Radeon R9 280X vs Tesla M6

Radeon R9 280X

2013Boost: 1000 MHz

Tesla M6

2015Core: 930 MHzBoost: 1180 MHz

Performance Spectrum - GPU

Radeon R9 280X

200

6,100

0.0%

6,225

+2.0%

GeForce GTX 1070 (móvel)

GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile

GeForce GTX 1080 Ti

GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8GB

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 Tesla M6

#82

RTX A5000

MSRP: $3721|Avg: $1800

99%

#83

Radeon Pro Vega 64X

MSRP: $2200|Avg: $2200

98%

#84

Radeon PRO V710

MSRP: $2000|Avg: $2000

96%

#85

RTX A5500

MSRP: $3600|Avg: $2200

94%

#86

Radeon Pro WX 9100

MSRP: $2199|Avg: $550

89%

#87

A10G

MSRP: $2500|Avg: $2000

87%

#173

Tesla K20m

MSRP: $3199|Avg: $55

2371%

#188

Tesla M6

MSRP: $1000|Avg: $84

100%

#190

CMP 30HX

MSRP: $799|Avg: $60

98%

#191

FirePro W2100

MSRP: $139|Avg: $30

98%

#193

FirePro M6000

MSRP: $300|Avg: $50

97%

#196

FirePro M4170

MSRP: $200|Avg: $80

94%

#197

GRID K140Q

MSRP: $125|Avg: $500

93%

#200

Radeon Pro Duo

MSRP: $1499|Avg: $799

89%

#201

P102-100

MSRP: $600|Avg: $80

88%

#203

Quadro FX 2700

MSRP: $100|Avg: $50

87%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

The Tesla M6 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 2% 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 280X.

Insight	Radeon R9 280X	Tesla M6
Performance	❌Lower raw frame rates (-2%)	✅Leading raw performance (+2%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / 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	⚡ Higher Power Consumption	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt
Case Fit	—	📏 Compact / SFF Friendly

💎 Value Proposition

The Radeon R9 280X offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon R9 280X holds the technical lead. Priced at $60 (vs $84), it costs 29% less, resulting in a 37.2% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	Radeon R9 280X	Tesla M6
Cost Efficiency	✅Better overall value (+37.2%)	❌Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅More affordable ($60)	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($84)

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 280X Benchmark Check

Tesla M6 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Radeon R9 280X and Tesla M6

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.

Tesla M6

The Tesla M6 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 30 2015. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 930 MHz to 1180 MHz. It has 1536 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 6,225 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon R9 280X scores 6,100 and the Tesla M6 reaches 6,225 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon R9 280X is built on GCN 1.0 while the Tesla M6 uses Maxwell 2.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 2,048 (Radeon R9 280X) vs 1,536 (Tesla M6). Raw compute: 4.096 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 280X) vs 3.625 TFLOPS (Tesla M6). Boost clocks: 1000 MHz vs 1180 MHz.

Feature	Radeon R9 280X	Tesla M6
G3D Mark Score	6,100	6,225+2%
Architecture	GCN 1.0	Maxwell 2.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	2048+33%	1536
Compute (TFLOPS)	4.096 TFLOPS+13%	3.625 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1000 MHz	1180 MHz+18%
ROPs	32	64+100%
TMUs	128+33%	96
L1 Cache	512 KB	576 KB+13%
L2 Cache	0.75 MB	2 MB+167%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon R9 280X	Tesla M6
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 280X comes with 3 GB of VRAM, while the Tesla M6 has 4 GB. The Tesla M6 offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 384-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 0.75 MB (Radeon R9 280X) vs 2 MB (Tesla M6) — the Tesla M6 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Radeon R9 280X	Tesla M6
VRAM Capacity	3 GB	4 GB+33%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Bus Width	384-bit+50%	256-bit
L2 Cache	0.75 MB	2 MB+167%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_1) (Radeon R9 280X) vs 12 (Tesla M6). Maximum simultaneous displays: 3 vs 0.

Feature	Radeon R9 280X	Tesla M6
DirectX	12 (11_1)	12
Max Displays	3	0

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: VCE 2.0 (Radeon R9 280X) vs NVENC 5th Gen (Tesla M6). Decoder: UVD 4.2 vs NVDEC 2nd Gen.

Feature	Radeon R9 280X	Tesla M6
Encoder	VCE 2.0	NVENC 5th Gen
Decoder	UVD 4.2	NVDEC 2nd Gen
Codecs	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4	—

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon R9 280X draws 200W versus the Tesla M6's 100W — a 66.7% difference. The Tesla M6 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Radeon R9 280X) vs 350W (Tesla M6). Power connectors: 6-pin + 8-pin vs PCIe-powered.

Feature	Radeon R9 280X	Tesla M6
TDP	200W	100W-50%
Recommended PSU	500W	350W-30%
Power Connector	6-pin + 8-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	—	1mm
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	75°C	—
Perf/Watt	30.5	62.3+104%

💰

Value Analysis

The Radeon R9 280X launched at $299 MSRP and currently averages $60, while the Tesla M6 launched at $1000 and now averages $84. The Radeon R9 280X costs 28.6% less ($24 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 101.7 (Radeon R9 280X) vs 74.1 (Tesla M6) — the Radeon R9 280X offers 37.2% better value. The Tesla M6 is the newer GPU (2015 vs 2013).