GeForce GTX 970M SLI vs Radeon R9 280

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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

GeForce GTX 970M SLI

2014

Why buy it

✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 3 GB).
✅Draws 162W instead of 200W, a 38W reduction.
✅More future proof: Maxwell (2014−2017) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon R9 280 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2014-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 19.8 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $279 MSRP).

Radeon R9 280

2014

Why buy it

✅46.6% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 19.8 vs 0 G3D/$ ($279 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2014-era hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌23.5% higher power demand at 200W vs 162W.

GeForce GTX 970M SLI

2014

Radeon R9 280

2014

Why buy it

✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 3 GB).
✅Draws 162W instead of 200W, a 38W reduction.
✅More future proof: Maxwell (2014−2017) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Why buy it

✅46.6% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 19.8 vs 0 G3D/$ ($279 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon R9 280 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2014-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 19.8 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $279 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2014-era hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌23.5% higher power demand at 200W vs 162W.

Quick Answers

So, is Radeon R9 280 better than GeForce GTX 970M SLI?

Yes. Radeon R9 280 is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 46.6% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and 0.6% higher PassMark G3D performance.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce GTX 970M SLI is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more VRAM at 4 GB instead of 3 GB and the stronger feature stack with no meaningful modern upscaling stack instead of FSR upscaling. That extra memory headroom makes it the safer pick for newer games, heavier textures, and higher settings over time.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

Radeon R9 280 is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. Radeon R9 280 is priced in an unclear MSRP range at $279 MSRP versus an unclear MSRP, and you are getting 46.6% more estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and 0.6% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 100+%. GeForce GTX 970M SLI is the more forward-looking alternative, so it still has a real case if you care more about lower power draw (162W vs 200W) and future-proofing than about squeezing out the strongest gaming value today.

When does GeForce GTX 970M SLI make more sense than Radeon R9 280?

Yes. GeForce GTX 970M SLI is still an excellent gaming GPU in 2026: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It makes more sense if your priority is lower power draw (162W vs 200W), future-proofing, and staying closer to an unclear MSRP more than squeezing out the extra headroom of Radeon R9 280. The trade-off is that Radeon R9 280 currently gives you 0.6% higher G3D Mark and 46.6% more estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 100+%.

Games Benchmarks

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 9800X3D 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 GTX 970M SLI Benchmark Check

Radeon R9 280 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 970M SLI	Radeon R9 280
1080p
low	38 FPS	77 FPS
medium	32 FPS	63 FPS
high	22 FPS	50 FPS
ultra	14 FPS	33 FPS
1440p
low	31 FPS	65 FPS
medium	24 FPS	54 FPS
high	15 FPS	38 FPS
ultra	9 FPS	24 FPS
4K
low	11 FPS	24 FPS
medium	9 FPS	23 FPS
high	6 FPS	14 FPS
ultra	5 FPS	12 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 970M SLI Open Radeon R9 280

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 970M SLI	Radeon R9 280
1080p
low	86 FPS	129 FPS
medium	59 FPS	100 FPS
high	42 FPS	79 FPS
ultra	28 FPS	53 FPS
1440p
low	48 FPS	73 FPS
medium	28 FPS	53 FPS
high	20 FPS	39 FPS
ultra	14 FPS	28 FPS
4K
low	16 FPS	28 FPS
medium	10 FPS	20 FPS
high	8 FPS	16 FPS
ultra	6 FPS	11 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 970M SLI Open Radeon R9 280

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 970M SLI	Radeon R9 280
1080p
low	248 FPS	249 FPS
medium	198 FPS	199 FPS
high	165 FPS	166 FPS
ultra	124 FPS	124 FPS
1440p
low	186 FPS	187 FPS
medium	148 FPS	149 FPS
high	124 FPS	124 FPS
ultra	93 FPS	93 FPS
4K
low	124 FPS	124 FPS
medium	99 FPS	100 FPS
high	82 FPS	83 FPS
ultra	62 FPS	62 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 970M SLI Open Radeon R9 280

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 970M SLI	Radeon R9 280
1080p
low	110 FPS	140 FPS
medium	86 FPS	116 FPS
high	60 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	40 FPS	85 FPS
1440p
low	68 FPS	103 FPS
medium	49 FPS	85 FPS
high	37 FPS	74 FPS
ultra	26 FPS	59 FPS
4K
low	36 FPS	62 FPS
medium	25 FPS	48 FPS
high	19 FPS	38 FPS
ultra	13 FPS	27 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 970M SLI Open Radeon R9 280

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 970M SLI and Radeon R9 280

GeForce GTX 970M SLI

The GeForce GTX 970M SLI is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in October 7 2014. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 924 MHz to 1038 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 162W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,500 points.

Radeon R9 280

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.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 970M SLI scores 5,500 and the Radeon R9 280 reaches 5,532 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.6% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 970M SLI is built on Maxwell while the Radeon R9 280 uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 970M SLI) vs 1,792 (Radeon R9 280). Boost clocks: 1038 MHz vs 933 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970M SLI	Radeon R9 280
G3D Mark Score	5,500	5,532
Architecture	Maxwell	GCN 1.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	2560+43%	1792
Boost Clock	1038 MHz+11%	933 MHz

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 970M SLI gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Radeon R9 280 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970M SLI	Radeon R9 280
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 970M SLI comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 280 has 3 GB. The GeForce GTX 970M SLI offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 120 GB/s x2 (GeForce GTX 970M SLI) vs 240 GB/s (Radeon R9 280) — a 400.8% advantage for the GeForce GTX 970M SLI. Bus width: 192-bit x2 vs 384-bit.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970M SLI	Radeon R9 280
VRAM Capacity	4 GB+33%	3 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	120 GB/s x2	240 GB/s+100%
Bus Width	192-bit x2	384-bit+100%

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 970M SLI draws 162W versus the Radeon R9 280's 200W — a 21% difference. The GeForce GTX 970M SLI is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 970M SLI) vs 500W (Radeon R9 280). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 6-pin + 8-pin.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970M SLI	Radeon R9 280
TDP	162W-19%	200W
Recommended PSU	350W-30%	500W
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	6-pin + 8-pin
Length	0mm	—
Height	0mm	—
Slots	0	—
Temp (Load)	80°C	—
Perf/Watt	34.0+23%	27.7