Radeon Pro WX 5100 vs Radeon R9 280

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 Pro WX 5100 vs Radeon R9 280 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 Pro WX 5100 vs Radeon R9 280: 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 Pro WX 5100

2016

Why buy it

✅21.5% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅163.5% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 3 GB).
✅Draws 75W instead of 200W, a 125W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌2016 hardware with 8 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
78.9% HIGHER MSRP
$499 MSRPvs$279 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 11.0 vs 19.8 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs $279 MSRP).

Radeon R9 280

2014

Why buy it

✅Costs $220 less on MSRP ($279 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 79.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 19.8 vs 11.0 G3D/$ ($279 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon Pro WX 5100 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2014 hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌166.7% higher power demand at 200W vs 75W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon Pro WX 5100 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 21.5% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward Radeon R9 280 instead at 5,532 vs 5,500, 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 Pro WX 5100 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 8 GB vs 3 GB of VRAM, a 14nm process instead of 28nm, and a newer 2016 generation instead of 2014. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon R9 280 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $220 cheaper on MSRP at $279 vs $499, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 79.9% (19.8 vs 11.0), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon R9 280 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Radeon Pro WX 5100 has the stronger long-term case.

Radeon Pro WX 5100 vs Radeon R9 280 Technical Specifications

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

Radeon Pro WX 5100

The Radeon Pro WX 5100 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 18 2016. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 713 MHz to 1086 MHz. It has 1792 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,500 points. Launch price was $499.

Radeon R9 280

The Radeon R9 280 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in March 4 2014. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 933 MHz. It has 1792 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,532 points. Launch price was $279.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon Pro WX 5100 scores 5,500 and the Radeon R9 280 reaches 5,532 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.6% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon Pro WX 5100 is built on GCN 4.0 while the Radeon R9 280 uses GCN 1.0, both on 14 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 1,792 (Radeon Pro WX 5100) vs 1,792 (Radeon R9 280). Raw compute: 3.892 TFLOPS (Radeon Pro WX 5100) vs 3.344 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 280). Boost clocks: 1086 MHz vs 933 MHz.

Feature	Radeon Pro WX 5100	Radeon R9 280
G3D Mark Score	5,500	5,532
Architecture	GCN 4.0	GCN 1.0
Process Node	14 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	1792	1792
Compute (TFLOPS)	3.892 TFLOPS+16%	3.344 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1086 MHz+16%	933 MHz
ROPs	32	32
TMUs	112	112
L1 Cache	448 KB	448 KB
L2 Cache	2 MB+167%	0.75 MB
Frame Generation	FSR upscaling	FSR upscaling

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon Pro WX 5100	Radeon R9 280
Upscaling Tech	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	AMD Anti-Lag	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon Pro WX 5100 has 8 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 280 carries 3 GB. Radeon Pro WX 5100 gives you 163.5% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the Radeon Pro WX 5100 and 384-bit on the Radeon R9 280. L2 Cache: 2 MB (Radeon Pro WX 5100) vs 0.75 MB (Radeon R9 280) — the Radeon Pro WX 5100 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Radeon Pro WX 5100	Radeon R9 280
VRAM Capacity	7.906 GB+164%	3 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR5
Bus Width	128-bit	384-bit+200%
L2 Cache	2 MB+167%	0.75 MB

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon Pro WX 5100 draws 75W versus the Radeon R9 280's 200W — a 90.9% difference. The Radeon Pro WX 5100 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon Pro WX 5100) vs 500W (Radeon R9 280). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 6-pin + 8-pin.

Feature	Radeon Pro WX 5100	Radeon R9 280
TDP	75W-63%	200W
Recommended PSU	350W-30%	500W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	6-pin + 8-pin
Length	173mm	—
Height	69mm	—
Slots	1	—
Temp (Load)	82°C	—
Perf/Watt	73.3+165%	27.7

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Radeon Pro WX 5100 came in at $499, while the Radeon R9 280 launched at $279. On MSRP, Radeon R9 280 was 44.1% cheaper ($220 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 11.0 (Radeon Pro WX 5100) vs 19.8 (Radeon R9 280) — the Radeon R9 280 offers 80% better value. The newer card here is Radeon Pro WX 5100 (2016 vs 2014).

Feature	Radeon Pro WX 5100	Radeon R9 280
MSRP	$499	$279-44%
Performance per Dollar	11.0	19.8+80%
Codename	Ellesmere	Tahiti
Release	November 18 2016	March 4 2014
Ranking	#416	#415

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