Radeon R9 280X vs Radeon Ryzen 7 6800HS

AMD

Radeon R9 280X

2013Boost: 1000 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
AMD

Radeon Ryzen 7 6800HS

2022Core: 1800 MHzBoost: 2100 MHz
Similar parts
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Radeon R9 280X vs Radeon Ryzen 7 6800HS Performance Spectrum

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.

Radeon R9 280X vs Radeon Ryzen 7 6800HS 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 280X vs Radeon Ryzen 7 6800HS: 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 280X

2013

Why buy it

  • Costs $301 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $600 MSRP).
  • Delivers 103.6% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 20.4 vs 10.0 G3D/$ ($299 MSRP vs $600 MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than Radeon Ryzen 7 6800HS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2013 hardware with 3 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
  • 100% higher power demand at 200W vs 100W.

Radeon Ryzen 7 6800HS

2022

Why buy it

  • 31.7% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • 33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 3 GB).
  • Better long-term bet: RDNA 2.0 (2020−2025) on 7nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
  • Draws 100W instead of 200W, a 100W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • 100.7% HIGHER MSRP
    $600 MSRPvs$299 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 10.0 vs 20.4 G3D/$ ($600 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Radeon Ryzen 7 6800HS is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 31.7% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward Radeon R9 280X instead at 6,100 vs 6,012, 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 Ryzen 7 6800HS is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 4 GB vs 3 GB of VRAM, a 7nm process instead of 28nm, 32 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2022 generation instead of 2013. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Radeon R9 280X makes the most sense to buy today. It is $301 cheaper on MSRP at $299 vs $600, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 103.6% (20.4 vs 10.0), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon R9 280X is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Radeon Ryzen 7 6800HS has the stronger long-term case.

Radeon R9 280X vs Radeon Ryzen 7 6800HS Technical Specifications

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

AMD

Radeon R9 280X

The Radeon 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: 6,100 points. Launch price was $299.

AMD

Radeon Ryzen 7 6800HS

The Radeon Ryzen 7 6800HS is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 4 2022. It features the RDNA 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1800 MHz to 2100 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 7 nm process technology. It features 32 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 6,012 points.

Graphics Performance

The Radeon R9 280X scores 6,100 and the Radeon Ryzen 7 6800HS reaches 6,012 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.5% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon R9 280X is built on GCN 1.0 while the Radeon Ryzen 7 6800HS uses RDNA 2.0, both on 28 nm vs 7 nm. Shader units: 2,048 (Radeon R9 280X) vs 2,048 (Radeon Ryzen 7 6800HS). Raw compute: 4.096 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 280X) vs 8.602 TFLOPS (Radeon Ryzen 7 6800HS). Boost clocks: 1000 MHz vs 2100 MHz.

FeatureRadeon R9 280XRadeon Ryzen 7 6800HS
G3D Mark Score
6,100+1%
6,012
Architecture
GCN 1.0
RDNA 2.0
Process Node
28 nm
7 nm
Shading Units
2048
2048
Compute (TFLOPS)
4.096 TFLOPS
8.602 TFLOPS+110%
Boost Clock
1000 MHz
2100 MHz+110%
ROPs
32
64+100%
TMUs
128
128
L1 Cache
512 KB
512 KB
L2 Cache
0.75 MB
2 MB+167%
Frame Generation
FSR upscaling
FSR upscaling + RSR

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureRadeon R9 280XRadeon Ryzen 7 6800HS
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 280X has 3 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon Ryzen 7 6800HS carries 4 GB. Radeon Ryzen 7 6800HS 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 280X and System on the Radeon Ryzen 7 6800HS. L2 Cache: 0.75 MB (Radeon R9 280X) vs 2 MB (Radeon Ryzen 7 6800HS) — the Radeon Ryzen 7 6800HS has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureRadeon R9 280XRadeon Ryzen 7 6800HS
VRAM Capacity
3 GB
4 GB+33%
Memory Type
GDDR5
Shared
Memory Bandwidth
288 GB/s
System
Bus Width
384-bit
System
L2 Cache
0.75 MB
2 MB+167%
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon R9 280X draws 200W versus the Radeon Ryzen 7 6800HS's 100W — a 66.7% difference. The Radeon Ryzen 7 6800HS is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Radeon R9 280X) vs 350W (Radeon Ryzen 7 6800HS). Power connectors: 6-pin + 8-pin vs PCIe-powered.

FeatureRadeon R9 280XRadeon Ryzen 7 6800HS
TDP
200W
100W-50%
Recommended PSU
500W
350W-30%
Power Connector
6-pin + 8-pin
PCIe-powered
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
75°C
Perf/Watt
30.5
60.1+97%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Radeon R9 280X came in at $299, while the Radeon Ryzen 7 6800HS launched at $600. On MSRP, Radeon R9 280X was 50.2% cheaper ($301 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 20.4 (Radeon R9 280X) vs 10.0 (Radeon Ryzen 7 6800HS) — the Radeon R9 280X offers 104% better value. The newer card here is Radeon Ryzen 7 6800HS (2022 vs 2013).

FeatureRadeon R9 280XRadeon Ryzen 7 6800HS
MSRP
$299-50%
$600
Performance per Dollar
20.4+104%
10.0
Codename
Tahiti
Navi 23
Release
October 8 2013
January 4 2022
Ranking
#404
#135

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