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 7970 / R9 280X vs Radeon RX 6300 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 7970 / R9 280X vs Radeon RX 6300: 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 7970 / R9 280X

2013

Why buy it

✅18.4% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
❌2013 hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
398.3% HIGHER MSRP
$299 MSRPvs$60 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 17.6 vs 88.7 G3D/$ ($299 MSRP vs $60 MSRP).

Radeon RX 6300

2022

Why buy it

✅Costs $239 less on MSRP ($60 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Delivers 405.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 88.7 vs 17.6 G3D/$ ($60 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023).
✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 3 GB).
✅Better long-term bet: RDNA 2.0 (2020−2025) on 6nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 18.4% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward Radeon RX 6300 instead at 5,319 vs 5,248, 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 6300 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 4 GB vs 3 GB of VRAM, native frame generation with FSR Frame Generation + AFMF (2023), while Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X has no comparable frame-generation support, a 6nm process instead of 28nm, and 12 vs 0 ray-tracing units. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon RX 6300 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $239 cheaper on MSRP at $60 vs $299, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 405.1% (88.7 vs 17.6), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X vs Radeon RX 6300 Technical Specifications

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

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 RX 6300

The Radeon RX 6300 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 4 2022. It features the RDNA 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 2000 MHz to 2400 MHz. It has 768 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 35W. Manufactured using 6 nm process technology. It features 12 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,319 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X scores 5,248 and the Radeon RX 6300 reaches 5,319 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X is built on GCN 1.0 while the Radeon RX 6300 uses RDNA 2.0, both on 28 nm vs 6 nm. Shader units: 2,048 (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) vs 768 (Radeon RX 6300). Raw compute: 4.096 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) vs 3.686 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 6300). Boost clocks: 1000 MHz vs 2400 MHz.

Feature	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X	Radeon RX 6300
G3D Mark Score	5,248	5,319+1%
Architecture	GCN 1.0	RDNA 2.0
Process Node	28 nm	6 nm
Shading Units	2048+167%	768
Compute (TFLOPS)	4.096 TFLOPS+11%	3.686 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1000 MHz	2400 MHz+140%
ROPs	32	32
TMUs	128+167%	48
L1 Cache	512 KB+100%	256 KB
L2 Cache	0.75 MB	1 MB+33%
Frame Generation	FSR upscaling	FSR 3 + AFMF

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the Radeon RX 6300 is support for FSR Frame Generation + AFMF. In games that support it, that can smooth out motion and lift perceived FPS. The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X does not have comparable native support in the same tier.

Feature	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X	Radeon RX 6300
Upscaling Tech	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4	FSR 3
Frame Generation	Not Supported	FSR Frame Generation + AFMF
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	AMD Anti-Lag	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X has 3 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon RX 6300 carries 4 GB. Radeon RX 6300 gives you 33.3% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 264 GB/s (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) vs 64 GB/s (Radeon RX 6300) — a 312.5% advantage for the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X. Memory bus width is 384-bit on the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X and 32-bit on the Radeon RX 6300. L2 Cache: 0.75 MB (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) vs 1 MB (Radeon RX 6300) — the Radeon RX 6300 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X	Radeon RX 6300
VRAM Capacity	3 GB	4 GB+33%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Memory Bandwidth	264 GB/s+313%	64 GB/s
Bus Width	384-bit+1100%	32-bit
L2 Cache	0.75 MB	1 MB+33%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_1) (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) vs 12_2 (Radeon RX 6300). Maximum simultaneous displays: 6 vs 2.

Feature	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X	Radeon RX 6300
DirectX	12 (11_1)	12_2
Max Displays	6+200%	2

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: VCE 1.0 (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) vs VCN 3.0 (Radeon RX 6300). Decoder: UVD 3.2 vs VCN 3.0.

Feature	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X	Radeon RX 6300
Encoder	VCE 1.0	VCN 3.0
Decoder	UVD 3.2	VCN 3.0
Codecs	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,MPEG-4	—

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X draws 200W versus the Radeon RX 6300's 35W — a 140.4% difference. The Radeon RX 6300 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) vs 300W (Radeon RX 6300). Power connectors: 6-pin + 8-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 275mm vs 160mm, occupying 2 vs 1 slots.

Feature	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X	Radeon RX 6300
TDP	200W	35W-83%
Recommended PSU	500W	300W-40%
Power Connector	6-pin + 8-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	275mm	160mm
Height	111mm	—
Slots	2	1-50%
Temp (Load)	80 C	—
Perf/Watt	26.2	152.0+480%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X came in at $299, while the Radeon RX 6300 launched at $60. On MSRP, Radeon RX 6300 was 79.9% cheaper ($239 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 17.6 (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) vs 88.7 (Radeon RX 6300) — the Radeon RX 6300 offers 404% better value. The newer card here is Radeon RX 6300 (2022 vs 2013).

Feature	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X	Radeon RX 6300
MSRP	$299	$60-80%
Performance per Dollar	17.6	88.7+404%
Codename	Tahiti	Navi 24
Release	October 8 2013	January 4 2022
Ranking	#404	#379

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