GeForce GTX 980 vs Radeon R9 280X

When comparing GeForce GTX 980 and Radeon R9 280X, 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 980 and Radeon R9 280X is the price. Does the additional cost justify the performance hit? Our comparison should help you make the right decision.

Main Specs

  GeForce GTX 980 Radeon R9 280X
Power consumption (TDP) 165 Watt 250 Watt
Interface PCIe 3.0 x16 PCIe 3.0 x16
Supplementary power connectors 2x 6-pins 1 x 6-pin + 1 x 8-pin
Memory type GDDR5 GDDR5
Maximum RAM amount 4 GB 3 GB
Display Connectors 1x DVI, 1x HDMI, 3x DisplayPort 2x DVI, 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort
Recommended system power (PSU) 500 Watt
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  • Radeon R9 280X has 51% more power consumption, than GeForce GTX 980.
  • Both video cards are using PCIe 3.0 x16 interface connection to a motherboard.
  • GeForce GTX 980 has 1 GB more memory, than Radeon R9 280X.
  • Both cards are used in Desktops.
  • GeForce GTX 980 is build with Maxwell architecture, and Radeon R9 280X - with GCN.
  • GeForce GTX 980 and Radeon R9 280X are manufactured by 28 nm process technology.
  • Radeon R9 280X is 265 mm longer, than GeForce GTX 980.

Game benchmarks

high / 1080p 55−60 35−40
ultra / 1080p 35−40 21−24
QHD / 1440p 30−35 16−18
4K / 2160p 18−20 10−11
low / 720p 80−85 60−65
medium / 1080p 65−70 40−45
The average gaming FPS of GeForce GTX 980 in Assassin's Creed Odyssey is 53% more, than Radeon R9 280X.

Full Specs

  GeForce GTX 980 Radeon R9 280X
Architecture Maxwell GCN
Code name GM204 Thaiti XTL
Type Desktop Desktop
Release date 19 September 2014 8 October 2013
Pipelines 2048 2048
Boost Clock 1216 MHz 1000 MHz
Transistor count 5,200 million 4,313 million
Manufacturing process technology 28 nm 28 nm
Texture fill rate 144 billion/sec 128.0
Floating-point performance 4,981 gflops 4,096 gflops
Length 10.5" (26.7 cm) 275 mm
Memory bus width 256 Bit 384 Bit
Memory clock speed 7.0 GB/s
Memory bandwidth 224 GB/s 288 GB/s
Shared memory - -
G-SYNC support +
DirectX 12 (12_1)
Shader Model 6.4 5.1
OpenGL 4.5 4.6
OpenCL 1.2 1.2
Vulkan 1.1.126 +
CUDA +
Monero / XMR (CryptoNight) 0.54 kh/s 0.5 kh/s
FreeSync +
CUDA cores 2048
Bus support PCI Express 3.0 PCIe 3.0
Height 4.376" (11.1 cm)
SLI options +
Multi monitor support 4 displays
HDMI + +
HDCP +
Maximum VGA resolution 2048x1536
Audio input for HDMI Internal
Bitcoin / BTC (SHA256) 579 Mh/s 494 Mh/s
DisplayPort Multimode (DP++) support +
H.264, VC1, MPEG2 1080p video decoder +
Optimus +
Eyefinity +
HD3D +
TrueAudio +
Design reference
DisplayPort support +
CrossFire +
DDMA audio +
Decred / DCR (Decred) 1.74 Gh/s 1.07 Gh/s
Ethereum / ETH (DaggerHashimoto) 20.28 Mh/s 14.42 Mh/s
Zcash / ZEC (Equihash) 312.12 Sol/s 285 Sol/s
GameStream +
GeForce ShadowPlay +
GPU Boost 2.0
GameWorks +
BatteryBoost +
AppAcceleration +
LiquidVR +
TressFX +
UVD +
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