GRID K280Q vs Radeon HD 8950

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.

GRID K280Q vs Radeon HD 8950 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.

GRID K280Q vs Radeon HD 8950: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

GRID K280Q

2013

Why buy it

✅Measures 1mm instead of 267mm, a 266mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 3 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2013 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
300.8% HIGHER MSRP
$2,000 MSRPvs$499 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 1.4 vs 5.7 G3D/$ ($2,000 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).

Radeon HD 8950

2012

Why buy it

✅Costs $1,501 less on MSRP ($499 MSRP vs $2,000 MSRP).
✅Delivers 299.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 5.7 vs 1.4 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs $2,000 MSRP).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (3 GB vs 2 GB).

Trade-offs

❌2012 hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌26600% longer card at 267mm vs 1mm.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GRID K280Q is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 0.4% in PassMark G3D (2,840 vs 2,828), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.

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

GRID K280Q is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a newer 2013 generation instead of 2012. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon HD 8950 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $1,501 cheaper on MSRP at $499 vs $2,000, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 299.1% (5.7 vs 1.4), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon HD 8950 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GRID K280Q has the stronger long-term case.

GRID K280Q vs Radeon HD 8950 Technical Specifications

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

GRID K280Q

The GRID K280Q is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in June 28 2013. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock speed is 745 MHz. It has 1536 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 225W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,840 points. Launch price was $1,875.

Radeon HD 8950

The Radeon HD 8950 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 31 2012. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1250 MHz. It has 1792 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,828 points. Launch price was $449.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GRID K280Q scores 2,840 and the Radeon HD 8950 reaches 2,828 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GRID K280Q is built on Kepler while the Radeon HD 8950 uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,536 (GRID K280Q) vs 1,792 (Radeon HD 8950). Raw compute: 2.289 TFLOPS (GRID K280Q) vs 2.867 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 8950).

Feature	GRID K280Q	Radeon HD 8950
G3D Mark Score	2,840	2,828
Architecture	Kepler	GCN 1.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	1536	1792+17%
Compute (TFLOPS)	2.289 TFLOPS	2.867 TFLOPS+25%
ROPs	32	32
TMUs	128+14%	112
L1 Cache	128 KB	448 KB+250%
L2 Cache	512 KB	768 KB+50%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GRID K280Q	Radeon HD 8950
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	Standard	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GRID K280Q has 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 8950 carries 3 GB. Radeon HD 8950 gives you 50% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the GRID K280Q and 256-bit on the Radeon HD 8950. L2 Cache: 512 KB (GRID K280Q) vs 768 KB (Radeon HD 8950) — the Radeon HD 8950 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GRID K280Q	Radeon HD 8950
VRAM Capacity	2 GB	3 GB+50%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	64-bit	256-bit+300%
L2 Cache	512 KB	768 KB+50%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11_0 (GRID K280Q) vs 12_0 (Radeon HD 8950). Maximum simultaneous displays: 0 vs 4.

Feature	GRID K280Q	Radeon HD 8950
DirectX	11_0	12_0+9%
Max Displays	0	4

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GRID K280Q draws 225W versus the Radeon HD 8950's 200W — a 11.8% difference. The Radeon HD 8950 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GRID K280Q) vs 500W (Radeon HD 8950). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 6-pin + 8-pin. Card length: 1mm vs 267mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots.

Feature	GRID K280Q	Radeon HD 8950
TDP	225W	200W-11%
Recommended PSU	350W-30%	500W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	6-pin + 8-pin
Length	1mm	267mm
Slots	0-100%	2
Perf/Watt	12.6	14.1+12%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GRID K280Q came in at $2000, while the Radeon HD 8950 launched at $499. On MSRP, Radeon HD 8950 was 75% cheaper ($1501 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 1.4 (GRID K280Q) vs 5.7 (Radeon HD 8950) — the Radeon HD 8950 offers 307.1% better value. The newer card here is GRID K280Q (2013 vs 2012).

Feature	GRID K280Q	Radeon HD 8950
MSRP	$2000	$499-75%
Performance per Dollar	1.4	5.7+307%
Codename	GK104	Tahiti
Release	June 28 2013	January 31 2012
Ranking	#595	#454

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