Radeon R9 270 / R7 370 vs GeForce GTX 480

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

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

The Radeon R9 270 / R7 370 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 4.5% higher G3D Mark score and 33.3% more VRAM (2 GB vs 2 GB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the GeForce GTX 480.

Insight	Radeon R9 270 / R7 370	GeForce GTX 480
Performance	✅Leading raw performance (+4.5%)	❌Lower raw frame rates (-4.5%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2010 / Fermi (2010−2014))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	✅ More VRAM (+33.3%)	❌ Less VRAM capacity
Efficiency	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt	⚡ Higher Power Consumption
Case Fit	📏 Compact / SFF Friendly	Standard Size (267mm)

💎 Value Proposition

The GeForce GTX 480 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the GeForce GTX 480 holds the technical lead. Priced at $100 (vs $149), it costs 33% less, resulting in a 42.5% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	Radeon R9 270 / R7 370	GeForce GTX 480
Cost Efficiency	❌Lower cost efficiency	✅Better overall value (+42.5%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($149)	✅More affordable ($100)

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 R9 270 / R7 370 Benchmark Check

GeForce GTX 480 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Radeon R9 270 / R7 370 and GeForce GTX 480

Radeon R9 270 / R7 370

The Radeon R9 270 / R7 370 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in May 5 2015. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 925 MHz to 975 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 110W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,260 points.

GeForce GTX 480

The GeForce GTX 480 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 26 2010. It features the Fermi architecture. The core clock speed is 700 MHz. It has 480 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 250W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,075 points. Launch price was $499.

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Graphics Performance

The Radeon R9 270 / R7 370 scores 4,260 and the GeForce GTX 480 reaches 4,075 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 4.5% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon R9 270 / R7 370 is built on GCN 1.0 while the GeForce GTX 480 uses Fermi, both on 28 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 1,280 (Radeon R9 270 / R7 370) vs 480 (GeForce GTX 480). Raw compute: 2.496 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 270 / R7 370) vs 1.345 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 480).

Feature	Radeon R9 270 / R7 370	GeForce GTX 480
G3D Mark Score	4,260+5%	4,075
Architecture	GCN 1.0	Fermi
Process Node	28 nm	40 nm
Shading Units	1280+167%	480
Compute (TFLOPS)	2.496 TFLOPS+86%	1.345 TFLOPS
ROPs	32	48+50%
TMUs	80+33%	60
L1 Cache	384 KB	960 KB+150%
L2 Cache	512 KB	768 KB+50%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon R9 270 / R7 370	GeForce GTX 480
Upscaling Tech	FSR 1.0 (Software)	FSR 2.1 (Compatible)
Frame Generation	Not Supported	FSR 3 (Compatible)
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	AMD Anti-Lag	Standard

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon R9 270 / R7 370 comes with 2 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 480 has 2 GB. The Radeon R9 270 / R7 370 offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 179.2 GB/s (Radeon R9 270 / R7 370) vs 177.4 GB/s (GeForce GTX 480) — a 1% advantage for the Radeon R9 270 / R7 370. Bus width: 256-bit vs 384-bit. L2 Cache: 512 KB (Radeon R9 270 / R7 370) vs 768 KB (GeForce GTX 480) — the GeForce GTX 480 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Radeon R9 270 / R7 370	GeForce GTX 480
VRAM Capacity	2 GB+33%	1.5 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	179.2 GB/s+1%	177.4 GB/s
Bus Width	256-bit	384-bit+50%
L2 Cache	512 KB	768 KB+50%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_1) (Radeon R9 270 / R7 370) vs 12 (11_0) (GeForce GTX 480). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 2.

Feature	Radeon R9 270 / R7 370	GeForce GTX 480
DirectX	12 (11_1)	12 (11_0)
Vulkan	1.2	1.2
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4+100%	2

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: VCE 1.0 (Radeon R9 270 / R7 370) vs PureVideo HD VP4 (GeForce GTX 480). Decoder: UVD 4.0 vs PureVideo HD VP4. Supported codecs: H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (Radeon R9 270 / R7 370) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 ASP (GeForce GTX 480).

Feature	Radeon R9 270 / R7 370	GeForce GTX 480
Encoder	VCE 1.0	PureVideo HD VP4
Decoder	UVD 4.0	PureVideo HD VP4
Codecs	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 ASP

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon R9 270 / R7 370 draws 110W versus the GeForce GTX 480's 250W — a 77.8% difference. The Radeon R9 270 / R7 370 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 450W (Radeon R9 270 / R7 370) vs 600W (GeForce GTX 480). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 6-pin + 8-pin. Card length: 220mm vs 267mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 70 vs 90°C.

Feature	Radeon R9 270 / R7 370	GeForce GTX 480
TDP	110W-56%	250W
Recommended PSU	450W-25%	600W
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	6-pin + 8-pin
Length	220mm	267mm
Height	111mm	111mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	70-22%	90°C
Perf/Watt	38.7+137%	16.3

💰

Value Analysis

The Radeon R9 270 / R7 370 launched at $149 MSRP and currently averages $149, while the GeForce GTX 480 launched at $499 and now averages $100. The GeForce GTX 480 costs 32.9% less ($49 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 28.6 (Radeon R9 270 / R7 370) vs 40.8 (GeForce GTX 480) — the GeForce GTX 480 offers 42.7% better value. The Radeon R9 270 / R7 370 is the newer GPU (2015 vs 2010).