GRID P40-12Q 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.

GRID P40-12Q 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.

GRID P40-12Q 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.

GRID P40-12Q

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.
❌
1942.7% HIGHER MSRP
$5,699 MSRPvs$279 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 1.0 vs 19.8 G3D/$ ($5,699 MSRP vs $279 MSRP).

Radeon R9 280

2014

Why buy it

✅Costs $5,420 less on MSRP ($279 MSRP vs $5,699 MSRP).
✅Delivers 1939.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 19.8 vs 1.0 G3D/$ ($279 MSRP vs $5,699 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2014 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?

GRID P40-12Q is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 0.1% in PassMark G3D (5,540 vs 5,532), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.

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

GRID P40-12Q 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 2014. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon R9 280 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $5,420 cheaper on MSRP at $279 vs $5,699, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 1939.7% (19.8 vs 1.0), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon R9 280 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GRID P40-12Q has the stronger long-term case.

GRID P40-12Q vs Radeon R9 280 Technical Specifications

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

GRID P40-12Q

The GRID P40-12Q 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: 5,540 points.

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

The GRID P40-12Q scores 5,540 and the Radeon R9 280 reaches 5,532 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GRID P40-12Q is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the Radeon R9 280 uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 2,048 (GRID P40-12Q) vs 1,792 (Radeon R9 280). Raw compute: 4.825 TFLOPS (GRID P40-12Q) vs 3.344 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 280). Boost clocks: 1178 MHz vs 933 MHz.

Feature	GRID P40-12Q	Radeon R9 280
G3D Mark Score	5,540	5,532
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	GCN 1.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	2048+14%	1792
Compute (TFLOPS)	4.825 TFLOPS+44%	3.344 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1178 MHz+26%	933 MHz
ROPs	64+100%	32
TMUs	128+14%	112
L1 Cache	768 KB+71%	448 KB
L2 Cache	2 MB+167%	0.75 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GRID P40-12Q	Radeon R9 280
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 P40-12Q has 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 280 carries 3 GB. GRID P40-12Q 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 P40-12Q and 384-bit on the Radeon R9 280. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GRID P40-12Q) vs 0.75 MB (Radeon R9 280) — the GRID P40-12Q has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GRID P40-12Q	Radeon R9 280
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 P40-12Q draws 225W versus the Radeon R9 280's 200W — a 11.8% difference. The Radeon R9 280 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GRID P40-12Q) vs 500W (Radeon R9 280). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 6-pin + 8-pin.

Feature	GRID P40-12Q	Radeon R9 280
TDP	225W	200W-11%
Recommended PSU	350W-30%	500W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	6-pin + 8-pin
Perf/Watt	24.6	27.7+13%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GRID P40-12Q came in at $5699, while the Radeon R9 280 launched at $279. On MSRP, Radeon R9 280 was 95.1% cheaper ($5420 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 1.0 (GRID P40-12Q) vs 19.8 (Radeon R9 280) — the Radeon R9 280 offers 1880% better value. The newer card here is GRID P40-12Q (2015 vs 2014).

Feature	GRID P40-12Q	Radeon R9 280
MSRP	$5699	$279-95%
Performance per Dollar	1.0	19.8+1880%
Codename	GM204	Tahiti
Release	August 30 2015	March 4 2014
Ranking	#433	#415

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