Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X vs GRID P4-8Q

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.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Per Dollar GRID P4-8Q

#107

Quadro P6000

MSRP: $5999|Avg: $1500

98%

#108

Quadro M6000

MSRP: $4999|Avg: $500

89%

#246

Tesla K20m

MSRP: $3199|Avg: $55

5596%

#261

GRID P4-8Q

MSRP: $2000|Avg: $200

100%

#262

Quadro K2000

MSRP: $599|Avg: $500

100%

#264

FirePro 3D V5800

MSRP: $479|Avg: $30

97%

#265

GRID M3-3020

MSRP: $1000|Avg: $50

95%

#266

GRID P40-8Q

MSRP: $3000|Avg: $150

95%

#267

GRID M40

MSRP: $1000|Avg: $100

95%

#268

FirePro V3800

MSRP: $129|Avg: $12

94%

#269

FirePro V5800

MSRP: $479|Avg: $15

94%

#270

FirePro 3D V7800

MSRP: $759|Avg: $40

93%

#271

FirePro S9050

MSRP: $1999|Avg: $1825

93%

#272

FirePro R5000

MSRP: $1099|Avg: $150

91%

#273

GRID M6-8Q

MSRP: $1500|Avg: $100

90%

#276

GRID K120Q

MSRP: $125|Avg: $20

89%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

The GRID P4-8Q is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.7% higher G3D Mark score and 33.3% more VRAM (4 GB vs 3 GB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X.

Insight	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X	GRID P4-8Q
Performance	❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.7%)	✅Leading raw performance (+0.7%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / Maxwell 2.0 (2014−2019))
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 (275mm)	—

💎 Value Proposition

The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X holds the technical lead. Priced at $40 (vs $200), it costs 80% less, resulting in a 396.7% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X	GRID P4-8Q
Cost Efficiency	✅Better overall value (+396.7%)	❌Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅More affordable ($40)	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($200)

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.

Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X Benchmark Check

GRID P4-8Q Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X and GRID P4-8Q

Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X

The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in October 8 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1000 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,248 points. Launch price was $299.

GRID P4-8Q

The GRID P4-8Q 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: 5,283 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X scores 5,248 and the GRID P4-8Q reaches 5,283 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X is built on GCN 1.0 while the GRID P4-8Q uses Maxwell 2.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 2,048 (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) vs 1,536 (GRID P4-8Q). Raw compute: 4.096 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) vs 2.218 TFLOPS (GRID P4-8Q).

Feature	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X	GRID P4-8Q
G3D Mark Score	5,248	5,283
Architecture	GCN 1.0	Maxwell 2.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	2048+33%	1536
Compute (TFLOPS)	4.096 TFLOPS+85%	2.218 TFLOPS
ROPs	32	64+100%
TMUs	128+33%	96
L1 Cache	512 KB	576 KB+13%
L2 Cache	0.75 MB	2 MB+167%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X	GRID P4-8Q
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	Standard

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X comes with 3 GB of VRAM, while the GRID P4-8Q has 4 GB. The GRID P4-8Q offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 384-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 0.75 MB (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) vs 2 MB (GRID P4-8Q) — the GRID P4-8Q has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X	GRID P4-8Q
VRAM Capacity	3 GB	4 GB+33%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Bus Width	384-bit+200%	128-bit
L2 Cache	0.75 MB	2 MB+167%

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X draws 200W versus the GRID P4-8Q's 100W — a 66.7% difference. The GRID P4-8Q is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) vs 350W (GRID P4-8Q). Power connectors: 6-pin + 8-pin vs PCIe-powered.

Feature	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X	GRID P4-8Q
TDP	200W	100W-50%
Recommended PSU	500W	350W-30%
Power Connector	6-pin + 8-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	275mm	—
Height	111mm	—
Slots	2	—
Temp (Load)	80 C	—
Perf/Watt	26.2	52.8+102%

💰

Value Analysis

The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X launched at $299 MSRP and currently averages $40, while the GRID P4-8Q launched at $2000 and now averages $200. The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X costs 80% less ($160 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 131.2 (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) vs 26.4 (GRID P4-8Q) — the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X offers 397% better value. The GRID P4-8Q is the newer GPU (2015 vs 2013).