GeForce RTX 3070 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 3070 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 3070 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 3070

2020

Why buy it

✅936.3% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 1264.6% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.4 vs 3.3 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs $250 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).
✅Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm 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 $249 less on MSRP ($250 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3070 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 8 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 44.4 G3D/$ ($250 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce RTX 3070 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 936.3% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 2623.8% in PassMark G3D (22,172 vs 814), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

GeForce RTX 3070 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 8 GB vs 4 GB of VRAM, a 8nm process instead of 28nm, 46 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2020 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 3070 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $249 more expensive on MSRP at $499 vs $250, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 1264.6% (44.4 vs 3.3), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce RTX 3070 vs Radeon R9 M280X Technical Specifications

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

GeForce RTX 3070

The GeForce RTX 3070 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1500 MHz to 1725 MHz. It has 5888 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 220W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 46 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 22,172 points. Launch price was $499.

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 3070 scores 22,172 versus the Radeon R9 M280X's 814 — the GeForce RTX 3070 leads by 2623.8%. The GeForce RTX 3070 is built on Ampere while the Radeon R9 M280X uses GCN 1.0, both on 8 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 5,888 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 2,048 (Radeon R9 M280X). Raw compute: 20.31 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 4.096 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 M280X). Boost clocks: 1725 MHz vs 1000 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3070	Radeon R9 M280X
G3D Mark Score	22,172+2624%	814
Architecture	Ampere	GCN 1.0
Process Node	8 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	5888+188%	2048
Compute (TFLOPS)	20.31 TFLOPS+396%	4.096 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1725 MHz+73%	1000 MHz
ROPs	96+200%	32
TMUs	184+44%	128
L1 Cache	5.8 MB+1060%	0.5 MB
L2 Cache	4 MB+433%	0.75 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3070 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 3070	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 3070 has 8 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 M280X carries 4 GB. GeForce RTX 3070 gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 448 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 80 GB/s (Radeon R9 M280X) — a 460% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3070. Memory bus width is 256-bit on the GeForce RTX 3070 and 128-bit on the Radeon R9 M280X. L2 Cache: 4 MB (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 0.75 MB (Radeon R9 M280X) — the GeForce RTX 3070 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3070	Radeon R9 M280X
VRAM Capacity	8 GB+100%	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	448 GB/s+460%	80 GB/s
Bus Width	256-bit+100%	128-bit
L2 Cache	4 MB+433%	0.75 MB

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3070 draws 220W versus the Radeon R9 M280X's 200W — a 9.5% difference. The Radeon R9 M280X is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 350W (Radeon R9 M280X). Power connectors: 8-pin vs Mobile.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3070	Radeon R9 M280X
TDP	220W	200W-9%
Recommended PSU	650W	350W-46%
Power Connector	8-pin	Mobile
Length	242mm	—
Height	112mm	—
Slots	2	—
Temp (Load)	75°C	—
Perf/Watt	100.8+2359%	4.1

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Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce RTX 3070 came in at $499, while the Radeon R9 M280X launched at $250. On MSRP, Radeon R9 M280X was 49.9% cheaper ($249 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 44.4 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 3.3 (Radeon R9 M280X) — the GeForce RTX 3070 offers 1245.5% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3070 (2020 vs 2013).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3070	Radeon R9 M280X
MSRP	$499	$250-50%
Performance per Dollar	44.4+1245%	3.3
Codename	GA104	Tahiti
Release	September 1 2020	October 8 2013
Ranking	#63	#404

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