Radeon Pro Vega 20 vs Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
Radeon Pro Vega 20
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Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
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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
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The Radeon Pro Vega 20 uses modern memory architecture. The Radeon Pro Vega 20 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 HD 7970 / R9 280X is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.5% higher G3D Mark score and 100+% more VRAM (3 GB vs 0 MB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon Pro Vega 20.
| Insight | Radeon Pro Vega 20 | Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.5%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+1.5%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2018 / GCN 5.0 (2017−2020)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+100+%) |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | — | Standard Size (275mm) |
💎 Value Proposition
While current pricing data is unavailable, the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X remains the clear technical winner. Check real-time availability to determine if the performance gap justifies the market price.
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 Pro Vega 20 and Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
Radeon Pro Vega 20
The Radeon Pro Vega 20 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 14 2018. It features the GCN 5.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 815 MHz to 1283 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,169 points.
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.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon Pro Vega 20 scores 5,169 and the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X reaches 5,248 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.5% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon Pro Vega 20 is built on GCN 5.0 while the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X uses GCN 1.0, both on 14 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 1,280 (Radeon Pro Vega 20) vs 2,048 (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X). Raw compute: 3.284 TFLOPS (Radeon Pro Vega 20) vs 4.096 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X). Boost clocks: 1283 MHz vs 1000 MHz.
| Feature | Radeon Pro Vega 20 | Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 5,169 | 5,248+2% |
| Architecture | GCN 5.0 | GCN 1.0 |
| Process Node | 14 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 1280 | 2048+60% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 3.284 TFLOPS | 4.096 TFLOPS+25% |
| Boost Clock | 1283 MHz+28% | 1000 MHz |
| ROPs | 32 | 32 |
| TMUs | 80 | 128+60% |
| L1 Cache | 320 KB | 512 KB+60% |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+33% | 0.75 MB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon Pro Vega 20 | Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Pro Vega 20 comes with 0 MB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X has 3 GB. The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X offers 100+% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 384-bit. L2 Cache: 1 MB (Radeon Pro Vega 20) vs 0.75 MB (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) — the Radeon Pro Vega 20 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon Pro Vega 20 | Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | Shared System RAM | 3 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR5 |
| Bus Width | 128-bit | 384-bit+200% |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+33% | 0.75 MB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 (12_1) (Radeon Pro Vega 20) vs 12 (11_1) (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 6.
| Feature | Radeon Pro Vega 20 | Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 (12_1) | 12 (11_1) |
| Vulkan | 1.3+8% | 1.2 |
| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Max Displays | 4 | 6+50% |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: VCE 4.0 (Radeon Pro Vega 20) vs VCE 1.0 (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X). Decoder: UVD 7.0 vs UVD 3.2. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265,MPEG-4,VC-1 (Radeon Pro Vega 20) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,MPEG-4 (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X).
| Feature | Radeon Pro Vega 20 | Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | VCE 4.0 | VCE 1.0 |
| Decoder | UVD 7.0 | UVD 3.2 |
| Codecs | H.264,H.265,MPEG-4,VC-1 | H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,MPEG-4 |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon Pro Vega 20 draws 100W versus the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X's 200W — a 66.7% difference. The Radeon Pro Vega 20 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 1W (Radeon Pro Vega 20) vs 500W (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X). Power connectors: Integrated vs 6-pin + 8-pin. Card length: 0mm vs 275mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 80 vs 80 C.
| Feature | Radeon Pro Vega 20 | Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 100W-50% | 200W |
| Recommended PSU | 1W-100% | 500W |
| Power Connector | Integrated | 6-pin + 8-pin |
| Length | 0mm | 275mm |
| Height | 0mm | 111mm |
| Slots | 0-100% | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | 80 | 80 C |
| Perf/Watt | 51.7+97% | 26.2 |
Value Analysis
The Radeon Pro Vega 20 launched at $0 MSRP and currently averages $0, while the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X launched at $299 and now averages $40. The Radeon Pro Vega 20 costs 100+% less ($40 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): Infinity (Radeon Pro Vega 20) vs 131.2 (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) — the Radeon Pro Vega 20 offers Infinity% better value. The Radeon Pro Vega 20 is the newer GPU (2018 vs 2013).
| Feature | Radeon Pro Vega 20 | Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $0-100% | $299 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $0-100% | $40 |
| Performance per Dollar | Infinity | 131.2 |
| Codename | Vega 12 | Tahiti |
| Release | November 14 2018 | October 8 2013 |
| Ranking | #435 | #404 |
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