GeForce RTX 4070 vs Radeon R9 280

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 4070

2023

Why buy it

✅+386.6% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 126.6% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.9 vs 19.8 G3D/$ ($599 MSRP vs $279 MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
✅300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 3 GB).
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm 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 R9 280

2014

Why buy it

✅Costs $320 less on MSRP ($279 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (5,532 vs 26,919).
❌Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2014-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 19.8 vs 44.9 G3D/$ ($279 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 4070

2023

Radeon R9 280

2014

Why buy it

✅+386.6% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 126.6% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.9 vs 19.8 G3D/$ ($599 MSRP vs $279 MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
✅300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (12 GB vs 3 GB).
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Why buy it

✅Costs $320 less on MSRP ($279 MSRP vs $599 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 (5,532 vs 26,919).
❌Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 12 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2014-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 19.8 vs 44.9 G3D/$ ($279 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 4070 better than Radeon R9 280?

Yes. GeForce RTX 4070 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 26,919 vs 5,532 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 4070 is a 2023 card with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation, while Radeon R9 280 is a 2014 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 4070 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2023 generation instead of 2014, 386.6% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 12 GB instead of 3 GB, and better frame-generation support with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023) 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 4070 is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce RTX 4070 is about 114.7% more expensive on MSRP at $599 MSRP versus $279 MSRP, and you are getting 386.6% higher G3D Mark. Radeon R9 280 really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

Is Radeon R9 280 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

No, not for a fresh gaming build. Radeon R9 280 is 2014 hardware with 3 GB of VRAM, 5,532 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 4070 Benchmark Check

Radeon R9 280 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 4070	Radeon R9 280
1080p
low	183 FPS	77 FPS
medium	167 FPS	63 FPS
high	151 FPS	50 FPS
ultra	131 FPS	33 FPS
1440p
low	150 FPS	65 FPS
medium	124 FPS	54 FPS
high	110 FPS	38 FPS
ultra	101 FPS	24 FPS
4K
low	92 FPS	24 FPS
medium	78 FPS	23 FPS
high	65 FPS	14 FPS
ultra	58 FPS	12 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4070 Open Radeon R9 280

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 4070	Radeon R9 280
1080p
low	544 FPS	129 FPS
medium	454 FPS	100 FPS
high	353 FPS	79 FPS
ultra	299 FPS	53 FPS
1440p
low	351 FPS	73 FPS
medium	288 FPS	53 FPS
high	235 FPS	39 FPS
ultra	197 FPS	28 FPS
4K
low	172 FPS	28 FPS
medium	144 FPS	20 FPS
high	125 FPS	16 FPS
ultra	101 FPS	11 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4070 Open Radeon R9 280

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 4070	Radeon R9 280
1080p
low	884 FPS	249 FPS
medium	713 FPS	199 FPS
high	643 FPS	166 FPS
ultra	569 FPS	124 FPS
1440p
low	684 FPS	187 FPS
medium	549 FPS	149 FPS
high	483 FPS	124 FPS
ultra	424 FPS	93 FPS
4K
low	467 FPS	124 FPS
medium	373 FPS	100 FPS
high	326 FPS	83 FPS
ultra	277 FPS	62 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4070 Open Radeon R9 280

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 4070	Radeon R9 280
1080p
low	751 FPS	140 FPS
medium	612 FPS	116 FPS
high	536 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	497 FPS	85 FPS
1440p
low	615 FPS	103 FPS
medium	500 FPS	85 FPS
high	433 FPS	74 FPS
ultra	395 FPS	59 FPS
4K
low	384 FPS	62 FPS
medium	324 FPS	48 FPS
high	301 FPS	38 FPS
ultra	272 FPS	27 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4070 Open Radeon R9 280

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 4070 and Radeon R9 280

GeForce RTX 4070

The GeForce RTX 4070 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in April 12 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 1920 MHz to 2475 MHz. It has 5888 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 46 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 26,919 points. Launch price was $599.

Radeon R9 280

The Radeon R9 280 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in March 4 2014. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 933 MHz. It has 1792 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,532 points. Launch price was $279.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 4070 scores 26,919 versus the Radeon R9 280's 5,532 — the GeForce RTX 4070 leads by 386.6%. The GeForce RTX 4070 is built on Ada Lovelace while the Radeon R9 280 uses GCN 1.0, both on 5 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 5,888 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 1,792 (Radeon R9 280). Raw compute: 29.15 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 3.344 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 280). Boost clocks: 2475 MHz vs 933 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4070	Radeon R9 280
G3D Mark Score	26,919+387%	5,532
Architecture	Ada Lovelace	GCN 1.0
Process Node	5 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	5888+229%	1792
Compute (TFLOPS)	29.15 TFLOPS+772%	3.344 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	2475 MHz+165%	933 MHz
ROPs	64+100%	32
TMUs	184+64%	112
L1 Cache	5.8 MB+1218%	0.44 MB
L2 Cache	36 MB+4700%	0.75 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the GeForce RTX 4070 is support for DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation. This allows it to generate entire frames using AI/Algorithms, essentially doubling the frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios or heavy ray-tracing titles. The Radeon R9 280 lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.The GeForce RTX 4070 gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Radeon R9 280 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4070	Radeon R9 280
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	Yes (DLSS 3.5)	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	AMD Anti-Lag

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 4070 comes with 12 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 280 has 3 GB. The GeForce RTX 4070 offers 300% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 504 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 240 GB/s (Radeon R9 280) — a 110% advantage for the GeForce RTX 4070. Bus width: 192-bit vs 384-bit. L2 Cache: 36 MB (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 0.75 MB (Radeon R9 280) — the GeForce RTX 4070 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4070	Radeon R9 280
VRAM Capacity	12 GB+300%	3 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6X	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	504 GB/s+110%	240 GB/s
Bus Width	192-bit	384-bit+100%
L2 Cache	36 MB+4700%	0.75 MB

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 4070 draws 200W versus the Radeon R9 280's 200W — a 0% difference. The Radeon R9 280 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 500W (Radeon R9 280). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 6-pin + 8-pin.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4070	Radeon R9 280
TDP	200W	200W
Recommended PSU	650W	500W-23%
Power Connector	8-pin	6-pin + 8-pin
Length	304mm	—
Height	137mm	—
Slots	3	—
Temp (Load)	80°C	—
Perf/Watt	134.6+386%	27.7

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 4070 launched at $599 MSRP, while the Radeon R9 280 launched at $279. The Radeon R9 280 costs 53.4% less ($320 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 44.9 (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 19.8 (Radeon R9 280) — the GeForce RTX 4070 offers 126.8% better value. The GeForce RTX 4070 is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2014).