GeForce RTX 3060 Ti vs Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X

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 GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

#1

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

MSRP: $399|Avg: $280

100%

#2

GeForce RTX 5060

MSRP: $299|Avg: $299

96%

#3

Radeon RX 5600 XT

MSRP: $279|Avg: $180

95%

#4

Radeon RX 9060

MSRP: $249|Avg: $249

95%

#5

GeForce RTX 5050

MSRP: $249|Avg: $249

95%

#6

GeForce RTX 3050 OEM

MSRP: $249|Avg: $150

94%

#7

Arc A580

MSRP: $179|Avg: $179

93%

#8

Radeon RX 9060 XT

MSRP: $299|Avg: $299

93%

#9

Radeon RX 9060 XT 8GB

MSRP: $299|Avg: $299

92%

#10

Radeon RX 7600

MSRP: $269|Avg: $250

91%

#11

Radeon RX 6600

MSRP: $329|Avg: $180

90%

#12

GeForce RTX 4060

MSRP: $299|Avg: $299

90%

#13

Arc B570

MSRP: $219|Avg: $219

89%

#14

Arc B580

MSRP: $249|Avg: $249

88%

#15

Radeon RX 6500 XT

MSRP: $199|Avg: $150

88%

#16

GeForce RTX 3070

MSRP: $499|Avg: $200

88%

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 GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is significantly newer (2020 vs 2013). The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti 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 GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 287% higher G3D Mark score and 166.7% more VRAM (8 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	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
Performance	✅Leading raw performance (+287%)	❌Lower raw frame rates (-287%)
Longevity	🔮Strong Longevity (Ampere (2020−2025) / 8nm)	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020))
Ecosystem	✨ DLSS 2 Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	🎮 High Capacity (8 GB)	❌ Less VRAM capacity
Efficiency	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt	⚡ Higher Power Consumption
Case Fit	📏 Compact / SFF Friendly	Standard Size (275mm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Priced at $40 versus $280 for the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, it costs 86% less. While it maintains significantly lower raw performance, this results in a 80.9% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
Cost Efficiency	❌Lower cost efficiency	✅Better overall value (+80.9%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($280)	✅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.

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti Benchmark Check

Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3060 Ti and Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in December 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1410 MHz to 1665 MHz. It has 4864 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 38 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 20,312 points. Launch price was $399.

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

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti scores 20,312 versus the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X's 5,248 — the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti leads by 287%. The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is built on Ampere while the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X uses GCN 1.0, both on 8 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 4,864 (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 2,048 (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X). Raw compute: 16.2 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 4.096 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X). Boost clocks: 1665 MHz vs 1000 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
G3D Mark Score	20,312+287%	5,248
Architecture	Ampere	GCN 1.0
Process Node	8 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	4864+138%	2048
Compute (TFLOPS)	16.2 TFLOPS+296%	4.096 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1665 MHz+67%	1000 MHz
ROPs	80+150%	32
TMUs	152+19%	128
L1 Cache	4.8 MB+860%	0.5 MB
L2 Cache	4 MB+433%	0.75 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 2.0	FSR 1.0 (Software)
Frame Generation	FSR 3 / AFMF (Compatible)	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X has 3 GB. The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti offers 166.7% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 448 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 264 GB/s (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) — a 69.7% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti. Bus width: 256-bit vs 384-bit. L2 Cache: 4 MB (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 0.75 MB (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) — the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
VRAM Capacity	8 GB+167%	3 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	448 GB/s+70%	264 GB/s
Bus Width	256-bit	384-bit+50%
L2 Cache	4 MB+433%	0.75 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (12_2) (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 12 (11_1) (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 6.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
DirectX	12 Ultimate (12_2)	12 (11_1)
Vulkan	1.3+8%	1.2
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	6+50%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (Ampere) (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs VCE 1.0 (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X). Decoder: NVDEC (Ampere) vs UVD 3.2. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1 (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,MPEG-4 (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
Encoder	NVENC (Ampere)	VCE 1.0
Decoder	NVDEC (Ampere)	UVD 3.2
Codecs	H.264,H.265,VP9,AV1	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,MPEG-4

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti draws 200W versus the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X's 200W — a 0% difference. The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 600W (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 500W (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 6-pin + 8-pin. Card length: 242mm vs 275mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 80 C.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3060 Ti	Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X
TDP	200W	200W
Recommended PSU	600W	500W-17%
Power Connector	8-pin	6-pin + 8-pin
Length	242mm	275mm
Height	112mm	111mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	75-6%	80 C
Perf/Watt	101.6+288%	26.2

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti launched at $399 MSRP and currently averages $280, while the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X launched at $299 and now averages $40. The Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X costs 85.7% less ($240 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 72.5 (GeForce RTX 3060 Ti) vs 131.2 (Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X) — the Radeon HD 7970 / R9 280X offers 81% better value. The GeForce RTX 3060 Ti is the newer GPU (2020 vs 2013).