Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 vs Radeon RX 560X (móvel)

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.

Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 vs Radeon RX 560X (móvel) 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.

Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 vs Radeon RX 560X (móvel): Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280

2012

Why buy it

✅24.1% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (3 GB vs 2 GB).

Trade-offs

❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation (2023).
❌2012 hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
407.3% HIGHER MSRP
$279 MSRPvs$55 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 17.1 vs 87.3 G3D/$ ($279 MSRP vs $55 MSRP).
❌207.7% higher power demand at 200W vs 65W.

Radeon RX 560X (móvel)

2018

Why buy it

✅Costs $224 less on MSRP ($55 MSRP vs $279 MSRP).
✅Delivers 411% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 87.3 vs 17.1 G3D/$ ($55 MSRP vs $279 MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation (2023).
✅Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon RX 560X (móvel) is the less risky modern option long term.
✅Draws 65W instead of 200W, a 135W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 3 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Older hardware, 2 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in newer AAA releases.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 24.1% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward Radeon RX 560X (móvel) instead at 4,800 vs 4,765, so for this question the real-game FPS result matters more than the synthetic split.

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

Radeon RX 560X (móvel) is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: native frame generation with FSR Frame Generation (2023), while Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 has no comparable frame-generation support, a 14nm process instead of 28nm, and a newer 2018 generation instead of 2012. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon RX 560X (móvel) makes the most sense to buy today. It is $224 cheaper on MSRP at $55 vs $279, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 411% (87.3 vs 17.1), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 vs Radeon RX 560X (móvel) Technical Specifications

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

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 RX 560X (móvel)

The Radeon RX 560X (móvel) is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 11 2018. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1275 MHz to 1202 MHz. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 65W. 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 Radeon RX 560X (móvel) 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 Radeon RX 560X (móvel) uses GCN 4.0, both on 28 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 1,792 (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280) vs 1,024 (Radeon RX 560X (móvel)). Raw compute: 2.867 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280) vs 2.611 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 560X (móvel)). Boost clocks: 1250 MHz vs 1202 MHz.

Feature	Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280	Radeon RX 560X (móvel)
G3D Mark Score	4,765	4,800
Architecture	GCN 1.0	GCN 4.0
Process Node	28 nm	14 nm
Shading Units	1792+75%	1024
Compute (TFLOPS)	2.867 TFLOPS+10%	2.611 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1250 MHz+4%	1202 MHz
ROPs	32+100%	16
TMUs	112+75%	64
L1 Cache	448 KB+75%	256 KB
L2 Cache	0.75 MB	1 MB+33%
Frame Generation	FSR upscaling	FSR upscaling + limited Frame Generation

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the Radeon RX 560X (móvel) is support for FSR Frame Generation. In games that support it, that can smooth out motion and lift perceived FPS. The Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 does not have comparable native support in the same tier.

Feature	Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280	Radeon RX 560X (móvel)
Upscaling Tech	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	FSR Frame Generation
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	AMD Anti-Lag	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 has 3 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon RX 560X (móvel) carries 2 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 bandwidth: 240 GB/s (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280) vs 112 GB/s (Radeon RX 560X (móvel)) — a 114.3% advantage for the Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280. Memory bus width is 384-bit on the Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 and 128-bit on the Radeon RX 560X (móvel). L2 Cache: 0.75 MB (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280) vs 1 MB (Radeon RX 560X (móvel)) — the Radeon RX 560X (móvel) has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280	Radeon RX 560X (móvel)
VRAM Capacity	3 GB+50%	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	240 GB/s+114%	112 GB/s
Bus Width	384-bit+200%	128-bit
L2 Cache	0.75 MB	1 MB+33%

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 draws 200W versus the Radeon RX 560X (móvel)'s 65W — a 101.9% difference. The Radeon RX 560X (móvel) is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280) vs 350W (Radeon RX 560X (móvel)). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered.

Feature	Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280	Radeon RX 560X (móvel)
TDP	200W	65W-68%
Recommended PSU	500W	350W-30%
Power Connector	2x 6-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	278mm	—
Height	111mm	—
Slots	2	—
Temp (Load)	80°C	—
Perf/Watt	23.8	73.8+210%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280 came in at $279, while the Radeon RX 560X (móvel) launched at $55. On MSRP, Radeon RX 560X (móvel) was 80.3% cheaper ($224 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 17.1 (Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280) vs 87.3 (Radeon RX 560X (móvel)) — the Radeon RX 560X (móvel) offers 410.5% better value. The newer card here is Radeon RX 560X (móvel) (2018 vs 2012).

Feature	Radeon HD 7950 / R9 280	Radeon RX 560X (móvel)
MSRP	$279	$55-80%
Performance per Dollar	17.1	87.3+411%
Codename	Tahiti	Polaris 21
Release	January 31 2012	April 11 2018
Ranking	#454	#483

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