CPU
GPU
Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280
Popular choices:
Radeon R9 370
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
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.9% higher G3D Mark score. However, the Radeon R9 370 offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.
| Insight | Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 | Radeon R9 370 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.9%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.9%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+33.3%) |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | Standard Size (278mm) | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 holds the technical lead. Priced at $35 (vs $55), it costs 36% less, resulting in a 58.6% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 | Radeon R9 370 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+58.6%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($35) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($55) |
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 Radeon R9 370
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.
Radeon R9 370
The Radeon R9 370 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in May 5 2015. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 925 MHz to 975 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 110W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,722 points.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 scores 4,765 and the Radeon R9 370 reaches 4,722 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 is built on GCN 1.0 while the Radeon R9 370 uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,792 (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280) vs 1,280 (Radeon R9 370). Raw compute: 2.867 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280) vs 2.496 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 370). Boost clocks: 1250 MHz vs 975 MHz.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 | Radeon R9 370 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 4,765 | 4,722 |
| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | GCN 1.0 |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 1792+40% | 1280 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 2.867 TFLOPS+15% | 2.496 TFLOPS |
| Boost Clock | 1250 MHz+28% | 975 MHz |
| ROPs | 32 | 32 |
| TMUs | 112+40% | 80 |
| L1 Cache | 448 KB+17% | 384 KB |
| L2 Cache | 768 KB+50% | 512 KB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 | Radeon R9 370 |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 1.0 (Software) | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | AMD Anti-Lag | AMD Anti-Lag |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 comes with 3 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 370 has 4 GB. The Radeon R9 370 offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 240 GB/s (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280) vs 179 GB/s (Radeon R9 370) — a 34.1% advantage for the Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280. Bus width: 384-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 768 KB (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280) vs 512 KB (Radeon R9 370) — the Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 | Radeon R9 370 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 3 GB | 4 GB+33% |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 240 GB/s+34% | 179 GB/s |
| Bus Width | 384-bit+50% | 256-bit |
| L2 Cache | 768 KB+50% | 512 KB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280) vs 12 (11_1) (Radeon R9 370). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 3.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 | Radeon R9 370 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 | 12 (11_1) |
| Vulkan | 1.2 | 1.2 |
| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Max Displays | 4+33% | 3 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: VCE 1.0 (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280) vs VCE 1.0 (Radeon R9 370). Decoder: UVD 3.2 vs UVD 4.0. Supported codecs: H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,MVC (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280) vs H.264,MPEG-2,MPEG-4,VC-1,MVC (Radeon R9 370).
| Feature | Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 | Radeon R9 370 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | VCE 1.0 | VCE 1.0 |
| Decoder | UVD 3.2 | UVD 4.0 |
| Codecs | H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,MVC | H.264,MPEG-2,MPEG-4,VC-1,MVC |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 draws 200W versus the Radeon R9 370's 110W — a 58.1% difference. The Radeon R9 370 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280) vs 450W (Radeon R9 370). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs 1x 6-pin. Card length: 278mm vs 221mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 75.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 | Radeon R9 370 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 200W | 110W-45% |
| Recommended PSU | 500W | 450W-10% |
| Power Connector | 2x 6-pin | 1x 6-pin |
| Length | 278mm | 221mm |
| Height | 111mm | 111mm |
| Slots | 2 | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | 80°C | 75-6% |
| Perf/Watt | 23.8 | 42.9+80% |
Value Analysis
The Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 launched at $279 MSRP and currently averages $35, while the Radeon R9 370 launched at $149 and now averages $55. The Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 costs 36.4% less ($20 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 136.1 (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280) vs 85.9 (Radeon R9 370) — the Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 offers 58.4% better value. The Radeon R9 370 is the newer GPU (2015 vs 2012).
| Feature | Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 | Radeon R9 370 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $279 | $149-47% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $35-36% | $55 |
| Performance per Dollar | 136.1+58% | 85.9 |
| Codename | Tahiti | Trinidad |
| Release | January 31 2012 | May 5 2015 |
| Ranking | #454 | #456 |
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