CPU
GPU
Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280
Popular choices:
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB
Popular choices:
Performance Spectrum - GPU
About G3D Mark
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Per Dollar GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB is significantly newer (2019 vs 2012). The GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.7% higher G3D Mark score. However, the Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.
| Insight | Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 | GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.7%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.7%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) | Pascal (2016−2021) (14nm) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ✅ More VRAM (+50%) | ❌ Less VRAM capacity |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | Standard Size (278mm) | — |
💎 Value Proposition
While current pricing data is unavailable, the GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB remains the clear technical winner. Check real-time availability to determine if the performance gap justifies the market price.
Performance Check
Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 7800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.
Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 and GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB
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.
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB
The GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 1 2019. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1366 MHz to 1442 MHz. It has 768 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,800 points.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 scores 4,765 and the GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB reaches 4,800 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 is built on GCN 1.0 while the GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB uses Pascal, both on 28 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 1,792 (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280) vs 768 (GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB). Raw compute: 2.867 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280) vs 2.215 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB). Boost clocks: 1250 MHz vs 1442 MHz.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 | GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 4,765 | 4,800 |
| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | Pascal |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 14 nm |
| Shading Units | 1792+133% | 768 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 2.867 TFLOPS+29% | 2.215 TFLOPS |
| Boost Clock | 1250 MHz | 1442 MHz+15% |
| ROPs | 32+33% | 24 |
| TMUs | 112+133% | 48 |
| L1 Cache | 448 KB+56% | 288 KB |
| L2 Cache | 768 KB | 768 KB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 | GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 1.0 (Software) | FSR 2.1 (Compatible) |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | FSR 3 (Compatible) |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | AMD Anti-Lag | Standard |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 comes with 3 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB has 2 GB. The Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 240 GB/s (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280) vs 84 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB) — a 185.7% advantage for the Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280. Bus width: 384-bit vs 96-bit.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 | GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 3 GB+50% | 2 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 240 GB/s+186% | 84 GB/s |
| Bus Width | 384-bit+300% | 96-bit |
| L2 Cache | 768 KB | 768 KB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280) vs 12 (12_1) (GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 | GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 | 12 (12_1) |
| Vulkan | 1.2 | 1.3+8% |
| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Max Displays | 4 | 4 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: VCE 1.0 (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280) vs NVENC (6th Gen) (GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB). Decoder: UVD 3.2 vs NVDEC (3rd Gen). Supported codecs: H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,MVC (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280) vs H.264,H.265 (HEVC),VP9 (GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB).
| Feature | Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 | GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | VCE 1.0 | NVENC (6th Gen) |
| Decoder | UVD 3.2 | NVDEC (3rd Gen) |
| Codecs | H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,MVC | H.264,H.265 (HEVC),VP9 |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 draws 200W versus the GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB's 75W — a 90.9% difference. The GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280) vs 350W (GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 80°C.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 | GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 200W | 75W-63% |
| Recommended PSU | 500W | 350W-30% |
| Power Connector | 2x 6-pin | PCIe-powered |
| Length | 278mm | — |
| Height | 111mm | — |
| Slots | 2 | 0-100% |
| Temp (Load) | 80°C | 80°C |
| Perf/Watt | 23.8 | 64.0+169% |
Value Analysis
The GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB is the newer GPU (2019 vs 2012).
| Feature | Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 | GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $279 | — |
| Avg Price (30d) | $35 | — |
| Codename | Tahiti | GP107 |
| Release | January 31 2012 | February 1 2019 |
| Ranking | #454 | #453 |
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