GRID M60-2Q vs Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X

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 M60-2Q vs Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X 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 M60-2Q vs Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X: 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 M60-2Q

2015

Why buy it

✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 3 GB).
✅More future proof: Maxwell 2.0 (2014−2019) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌2015 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
903.3% HIGHER MSRP
$3,000 MSRPvs$299 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 1.7 vs 17.6 G3D/$ ($3,000 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).

Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X

2013

Why buy it

✅Costs $2,701 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $3,000 MSRP).
✅Delivers 912% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 17.6 vs 1.7 G3D/$ ($299 MSRP vs $3,000 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2013 hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 0.9% in PassMark G3D (5,248 vs 5,203), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.

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

GRID M60-2Q is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 4 GB vs 3 GB of VRAM and a newer 2015 generation instead of 2013. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X makes the most sense to buy today. It is $2,701 cheaper on MSRP at $299 vs $3,000, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 912% (17.6 vs 1.7), so the value case lines up with the gaming result. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GRID M60-2Q has the stronger long-term case.

GRID M60-2Q vs Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X Technical Specifications

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

GRID M60-2Q

The GRID M60-2Q is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 30 2015. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 557 MHz to 1178 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 225W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,203 points.

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.

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Graphics Performance

The GRID M60-2Q scores 5,203 and the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X reaches 5,248 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GRID M60-2Q is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 2,048 (GRID M60-2Q) vs 2,048 (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X). Raw compute: 4.825 TFLOPS (GRID M60-2Q) vs 4.096 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X). Boost clocks: 1178 MHz vs 1000 MHz.

Feature	GRID M60-2Q	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
G3D Mark Score	5,203	5,248
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	GCN 1.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	2048	2048
Compute (TFLOPS)	4.825 TFLOPS+18%	4.096 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1178 MHz+18%	1000 MHz
ROPs	64+100%	32
TMUs	128	128
L1 Cache	768 KB+50%	512 KB
L2 Cache	2 MB+167%	0.75 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GRID M60-2Q	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	Standard	AMD Anti-Lag

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GRID M60-2Q has 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X carries 3 GB. GRID M60-2Q gives you 33.3% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GRID M60-2Q and 384-bit on the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GRID M60-2Q) vs 0.75 MB (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) — the GRID M60-2Q has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GRID M60-2Q	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
VRAM Capacity	4 GB+33%	3 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR5
Bus Width	128-bit	384-bit+200%
L2 Cache	2 MB+167%	0.75 MB

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GRID M60-2Q draws 225W versus the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X's 200W — a 11.8% difference. The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GRID M60-2Q) vs 500W (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 6-pin + 8-pin.

Feature	GRID M60-2Q	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
TDP	225W	200W-11%
Recommended PSU	350W-30%	500W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	6-pin + 8-pin
Length	—	275mm
Height	—	111mm
Slots	—	2
Temp (Load)	—	80 C
Perf/Watt	23.1	26.2+13%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GRID M60-2Q came in at $3000, while the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X launched at $299. On MSRP, Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X was 90% cheaper ($2701 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 1.7 (GRID M60-2Q) vs 17.6 (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) — the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X offers 935.3% better value. The newer card here is GRID M60-2Q (2015 vs 2013).

Feature	GRID M60-2Q	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
MSRP	$3000	$299-90%
Performance per Dollar	1.7	17.6+935%
Codename	GM204	Tahiti
Release	August 30 2015	October 8 2013
Ranking	#433	#404

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