Radeon R9 280
AMD
G3D Mark
5,532
MSRP
$279
AVG Price
$40
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.
Overview
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.
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
FPS Benchmarks
Predicted performance for Radeon R9 280 across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 7800X3D to isolate GPU performance.
Path of Exile 2
Counter-Strike 2
League of Legends
Valorant
Technical Analysis
Detailed breakdown of Radeon R9 280 specifications and capabilities.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon R9 280 scores 5,532 in the G3D Mark benchmark (the standard measure of rasterization GPU performance), placing it in the Budget tier as a Legacy generation graphics card. It is built on the GCN 1.0 (2012−2020) architecture (codename: Tahiti), manufactured on a 28 nm process— smaller process nodes improve power efficiency and transistor density. It packs 1792 shader units (the primary compute units for rendering pixels), 112 TMUs (texture mapping units), and 32 ROPs (render output units that handle final pixel output). Raw FP32 compute power: 3.344 TFLOPS — this measures the theoretical peak floating-point performance. Boost clock reaches 933 MHz.
| Specification | Radeon R9 280 |
|---|---|
| G3D MarkPassMark 3D graphics benchmark score | 5,532 |
| ArchitectureGPU microarchitecture generation | GCN 1.0 (2012−2020) |
| CodenameInternal GPU die codename | Tahiti |
| Manufacturing ProcessFabrication node — smaller = more efficient | 28 nm |
| Shader UnitsCore compute units for rendering/compute | 1792 |
| TMUsTexture Mapping Units — handle texture sampling | 112 |
| ROPsRender Output Units — final pixel/color blending | 32 |
| Boost ClockMaximum GPU frequency under load | 933 MHz |
| Compute (FP32)Peak single-precision floating-point performance | 3.344 TFLOPS |
| Texture Fill RateTextures processed per second | 104.5 GTexel/s |
| PCIe InterfaceCPU↔GPU data link generation | PCIe 3.0 x16 |
| Transistor Count | 4,313 million |
| Performance RankPosition in global GPU performance ranking | #415 |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The Radeon R9 280 is equipped with 3 GB of GDDR5 video memory connected via a 384-bit memory bus, delivering 240 GB/s of bandwidth. Memory operates at 8 Gbps effective speed.
| Specification | Radeon R9 280 |
|---|---|
| VRAM SizeVideo memory capacity — more = better for high-res textures | 3 GB |
| VRAM TypeMemory technology generation | GDDR5 |
| Memory BusWidth of data path — wider = more bandwidth | 384-bit |
| Memory SpeedEffective memory data rate | 8 Gbps |
| BandwidthMaximum data throughput between GPU and VRAM | 240 GB/s |
| L1 Cache | 448 kB |
| L2 Cache | 768 kB |
Advanced Features & APIs
The Radeon R9 280 supports modern upscaling and frame generation technologies: FidelityFX Super Resolution — these can dramatically boost effective FPS by generating intermediate frames or upscaling from lower internal resolution.
| Specification | Radeon R9 280 |
|---|---|
| FSR Frame Generation | ❌ Not Supported |
| AMD Fluid Motion Frames | ❌ Not Supported |
| FidelityFX Super Resolution | ✅ Supported |
Display & Media
Display outputs: .
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon R9 280 draws 200 Watt under load (TDP) — a 500W PSU minimum is recommended. Power connector: 6-pin + 8-pin.
| Specification | Radeon R9 280 |
|---|---|
| TDPPower consumption under load | 200 Watt |
| Recommended PSUMinimum power supply wattage | 500W |
| Power ConnectorRequired PCIe power cable type | 6-pin + 8-pin |
Value Analysis
At an average price of $40 (MSRP: $279), the Radeon R9 280 delivers 138 G3D Mark points per dollar. Overall performance ranking position: #415 among all indexed GPUs.
| Specification | Radeon R9 280 |
|---|---|
| MSRPManufacturer's Suggested Retail Price | $279 |
| Avg Price (30d)Average market price over the last 30 days | $40 |
| Performance RankPosition in global GPU performance ranking | #415 |
| Release Date | March 4 2014 |
| Release Year | 2014 |
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Our Recommendation for Radeon R9 280
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High-End (Max Performance) (12)
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