Radeon RX 6300 vs Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X

Radeon RX 6300

2022Core: 2000 MHzBoost: 2400 MHz

Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X

2013Boost: 1000 MHz

Performance Spectrum - GPU

Radeon RX 6300

5,319

+1.4%

Radeon R7 260

Radeon RX 550 (móvel)

Radeon RX 460 (móvel)

Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X

200

5,248

0.0%

Radeon R7 260

Radeon RX 550 (móvel)

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. The Radeon RX 6300 is positioned at rank #14 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Excellent cost-benefit for your build. 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 Radeon RX 6300

Radeon RX 550X (móvel)

MSRP: $35|Avg: $35

122%

GeForce GTX 1070 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $150

111%

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $100

111%

#13

GeForce GTX 1050 (Mobile)

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

101%

#14

Radeon RX 6300

MSRP: $60|Avg: $40

100%

#18

Radeon RX 560X (móvel)

MSRP: $55|Avg: $55

98%

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

⚠️ Generational Difference

The Radeon RX 6300 is significantly newer (2022 vs 2013). The Radeon RX 6300 likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.

🚀 Performance Leadership

The Radeon RX 6300 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.4% 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 HD 7970 / R9 280X.

Insight	Radeon RX 6300	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
Performance	✅Leading raw performance (+1.4%)	❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.4%)
Longevity	RDNA 2.0 (2020−2025) (6nm)	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	✅ More VRAM (+33.3%)	❌ Less VRAM capacity
Efficiency	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt	⚡ Higher Power Consumption
Case Fit	📏 Compact / SFF Friendly	Standard Size (275mm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Radeon RX 6300 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Although it costs $40 (vs $40), its significant performance lead justifies the premium, offering 1.4% better value per dollar than the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X.

Insight	Radeon RX 6300	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
Cost Efficiency	✅Better overall value (+1.4%)	❌Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

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 RX 6300 Benchmark Check

Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Radeon RX 6300 and Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X

Radeon RX 6300

The Radeon RX 6300 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 4 2022. It features the RDNA 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 2000 MHz to 2400 MHz. It has 768 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 35W. Manufactured using 6 nm process technology. It features 12 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,319 points.

Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X

The Radeon HD 7970 / 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: 5,248 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon RX 6300 scores 5,319 and the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X reaches 5,248 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon RX 6300 is built on RDNA 2.0 while the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X uses GCN 1.0, both on 6 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 768 (Radeon RX 6300) vs 2,048 (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X). Raw compute: 3.686 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 6300) vs 4.096 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X). Boost clocks: 2400 MHz vs 1000 MHz.

Feature	Radeon RX 6300	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
G3D Mark Score	5,319+1%	5,248
Architecture	RDNA 2.0	GCN 1.0
Process Node	6 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	768	2048+167%
Compute (TFLOPS)	3.686 TFLOPS	4.096 TFLOPS+11%
Boost Clock	2400 MHz+140%	1000 MHz
ROPs	32	32
TMUs	48	128+167%
L1 Cache	256 KB	512 KB+100%
L2 Cache	1 MB+33%	0.75 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the Radeon RX 6300 is support for FSR 3 / AFMF. This allows it to generate entire frames using AI/Algorithms, essentially doubling the frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios or heavy ray-tracing titles. The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.

Feature	Radeon RX 6300	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
Upscaling Tech	FSR 3 (Native)	FSR 1.0 (Software)
Frame Generation	FSR 3 / AFMF (Driver)	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	AMD Anti-Lag	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon RX 6300 comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X has 3 GB. The Radeon RX 6300 offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 64 GB/s (Radeon RX 6300) vs 264 GB/s (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) — a 312.5% advantage for the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X. Bus width: 32-bit vs 384-bit. L2 Cache: 1 MB (Radeon RX 6300) vs 0.75 MB (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) — the Radeon RX 6300 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Radeon RX 6300	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
VRAM Capacity	4 GB+33%	3 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	64 GB/s	264 GB/s+313%
Bus Width	32-bit	384-bit+1100%
L2 Cache	1 MB+33%	0.75 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12_2 (Radeon RX 6300) vs 12 (11_1) (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X). Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 6.

Feature	Radeon RX 6300	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
DirectX	12_2	12 (11_1)
Max Displays	2	6+200%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: VCN 3.0 (Radeon RX 6300) vs VCE 1.0 (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X). Decoder: VCN 3.0 vs UVD 3.2.

Feature	Radeon RX 6300	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
Encoder	VCN 3.0	VCE 1.0
Decoder	VCN 3.0	UVD 3.2
Codecs	—	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,MPEG-4

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon RX 6300 draws 35W versus the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X's 200W — a 140.4% difference. The Radeon RX 6300 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (Radeon RX 6300) vs 500W (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 6-pin + 8-pin. Card length: 160mm vs 275mm, occupying 1 vs 2 slots.

Feature	Radeon RX 6300	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
TDP	35W-83%	200W
Recommended PSU	300W-40%	500W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	6-pin + 8-pin
Length	160mm	275mm
Height	—	111mm
Slots	1-50%	2
Temp (Load)	—	80 C
Perf/Watt	152.0+480%	26.2

💰

Value Analysis

The Radeon RX 6300 launched at $60 MSRP and currently averages $40, while the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X launched at $299 and now averages $40. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 133.0 (Radeon RX 6300) vs 131.2 (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) — the Radeon RX 6300 offers 1.4% better value. The Radeon RX 6300 is the newer GPU (2022 vs 2013).