Radeon R9 380X vs Radeon R9 280X
Radeon R9 380X
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Radeon R9 280X
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Performance Spectrum - 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.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon R9 380X is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.5% 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 380X | Radeon R9 280X |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.5%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.5%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / GCN 3.0 (2014−2019)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ✅ More VRAM (+33.3%) | ❌ Less VRAM capacity |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | — |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon R9 380X offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon R9 380X holds the technical lead. Priced at $58 (vs $60), it costs 3% less, resulting in a 4% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon R9 380X | Radeon R9 280X |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+4%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($58) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($60) |
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Radeon R9 380X and Radeon R9 280X
Radeon R9 380X
The Radeon R9 380X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 19 2015. It features the GCN 3.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 970 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 250W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 6,131 points. Launch price was $229.
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.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon R9 380X scores 6,131 and the Radeon R9 280X reaches 6,100 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.5% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon R9 380X is built on GCN 3.0 while the Radeon R9 280X uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 2,048 (Radeon R9 380X) vs 2,048 (Radeon R9 280X). Raw compute: 3.973 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 380X) vs 4.096 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 280X). Boost clocks: 970 MHz vs 1000 MHz.
| Feature | Radeon R9 380X | Radeon R9 280X |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 6,131 | 6,100 |
| Architecture | GCN 3.0 | GCN 1.0 |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 2048 | 2048 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 3.973 TFLOPS | 4.096 TFLOPS+3% |
| Boost Clock | 970 MHz | 1000 MHz+3% |
| ROPs | 32 | 32 |
| TMUs | 128 | 128 |
| L1 Cache | 512 KB | 512 KB |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB | 768 KB+50% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon R9 380X | Radeon R9 280X |
|---|---|---|
| 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 380X comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 280X has 3 GB. The Radeon R9 380X offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 106 GB/s (Radeon R9 380X) vs 288 GB/s (Radeon R9 280X) — a 171.7% advantage for the Radeon R9 280X. Bus width: 128-bit vs 384-bit. L2 Cache: 512 KB (Radeon R9 380X) vs 768 KB (Radeon R9 280X) — the Radeon R9 280X has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon R9 380X | Radeon R9 280X |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 4 GB+33% | 3 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 106 GB/s | 288 GB/s+172% |
| Bus Width | 128-bit | 384-bit+200% |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB | 768 KB+50% |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 (12_0) (Radeon R9 380X) vs 12 (11_1) (Radeon R9 280X). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 3.
| Feature | Radeon R9 380X | Radeon R9 280X |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 (12_0) | 12 (11_1) |
| Vulkan | 1.3+8% | 1.2 |
| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Max Displays | 4+33% | 3 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: VCE 3.0 (Radeon R9 380X) vs VCE 2.0 (Radeon R9 280X). Decoder: UVD 6.0 vs UVD 4.2. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265,MPEG-2,MPEG-4,VC-1 (Radeon R9 380X) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 (Radeon R9 280X).
| Feature | Radeon R9 380X | Radeon R9 280X |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | VCE 3.0 | VCE 2.0 |
| Decoder | UVD 6.0 | UVD 4.2 |
| Codecs | H.264,H.265,MPEG-2,MPEG-4,VC-1 | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon R9 380X draws 250W versus the Radeon R9 280X's 200W — a 22.2% difference. The Radeon R9 280X is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Radeon R9 380X) vs 500W (Radeon R9 280X). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs 6-pin + 8-pin. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 75°C.
| Feature | Radeon R9 380X | Radeon R9 280X |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 250W | 200W-20% |
| Recommended PSU | 500W | 500W |
| Power Connector | 2x 6-pin | 6-pin + 8-pin |
| Length | 221mm | — |
| Height | 111mm | — |
| Slots | 2 | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | 75 | 75°C |
| Perf/Watt | 24.5 | 30.5+24% |
Value Analysis
The Radeon R9 380X launched at $229 MSRP and currently averages $58, while the Radeon R9 280X launched at $299 and now averages $60. The Radeon R9 380X costs 3.3% less ($2 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 105.7 (Radeon R9 380X) vs 101.7 (Radeon R9 280X) — the Radeon R9 380X offers 3.9% better value. The Radeon R9 380X is the newer GPU (2015 vs 2013).
| Feature | Radeon R9 380X | Radeon R9 280X |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $229-23% | $299 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $58-3% | $60 |
| Performance per Dollar | 105.7+4% | 101.7 |
| Codename | Antigua | Tahiti |
| Release | November 19 2015 | October 8 2013 |
| Ranking | #394 | #404 |
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