Radeon R9 280 vs GRID P40-12Q

Radeon R9 280

2014Boost: 933 MHz

GRID P40-12Q

2015Core: 557 MHzBoost: 1178 MHz

Performance Spectrum - GPU

Radeon R9 280

200

5,532

0.0%

5,540

+0.1%

GeForce RTX 2060 with Max-Q Design

GeForce RTX 2060

GeForce RTX 2070 Super Mobile

RTX 4000 Ada Generation Laptop 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.

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 GRID P40-12Q

#336

Tesla K20m

MSRP: $3199|Avg: $55

15230%

#351

GRID P40-12Q

MSRP: $5699|Avg: $5699

100%

#352

FirePro 2270

MSRP: $149|Avg: $30

98%

#353

FirePro 2460

MSRP: $180|Avg: $10

97%

#355

Quadro FX 580

MSRP: $199|Avg: $500

94%

#356

FirePro 3D V5700

MSRP: $599|Avg: $25

94%

#358

GRID M60-1B

MSRP: $2500|Avg: $120

93%

#359

FireStream 9270

MSRP: $1499|Avg: $20

92%

#360

Quadro 400

MSRP: $169|Avg: $500

91%

#361

FirePro 2260

MSRP: $129|Avg: $15

91%

#362

Quadro FX 380 LP

MSRP: $169|Avg: $15

89%

#364

Quadro FX 1800

MSRP: $489|Avg: $100

84%

#365

FirePro 3D V8700

MSRP: $1499|Avg: $1229

82%

#366

FirePro 3D V9800

MSRP: $3499|Avg: $80

82%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

The GRID P40-12Q is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.1% 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 R9 280.

Insight	Radeon R9 280	GRID P40-12Q
Performance	❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.1%)	✅Leading raw performance (+0.1%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / Maxwell 2.0 (2014−2019))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	❌ Less VRAM capacity	✅ More VRAM (+33.3%)
Efficiency	Normal Efficiency	Normal Efficiency
Case Fit	—	—

💎 Value Proposition

The Radeon R9 280 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon R9 280 holds the technical lead. Priced at $40 (vs $5,699), it costs 99% less, resulting in a 14126.9% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	Radeon R9 280	GRID P40-12Q
Cost Efficiency	✅Better overall value (+14126.9%)	❌Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅More affordable ($40)	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($5,699)

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 280 Benchmark Check

GRID P40-12Q Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Radeon R9 280 and GRID P40-12Q

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.

GRID P40-12Q

The GRID P40-12Q is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 30 2015. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 557 MHz to 1178 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 225W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,540 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon R9 280 scores 5,532 and the GRID P40-12Q reaches 5,540 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon R9 280 is built on GCN 1.0 while the GRID P40-12Q uses Maxwell 2.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,792 (Radeon R9 280) vs 2,048 (GRID P40-12Q). Raw compute: 3.344 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 280) vs 4.825 TFLOPS (GRID P40-12Q). Boost clocks: 933 MHz vs 1178 MHz.

Feature	Radeon R9 280	GRID P40-12Q
G3D Mark Score	5,532	5,540
Architecture	GCN 1.0	Maxwell 2.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	1792	2048+14%
Compute (TFLOPS)	3.344 TFLOPS	4.825 TFLOPS+44%
Boost Clock	933 MHz	1178 MHz+26%
ROPs	32	64+100%
TMUs	112	128+14%
L1 Cache	448 KB	768 KB+71%
L2 Cache	0.75 MB	2 MB+167%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon R9 280	GRID P40-12Q
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	Standard

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon R9 280 comes with 3 GB of VRAM, while the GRID P40-12Q has 4 GB. The GRID P40-12Q offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 384-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 0.75 MB (Radeon R9 280) vs 2 MB (GRID P40-12Q) — the GRID P40-12Q has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Radeon R9 280	GRID P40-12Q
VRAM Capacity	3 GB	4 GB+33%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Bus Width	384-bit+200%	128-bit
L2 Cache	0.75 MB	2 MB+167%

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon R9 280 draws 200W versus the GRID P40-12Q's 225W — a 11.8% difference. The Radeon R9 280 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Radeon R9 280) vs 350W (GRID P40-12Q). Power connectors: 6-pin + 8-pin vs PCIe-powered.

Feature	Radeon R9 280	GRID P40-12Q
TDP	200W-11%	225W
Recommended PSU	500W	350W-30%
Power Connector	6-pin + 8-pin	PCIe-powered
Perf/Watt	27.7+13%	24.6

💰

Value Analysis

The Radeon R9 280 launched at $279 MSRP and currently averages $40, while the GRID P40-12Q launched at $5699 and now averages $5699. The Radeon R9 280 costs 99.3% less ($5659 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 138.3 (Radeon R9 280) vs 1.0 (GRID P40-12Q) — the Radeon R9 280 offers 13730% better value. The GRID P40-12Q is the newer GPU (2015 vs 2014).