GRID T4-8Q vs Radeon HD 7950 / 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 T4-8Q vs Radeon HD 7950 / 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 T4-8Q vs Radeon HD 7950 / 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 T4-8Q

2015

Why buy it

✅Draws 100W instead of 200W, a 100W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 3 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2015 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
796.1% HIGHER MSRP
$2,500 MSRPvs$279 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 1.9 vs 17.1 G3D/$ ($2,500 MSRP vs $279 MSRP).

Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280

2012

Why buy it

✅Costs $2,221 less on MSRP ($279 MSRP vs $2,500 MSRP).
✅Delivers 796.6% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 17.1 vs 1.9 G3D/$ ($279 MSRP vs $2,500 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.
❌100% higher power demand at 200W vs 100W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 0.1% in PassMark G3D (4,765 vs 4,762), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.

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

GRID T4-8Q is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a newer 2015 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 7950 / R9 280 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $2,221 cheaper on MSRP at $279 vs $2,500, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 796.6% (17.1 vs 1.9), so the value case lines up with the gaming result. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GRID T4-8Q has the stronger long-term case.

GRID T4-8Q vs Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 Technical Specifications

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

GRID T4-8Q

The GRID T4-8Q is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 30 2015. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 722 MHz. It has 1536 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,762 points.

Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280

The Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 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: 4,765 points. Launch price was $449.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GRID T4-8Q scores 4,762 and the Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 reaches 4,765 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GRID T4-8Q is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,536 (GRID T4-8Q) vs 1,792 (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280). Raw compute: 2.218 TFLOPS (GRID T4-8Q) vs 2.867 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280).

Feature	GRID T4-8Q	Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280
G3D Mark Score	4,762	4,765
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	GCN 1.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	1536	1792+17%
Compute (TFLOPS)	2.218 TFLOPS	2.867 TFLOPS+29%
ROPs	64+100%	32
TMUs	96	112+17%
L1 Cache	576 KB+29%	448 KB
L2 Cache	2 MB+167%	0.75 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GRID T4-8Q	Radeon HD 7950 / 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 T4-8Q has 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 carries 3 GB. Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 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 T4-8Q and 384-bit on the Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GRID T4-8Q) vs 0.75 MB (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280) — the GRID T4-8Q has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GRID T4-8Q	Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280
VRAM Capacity	2 GB	3 GB+50%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	64-bit	384-bit+500%
L2 Cache	2 MB+167%	0.75 MB

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GRID T4-8Q draws 100W versus the Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280's 200W — a 66.7% difference. The GRID T4-8Q is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GRID T4-8Q) vs 500W (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 2x 6-pin.

Feature	GRID T4-8Q	Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280
TDP	100W-50%	200W
Recommended PSU	350W-30%	500W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	2x 6-pin
Length	—	278mm
Height	—	111mm
Slots	—	2
Temp (Load)	—	80°C
Perf/Watt	47.6+100%	23.8

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GRID T4-8Q came in at $2500, while the Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 launched at $279. On MSRP, Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 was 88.8% cheaper ($2221 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 1.9 (GRID T4-8Q) vs 17.1 (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280) — the Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 offers 800% better value. The newer card here is GRID T4-8Q (2015 vs 2012).

Feature	GRID T4-8Q	Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280
MSRP	$2500	$279-89%
Performance per Dollar	1.9	17.1+800%
Codename	GM204	Tahiti
Release	August 30 2015	January 31 2012
Ranking	#535	#454

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