CPU
GPU
Radeon R9 M280X
Popular choices:
Radeon HD 3850 X2
Popular choices:
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. The Radeon R9 M280X is positioned at rank 285 and the Radeon HD 3850 X2 is on rank 303, so the Radeon R9 M280X offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Radeon R9 M280X
Performance Per Dollar Radeon HD 3850 X2
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon HD 3850 X2 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1% higher G3D Mark score. However, the Radeon R9 M280X offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.
| Insight | Radeon R9 M280X | Radeon HD 3850 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-1%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+1%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2011 / TeraScale 2 (2009−2015)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ✅ More VRAM (+300%) | ❌ Less VRAM capacity |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | — | Standard Size (267mm) |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon R9 M280X offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon R9 M280X holds the technical lead. Priced at $50 (vs $349), it costs 86% less, resulting in a 591.2% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon R9 M280X | Radeon HD 3850 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+591.2%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($50) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($349) |
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 M280X and Radeon HD 3850 X2
Radeon R9 M280X
The Radeon R9 M280X 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: 814 points. Launch price was $299.
Radeon HD 3850 X2
The Radeon HD 3850 X2 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in September 19 2011. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 800 MHz. It has 960 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 254W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 822 points.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon R9 M280X scores 814 and the Radeon HD 3850 X2 reaches 822 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon R9 M280X is built on GCN 1.0 while the Radeon HD 3850 X2 uses TeraScale 2, both on 28 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 2,048 (Radeon R9 M280X) vs 960 (Radeon HD 3850 X2). Raw compute: 4.096 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 M280X) vs 1.536 TFLOPS ×2 (Radeon HD 3850 X2).
| Feature | Radeon R9 M280X | Radeon HD 3850 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 814 | 822 |
| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | TeraScale 2 |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 40 nm |
| Shading Units | 2048+113% | 960 ×2 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 4.096 TFLOPS+167% | 1.536 TFLOPS ×2 |
| ROPs | 32 | 32 ×2 |
| TMUs | 128+167% | 48 ×2 |
| L1 Cache | 512 KB+167% | 192 KB |
| L2 Cache | 768 KB+50% | 512 KB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon R9 M280X | Radeon HD 3850 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 M280X comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 3850 X2 has 1 GB. The Radeon R9 M280X offers 300% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 768 KB (Radeon R9 M280X) vs 512 KB (Radeon HD 3850 X2) — the Radeon R9 M280X has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon R9 M280X | Radeon HD 3850 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 4 GB+300% | 1 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 80 GB/s | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 128-bit | 128-bit |
| L2 Cache | 768 KB+50% | 512 KB |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon R9 M280X draws 200W versus the Radeon HD 3850 X2's 254W — a 23.8% difference. The Radeon R9 M280X is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon R9 M280X) vs 450W (Radeon HD 3850 X2). Power connectors: Mobile vs 2x 6-pin.
| Feature | Radeon R9 M280X | Radeon HD 3850 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 200W-21% | 254W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W-22% | 450W |
| Power Connector | Mobile | 2x 6-pin |
| Length | — | 267mm |
| Slots | — | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | — | 90°C |
| Perf/Watt | 4.1+28% | 3.2 |
Value Analysis
The Radeon R9 M280X launched at $250 MSRP and currently averages $50, while the Radeon HD 3850 X2 launched at $349 and now averages $349. The Radeon R9 M280X costs 85.7% less ($299 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 16.3 (Radeon R9 M280X) vs 2.4 (Radeon HD 3850 X2) — the Radeon R9 M280X offers 579.2% better value. The Radeon R9 M280X is the newer GPU (2013 vs 2011).
| Feature | Radeon R9 M280X | Radeon HD 3850 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $250-28% | $349 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $50-86% | $349 |
| Performance per Dollar | 16.3+579% | 2.4 |
| Codename | Tahiti | Barts |
| Release | October 8 2013 | September 19 2011 |
| Ranking | #404 | #630 |
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