GeForce GTX 280 vs Radeon 520

When comparing GeForce GTX 280 and Radeon 520, we look primarily at benchmarks and game tests. But it is not only about the numbers. Often you can find third-party models with higher clock speeds, better cooling, or a customizable RGB lighting. Not all of them will have all the features you need. Another thing to consider is the port selection. Most graphics cards have at least one DisplayPort and HDMI interface, but some monitors require DVI. Before you buy, check the TDP of the graphics card - this characteristic will help you estimate the consumption of the graphics card. You may even have to upgrade your PSU to meet its requirements. An important factor when choosing between GeForce GTX 280 and Radeon 520 is the price. Does the additional cost justify the performance hit? Our comparison should help you make the right decision.
GeForce GTX 280

Radeon 520 is a Laptop Graphics Card

Note: Radeon 520 is only used in laptop graphics. It has lower GPU clock speed compared to the desktop variant, which results in lower power consumption, but also 10-30% lower gaming performance. Check available laptop models with Radeon 520 here:

Main Specs

  GeForce GTX 280 Radeon 520
Power consumption (TDP) 236 Watt 50 Watt
Interface PCIe 2.0 x16 PCIe 3.0 x8
Supplementary power connectors 6-pin & 8-pin None
Memory type GDDR3 DDR3, GDDR5
Maximum RAM amount 1 GB 2 GB
Display Connectors 2x DVI, 1x S-Video 1x DVI, 1x HDMI, 1x VGA
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  • GeForce GTX 280 has 372% more power consumption, than Radeon 520.
  • GeForce GTX 280 is connected by PCIe 2.0 x16, and Radeon 520 uses PCIe 3.0 x8 interface.
  • Radeon 520 has 1 GB more memory, than GeForce GTX 280.
  • GeForce GTX 280 is used in Desktops, and Radeon 520 - in Laptops.
  • GeForce GTX 280 is build with Tesla 2.0 architecture, and Radeon 520 - with GCN 1.0.
  • Core clock speed of GeForce GTX 280 is 266 MHz higher, than Radeon 520.
  • GeForce GTX 280 is manufactured by 65 nm process technology, and Radeon 520 - by 28 nm process technology.
  • Memory clock speed of Radeon 520 is 1143 MHz higher, than GeForce GTX 280.

Game benchmarks

high / 1080p 1−2 0−1
ultra / 1080p 0−1
QHD / 1440p 0−1 0−1
low / 720p 12−14 1−2
medium / 1080p 3−4 0−1
The average gaming FPS of GeForce GTX 280 in Assassin's Creed Odyssey is 1200% more, than Radeon 520.

Full Specs

  GeForce GTX 280 Radeon 520
Architecture Tesla 2.0 GCN 1.0
Code name GT200 Oland
Type Desktop Laptop
Release date 16 June 2008 21 March 2017
Pipelines 240 320
Core clock speed 1296 MHz 1030 MHz
Transistor count 1,400 million 1,040 million
Manufacturing process technology 65 nm 28 nm
Texture fill rate 48.2 billion/sec 20.60
Floating-point performance 622.1 gflops 659.2 gflops
Length 10.5" (267 mm) (26.7 cm)
Memory bus width 512 Bit 64 Bit
Memory clock speed 1107 MHz 2250 MHz
Memory bandwidth 141.7 GB/s 16 GB/s
Shared memory -
DirectX 11.1 (10_0) 12.0
Shader Model 4.0 5.0
OpenGL 2.1 4.6
OpenCL 1.1 1.2
Vulkan N/A +
CUDA +
CUDA cores 240
Height 4.376" (111 mm) (11.1 cm)
SLI options +
Multi monitor support +
Maximum VGA resolution 2048x1536
Audio input for HDMI S/PDIF
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