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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

2020

Why buy it

✅+287% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 190% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 50.9 vs 17.6 G3D/$ ($399 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅166.7% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 3 GB).
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

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

Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X

2013

Why buy it

✅Costs $100 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (5,248 vs 20,312).
❌Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2013-era hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 17.6 vs 50.9 G3D/$ ($299 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

2020

Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X

2013

Why buy it

✅+287% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 190% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 50.9 vs 17.6 G3D/$ ($399 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅166.7% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 3 GB).
✅More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Why buy it

✅Costs $100 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).

Trade-offs

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

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (5,248 vs 20,312).
❌Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2013-era hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 17.6 vs 50.9 G3D/$ ($299 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3060 Ti better than Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 20,312 vs 5,248 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is a 2020 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X is a 2013 model from an older generation with FSR upscaling. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2020 generation instead of 2013, 287.0% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 8 GB instead of 3 GB, and the stronger feature stack with DLSS Super Resolution instead of FSR upscaling. That leaves it with more room for heavier textures, tougher ray tracing loads, and higher-end 1440p or 4K gaming over the next few years.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is about 33.4% more expensive on MSRP at $399 MSRP versus $299 MSRP, and you are getting 287.0% higher G3D Mark. Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

Is Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

No, not for a fresh gaming build. Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X is 2013 hardware with 3 GB of VRAM, 5,248 in G3D Mark, and FSR upscaling. That is simply too far behind to be an easy modern recommendation.

Games Benchmarks

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 9800X3D 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 RTX 3060 Ti Benchmark Check

Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
1080p
low	152 FPS	100 FPS
medium	137 FPS	82 FPS
high	118 FPS	64 FPS
ultra	100 FPS	38 FPS
1440p
low	131 FPS	83 FPS
medium	107 FPS	70 FPS
high	91 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	82 FPS	28 FPS
4K
low	77 FPS	27 FPS
medium	65 FPS	26 FPS
high	50 FPS	16 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	14 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Open Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
1080p
low	425 FPS	146 FPS
medium	366 FPS	118 FPS
high	296 FPS	97 FPS
ultra	248 FPS	71 FPS
1440p
low	272 FPS	86 FPS
medium	229 FPS	63 FPS
high	190 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	156 FPS	35 FPS
4K
low	133 FPS	34 FPS
medium	114 FPS	25 FPS
high	96 FPS	19 FPS
ultra	73 FPS	14 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Open Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
1080p
low	859 FPS	236 FPS
medium	693 FPS	189 FPS
high	602 FPS	157 FPS
ultra	457 FPS	118 FPS
1440p
low	658 FPS	177 FPS
medium	529 FPS	142 FPS
high	452 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	343 FPS	89 FPS
4K
low	434 FPS	118 FPS
medium	346 FPS	94 FPS
high	275 FPS	79 FPS
ultra	221 FPS	59 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Open Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
1080p
low	580 FPS	179 FPS
medium	514 FPS	148 FPS
high	424 FPS	132 FPS
ultra	373 FPS	106 FPS
1440p
low	478 FPS	126 FPS
medium	427 FPS	105 FPS
high	335 FPS	94 FPS
ultra	290 FPS	70 FPS
4K
low	285 FPS	74 FPS
medium	266 FPS	59 FPS
high	234 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	195 FPS	33 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Open Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 Ti and Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in December 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1410 MHz to 1665 MHz. It has 4864 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 38 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 20,312 points. Launch price was $399.

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

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti scores 20,312 versus the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X's 5,248 — the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti leads by 287%. The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is built on Ampere while the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X uses GCN 1.0, both on 8 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 4,864 (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 2,048 (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X). Raw compute: 16.2 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 4.096 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X). Boost clocks: 1665 MHz vs 1000 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
G3D Mark Score	20,312+287%	5,248
Architecture	Ampere	GCN 1.0
Process Node	8 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	4864+138%	2048
Compute (TFLOPS)	16.2 TFLOPS+296%	4.096 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1665 MHz+67%	1000 MHz
ROPs	80+150%	32
TMUs	152+19%	128
L1 Cache	4.8 MB+860%	0.5 MB
L2 Cache	4 MB+433%	0.75 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
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

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X has 3 GB. The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti offers 166.7% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 448 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 264 GB/s (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) — a 69.7% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti. Bus width: 256-bit vs 384-bit. L2 Cache: 4 MB (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 0.75 MB (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) — the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
VRAM Capacity	8 GB+167%	3 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	448 GB/s+70%	264 GB/s
Bus Width	256-bit	384-bit+50%
L2 Cache	4 MB+433%	0.75 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (12_2) (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 12 (11_1) (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 6.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
DirectX	12 Ultimate (12_2)	12 (11_1)
Vulkan	1.3+8%	1.2
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	6+50%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Ampere) (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs VCE 1.0 (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X). Decoder: NVDEC (Ampere) vs UVD 3.2. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1 (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,MPEG-4 (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
Encoder	NVENC (Ampere)	VCE 1.0
Decoder	NVDEC (Ampere)	UVD 3.2
Codecs	H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,MPEG-4

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti draws 200W versus the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X's 200W — a 0% difference. The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 600W (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 500W (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 6-pin + 8-pin. Card length: 242mm vs 275mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 80 C.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
TDP	200W	200W
Recommended PSU	600W	500W-17%
Power Connector	8-pin	6-pin + 8-pin
Length	242mm	275mm
Height	112mm	111mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	75-6%	80 C
Perf/Watt	101.6+288%	26.2

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti launched at $399 MSRP, while the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X launched at $299. The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X costs 25.1% less ($100 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 50.9 (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 17.6 (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) — the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti offers 189.2% better value. The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the newer GPU (2020 vs 2013).