Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X vs Radeon RX 6300
Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
Popular choices:
Radeon RX 6300
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 Radeon RX 6300
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The Radeon RX 6300 is significantly newer (2022 vs 2013). The Radeon RX 6300 likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon RX 6300 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.4% 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 | Radeon RX 6300 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.4%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+1.4%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) | RDNA 2.0 (2020−2025) (6nm) |
| 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) | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon RX 6300 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Although it costs $40 (vs $40), its significant performance lead justifies the premium, offering 1.4% better value per dollar than the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X.
| Insight | Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X | Radeon RX 6300 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+1.4%) |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
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 7970 / R9 280X and Radeon RX 6300
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% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
A critical advantage for the Radeon RX 6300 is support for FSR 3 / AFMF. This allows it to generate entire frames using AI/Algorithms, essentially doubling the frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios or heavy ray-tracing titles. The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X | Radeon RX 6300 |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 1.0 (Software) | FSR 3 (Native) |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | FSR 3 / AFMF (Driver) |
| 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 RX 6300 has 4 GB. The Radeon RX 6300 offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. 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. Bus width: 384-bit vs 32-bit. 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
The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X launched at $299 MSRP and currently averages $40, while the Radeon RX 6300 launched at $60 and now averages $40. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 131.2 (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) vs 133.0 (Radeon RX 6300) — the Radeon RX 6300 offers 1.4% better value. The Radeon RX 6300 is the newer GPU (2022 vs 2013).
| Feature | Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X | Radeon RX 6300 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $299 | $60-80% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $40 | $40 |
| Performance per Dollar | 131.2 | 133.0+1% |
| Codename | Tahiti | Navi 24 |
| Release | October 8 2013 | January 4 2022 |
| Ranking | #404 | #379 |
Top Performing GPUs
The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
You May Also Compare
Similar GPU comparisons based on Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X and Radeon RX 6300
