Radeon R9 285 / 380 vs Radeon R9 280

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 285 / 380 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.3% higher G3D Mark score. However, the Radeon R9 280 offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.

Insight	Radeon R9 285 / 380	Radeon R9 280
Performance	✅Leading raw performance (+0.3%)	❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.3%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / GCN 3.0 (2014−2019))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	❌ Less VRAM capacity	✅ More VRAM (+50%)
Efficiency	Normal Efficiency	Normal Efficiency
Case Fit	📏 Compact / SFF Friendly	—

💎 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 $199), it costs 80% less, resulting in a 395.9% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	Radeon R9 285 / 380	Radeon R9 280
Cost Efficiency	❌Lower cost efficiency	✅Better overall value (+395.9%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($199)	✅More affordable ($40)

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 285 / 380 Benchmark Check

Radeon R9 280 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Radeon R9 285 / 380 and Radeon R9 280

Radeon R9 285 / 380

The Radeon R9 285 / 380 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in September 2 2014. It features the GCN 3.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 918 MHz. It has 1792 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 190W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,550 points. Launch price was $249.

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.

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Graphics Performance

The Radeon R9 285 / 380 scores 5,550 and the Radeon R9 280 reaches 5,532 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.3% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon R9 285 / 380 is built on GCN 3.0 while the Radeon R9 280 uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,792 (Radeon R9 285 / 380) vs 1,792 (Radeon R9 280). Raw compute: 3.29 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 285 / 380) vs 3.344 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 280).

Feature	Radeon R9 285 / 380	Radeon R9 280
G3D Mark Score	5,550	5,532
Architecture	GCN 3.0	GCN 1.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	1792	1792
Compute (TFLOPS)	3.29 TFLOPS	3.344 TFLOPS+2%
ROPs	32	32
TMUs	112	112
L1 Cache	448 KB	448 KB
L2 Cache	512 KB	768 KB+50%

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon R9 285 / 380	Radeon R9 280
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	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon R9 285 / 380 comes with 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 280 has 3 GB. The Radeon R9 280 offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 176 GB/s (Radeon R9 285 / 380) vs 240 GB/s (Radeon R9 280) — a 36.4% advantage for the Radeon R9 280. Bus width: 256-bit vs 384-bit. L2 Cache: 512 KB (Radeon R9 285 / 380) vs 768 KB (Radeon R9 280) — the Radeon R9 280 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Radeon R9 285 / 380	Radeon R9 280
VRAM Capacity	2 GB	3 GB+50%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	176 GB/s	240 GB/s+36%
Bus Width	256-bit	384-bit+50%
L2 Cache	512 KB	768 KB+50%

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon R9 285 / 380 draws 190W versus the Radeon R9 280's 200W — a 5.1% difference. The Radeon R9 285 / 380 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Radeon R9 285 / 380) vs 500W (Radeon R9 280). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs 6-pin + 8-pin.

Feature	Radeon R9 285 / 380	Radeon R9 280
TDP	190W-5%	200W
Recommended PSU	500W	500W
Power Connector	2x 6-pin	6-pin + 8-pin
Length	221mm	—
Height	111mm	—
Slots	2	—
Perf/Watt	29.2+5%	27.7

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Value Analysis

The Radeon R9 285 / 380 launched at $199 MSRP and currently averages $199, while the Radeon R9 280 launched at $279 and now averages $40. The Radeon R9 280 costs 79.9% less ($159 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 27.9 (Radeon R9 285 / 380) vs 138.3 (Radeon R9 280) — the Radeon R9 280 offers 395.7% better value.