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.

GeForce RTX 4070 vs Radeon R9 280 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 4070 vs Radeon R9 280: 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 4070

2023

Why buy it

✅221.5% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅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).
✅Better long-term bet: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm 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 280

2014

Why buy it

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

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 4070 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌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).
❌2014 hardware with 3 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 19.8 vs 44.9 G3D/$ ($279 MSRP vs $599 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce RTX 4070 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 221.5% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 386.6% in PassMark G3D (26,919 vs 5,532), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

GeForce RTX 4070 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 12 GB vs 3 GB of VRAM, native frame generation with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023), while Radeon R9 280 has no comparable frame-generation support, a 5nm process instead of 28nm, and 46 vs 0 ray-tracing units. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce RTX 4070 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $320 more expensive on MSRP at $599 vs $279, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 126.6% (44.9 vs 19.8), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce RTX 4070 vs Radeon R9 280 Technical Specifications

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

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.

⚡

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)

The clearest feature edge for the GeForce RTX 4070 is support for DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation. In games that support it, that can smooth out motion and lift perceived FPS. The Radeon R9 280 does not have comparable native support in the same tier.The GeForce RTX 4070 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon R9 280 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

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

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 4070 has 12 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 280 carries 3 GB. GeForce RTX 4070 gives you 300% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 504 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4070) vs 240 GB/s (Radeon R9 280) — a 110% advantage for the GeForce RTX 4070. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce RTX 4070 and 384-bit on the Radeon R9 280. 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

At launch, the GeForce RTX 4070 came in at $599, while the Radeon R9 280 launched at $279. On MSRP, Radeon R9 280 was 53.4% cheaper ($320 less). 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 newer card here is GeForce RTX 4070 (2023 vs 2014).

Feature	GeForce RTX 4070	Radeon R9 280
MSRP	$599	$279-53%
Performance per Dollar	44.9+127%	19.8
Codename	AD104	Tahiti
Release	April 12 2023	March 4 2014
Ranking	#32	#415

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