Mobile.

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060	Radeon R9 M280X
TDP	160W-20%	200W
Recommended PSU	500W	350W-30%
Power Connector	8-pin	Mobile
Length	229mm	—
Height	113mm	—
Slots	2	—
Temp (Load)	72	—
Perf/Watt	88.2+2051%	4.1

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Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce RTX 2060 came in at $349, while the Radeon R9 M280X launched at $250. On MSRP, Radeon R9 M280X was 28.4% cheaper ($99 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 40.4 (GeForce RTX 2060) vs 3.3 (Radeon R9 M280X) — the GeForce RTX 2060 offers 1124.2% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 2060 (2019 vs 2013).

Feature	GeForce RTX 2060	Radeon R9 M280X
MSRP	$349	$250-28%
Performance per Dollar	40.4+1124%	3.3
Codename	TU106	Tahiti
Release	January 7 2019	October 8 2013
Ranking	#168	#404

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