Radeon R9 M280X vs Radeon Sky 500

When comparing Radeon R9 M280X and Radeon Sky 500, 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 Radeon R9 M280X and Radeon Sky 500 is the price. Does the additional cost justify the performance hit? Our comparison should help you make the right decision.

Radeon R9 M280X is a Laptop Graphics Card

Note: Radeon R9 M280X 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 R9 M280X here:

Main Specs

  Radeon R9 M280X Radeon Sky 500
Power consumption (TDP) 150 Watt
Interface PCIe 3.0 x16 PCIe 3.0 x16
Supplementary power connectors 1x 6-pin
Memory type Not Listed GDDR5
Maximum RAM amount 4 GB
Display Connectors No outputs 1x DisplayPort
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  • Both video cards are using PCIe 3.0 x16 interface connection to a motherboard.
  • Radeon R9 M280X is used in Laptops, and Radeon Sky 500 - in Desktops.
  • Radeon R9 M280X is build with GCN architecture, and Radeon Sky 500 - with GCN 1.0.
  • Core clock speed of Radeon Sky 500 is 50 MHz higher, than Radeon R9 M280X.
  • Radeon R9 M280X and Radeon Sky 500 are manufactured by 28 nm process technology.

Game benchmarks

high / 1080p 2−3 35−40
ultra / 1080p 1−2 21−24
QHD / 1440p 0−1 16−18
4K / 2160p 10−11
low / 720p 14−16 60−65
medium / 1080p 4−5 40−45
The average gaming FPS of Radeon Sky 500 in Assassin's Creed Odyssey is 720% more, than Radeon R9 M280X.

Full Specs

  Radeon R9 M280X Radeon Sky 500
Architecture GCN GCN 1.0
Code name Saturn XT Pitcairn
Type Laptop Desktop
Release date 1 February 2015 27 March 2013
Pipelines 896 1280
Core clock speed 900 MHz 950 MHz
Transistor count 2,080 million 2,800 million
Manufacturing process technology 28 nm 28 nm
Texture fill rate 61.60 76.00
Floating-point performance 1,792 gflops 2,432 gflops
Length 242 mm
Memory bus width 256 Bit
Memory clock speed 4800 MHz
Memory bandwidth 96 GB/s 154 GB/s
Shared memory -
DirectX 12 (11_1)
Shader Model 6.3 5.1
OpenGL 4.4 4.6
OpenCL Not Listed 1.2
Vulkan 1.2.131
FreeSync +
Bus support Not Listed PCIe 3.0
Laptop size large
HD3D +
PowerTune +
DualGraphics +
ZeroCore +
Switchable graphics +
Mantle +
Form factor full height / full length
DisplayPort count 1
Dual-link DVI support +
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