Radeon R9 280 vs Radeon TM

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 R9 280 vs Radeon TM 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 R9 280 vs Radeon TM: 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 R9 280

2014

Why buy it

✅2.4% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 19.8 vs 0 G3D/$ ($279 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 4 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.
❌1233.3% higher power demand at 200W vs 15W.

Radeon TM

2024

Why buy it

✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 3 GB).
✅Better long-term bet: RDNA 3.5 (2024−2025) on 4nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
✅Draws 15W instead of 200W, a 185W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon R9 280 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 19.8 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $279 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon R9 280 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 2.4% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward Radeon TM instead at 5,564 vs 5,532, 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 TM is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 4 GB vs 3 GB of VRAM, a 4nm process instead of 28nm, 16 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2024 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 today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. 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 TM has the stronger long-term case.

Radeon R9 280 vs Radeon TM Technical Specifications

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

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.

Radeon TM

The Radeon TM is manufactured by AMD. It was released in July 15 2024. It features the RDNA 3.5 architecture. The core clock ranges from 400 MHz to 2900 MHz. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 15W. Manufactured using 4 nm process technology. It features 16 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,564 points.

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Graphics Performance

The Radeon R9 280 scores 5,532 and the Radeon TM reaches 5,564 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.6% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon R9 280 is built on GCN 1.0 while the Radeon TM uses RDNA 3.5, both on 28 nm vs 4 nm. Shader units: 1,792 (Radeon R9 280) vs 1,024 (Radeon TM). Raw compute: 3.344 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 280) vs 5.939 TFLOPS (Radeon TM). Boost clocks: 933 MHz vs 2900 MHz.

Feature	Radeon R9 280	Radeon TM
G3D Mark Score	5,532	5,564
Architecture	GCN 1.0	RDNA 3.5
Process Node	28 nm	4 nm
Shading Units	1792+75%	1024
Compute (TFLOPS)	3.344 TFLOPS	5.939 TFLOPS+78%
Boost Clock	933 MHz	2900 MHz+211%
ROPs	32	32
TMUs	112+75%	64
L1 Cache	448 KB+75%	256 KB
L2 Cache	0.75 MB	2 MB+167%
Frame Generation	FSR upscaling	FSR upscaling + RSR

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon R9 280	Radeon TM
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 R9 280 has 3 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon TM carries 4 GB. Radeon TM gives you 33.3% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 384-bit on the Radeon R9 280 and 128-bit on the Radeon TM. L2 Cache: 0.75 MB (Radeon R9 280) vs 2 MB (Radeon TM) — the Radeon TM has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Radeon R9 280	Radeon TM
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 Radeon TM's 15W — a 172.1% difference. The Radeon TM is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Radeon R9 280) vs 350W (Radeon TM). Power connectors: 6-pin + 8-pin vs PCIe-powered.

Feature	Radeon R9 280	Radeon TM
TDP	200W	15W-93%
Recommended PSU	500W	350W-30%
Power Connector	6-pin + 8-pin	PCIe-powered
Perf/Watt	27.7	370.9+1239%

💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is Radeon TM (2024 vs 2014).

Feature	Radeon R9 280	Radeon TM
MSRP	$279	—
Codename	Tahiti	Strix Point
Release	March 4 2014	July 15 2024
Ranking	#415	#312

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