Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X vs Radeon R9 M295X

CPU

GPU

Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X

2013Boost: 1000 MHz

Radeon R9 M295X

2014Core: 723 MHz

Performance Spectrum - GPU

Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X

200

5,248

+1.9%

Radeon R7 260

Radeon RX 550 (móvel)

5,150

0.0%

Radeon HD 6970

Radeon HD8970M

Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870

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.

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 Radeon R9 M295X

#263

Radeon RX 550X (móvel)

MSRP: $35|Avg: $35

632%

#265

GeForce GTX 1070 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $150

573%

#266

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $100

572%

#270

GeForce GTX 1050 (Mobile)

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

520%

#271

Radeon RX 6300

MSRP: $60|Avg: $40

516%

#273

Radeon R9 M295X

MSRP: $300|Avg: $150

100%

#274

GeForce GT 325M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $20

99%

#275

GeForce GTS 160M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $30

99%

#276

GeForce GTX 470M SLI

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $60

99%

#277

Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 3 3200G

MSRP: $99|Avg: $70

98%

#279

Radeon RX Vega 9

MSRP: $99|Avg: $50

98%

#282

Iris Xe Graphics G7

MSRP: $200|Avg: $100

96%

#283

Radeon R9 M395

MSRP: $300|Avg: $300

96%

#285

GeForce GT 755M SLI

MSRP: $200|Avg: $50

96%

#286

GeForce GTX 950A

MSRP: $159|Avg: $30

95%

#288

Radeon 540X

MSRP: $99|Avg: $40

93%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.9% higher G3D Mark score. However, the Radeon R9 M295X offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.

Insight	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X	Radeon R9 M295X
Performance	✅Leading raw performance (+1.9%)	❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.9%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / GCN 3.0 (2014−2019))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	❌ Less VRAM capacity	✅ More VRAM (+33.3%)
Efficiency	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt	⚡ Higher Power Consumption
Case Fit	Standard Size (275mm)	📏 Compact / SFF Friendly

💎 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 $150), it costs 73% less, resulting in a 282.1% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X	Radeon R9 M295X
Cost Efficiency	✅Better overall value (+282.1%)	❌Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅More affordable ($40)	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($150)

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

Radeon R9 M295X Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X and Radeon R9 M295X

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.

Radeon R9 M295X

The Radeon R9 M295X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 23 2014. It features the GCN 3.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 723 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 250W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,150 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X scores 5,248 and the Radeon R9 M295X reaches 5,150 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X is built on GCN 1.0 while the Radeon R9 M295X uses GCN 3.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 2,048 (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) vs 2,048 (Radeon R9 M295X). Raw compute: 4.096 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) vs 2.961 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 M295X).

Feature	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X	Radeon R9 M295X
G3D Mark Score	5,248+2%	5,150
Architecture	GCN 1.0	GCN 3.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	2048	2048
Compute (TFLOPS)	4.096 TFLOPS+38%	2.961 TFLOPS
ROPs	32	32
TMUs	128	128
L1 Cache	512 KB	512 KB
L2 Cache	768 KB+50%	512 KB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X	Radeon R9 M295X
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 7970 / R9 280X comes with 3 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 M295X has 4 GB. The Radeon R9 M295X offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 264 GB/s (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) vs 176 GB/s (Radeon R9 M295X) — a 50% advantage for the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X. Bus width: 384-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 768 KB (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) vs 512 KB (Radeon R9 M295X) — the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X	Radeon R9 M295X
VRAM Capacity	3 GB	4 GB+33%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	264 GB/s+50%	176 GB/s
Bus Width	384-bit+50%	256-bit
L2 Cache	768 KB+50%	512 KB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_1) (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) vs 12 (Radeon R9 M295X). Maximum simultaneous displays: 6 vs 0.

Feature	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X	Radeon R9 M295X
DirectX	12 (11_1)	12
Max Displays	6	0

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: VCE 1.0 (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) vs VCE 3.0 (Radeon R9 M295X). Decoder: UVD 3.2 vs UVD 4.2.

Feature	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X	Radeon R9 M295X
Encoder	VCE 1.0	VCE 3.0
Decoder	UVD 3.2	UVD 4.2
Codecs	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,MPEG-4	—

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X draws 200W versus the Radeon R9 M295X's 250W — a 22.2% difference. The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) vs 350W (Radeon R9 M295X). Power connectors: 6-pin + 8-pin vs Mobile. Card length: 275mm vs 1mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots.

Feature	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X	Radeon R9 M295X
TDP	200W-20%	250W
Recommended PSU	500W	350W-30%
Power Connector	6-pin + 8-pin	Mobile
Length	275mm	1mm
Height	111mm	—
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	80 C	—
Perf/Watt	26.2+27%	20.6

💰

Value Analysis

The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X launched at $299 MSRP and currently averages $40, while the Radeon R9 M295X launched at $300 and now averages $150. The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X costs 73.3% less ($110 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 131.2 (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) vs 34.3 (Radeon R9 M295X) — the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X offers 282.5% better value. The Radeon R9 M295X is the newer GPU (2014 vs 2013).