Radeon R9 280X vs GeForce GTX 1050 Ti

Place in the ranking	328	350
Place by popularity	5	not in top-100
Cost-effectiveness evaluation	13.72	5.43
Power efficiency	15.21	4.22
Architecture	Pascal (2016−2021)	GCN 1.0 (2011−2020)
GPU code name	GP107	Tahiti
Market segment	Desktop	Desktop
Design	no data	reference
Release date	25 October 2016 (8 years ago)	8 October 2013 (11 years ago)
Launch price (MSRP)	$139	$299

Cost-effectiveness evaluation

Performance to price ratio. The higher, the better.

GTX 1050 Ti has 153% better value for money than R9 280X.

Detailed specifications

General parameters such as number of shaders, GPU core base clock and boost clock speeds, manufacturing process, texturing and calculation speed. Note that power consumption of some graphics cards can well exceed their nominal TDP, especially when overclocked.

Pipelines / CUDA cores	768	2048
Core clock speed	1291 MHz	no data
Boost clock speed	1392 MHz	1000 MHz
Number of transistors	3,300 million	4,313 million
Manufacturing process technology	14 nm	28 nm
Power consumption (TDP)	75 Watt	250 Watt
Maximum GPU temperature	97 °C	no data
Texture fill rate	66.82	128.0
Floating-point processing power	2.138 TFLOPS	4.096 TFLOPS
ROPs	32	32
TMUs	48	128

Form factor & compatibility

Information on compatibility with other computer components. Useful when choosing a future computer configuration or upgrading an existing one. For desktop graphics cards it's interface and bus (motherboard compatibility), additional power connectors (power supply compatibility).

Bus support	no data	PCIe 3.0
Interface	PCIe 3.0 x16	PCIe 3.0 x16
Length	145 mm	275 mm
Width	2-slot	2-slot
Supplementary power connectors	None	1 x 6-pin + 1 x 8-pin

VRAM capacity and type

Parameters of VRAM installed: its type, size, bus, clock and resulting bandwidth. Integrated GPUs have no dedicated video RAM and use a shared part of system RAM.

Memory type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Maximum RAM amount	4 GB	3 GB
Memory bus width	128 Bit	384 Bit
Memory clock speed	7008 MHz	no data
Memory bandwidth	112 GB/s	288 GB/s
Shared memory	-	-

Connectivity and outputs

Types and number of video connectors present on the reviewed GPUs. As a rule, data in this section is precise only for desktop reference ones (so-called Founders Edition for NVIDIA chips). OEM manufacturers may change the number and type of output ports, while for notebook cards availability of certain video outputs ports depends on the laptop model rather than on the card itself.

Display Connectors	1x DVI, 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort	2x DVI, 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort
Eyefinity	-	+
HDMI	+	+
DisplayPort support	-	+
G-SYNC support	+	-

Supported technologies

Supported technological solutions. This information will prove useful if you need some particular technology for your purposes.

AppAcceleration	-	+
CrossFire	-	+
FreeSync	-	+
HD3D	-	+
LiquidVR	-	+
TressFX	-	+
TrueAudio	-	+
UVD	-	+
DDMA audio	no data	+
VR Ready	+	no data
Ansel	+	-

API compatibility

List of supported 3D and general-purpose computing APIs, including their specific versions.

DirectX	12 (12_1)	DirectX® 12
Shader Model	6.4	5.1
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
OpenCL	1.2	1.2
Vulkan	1.2.131	+
CUDA	+	-

Synthetic benchmark performance

Non-gaming benchmark results comparison. The combined score is measured on a 0-100 point scale.

Combined synthetic benchmark score

This is our combined benchmark score. We are regularly improving our combining algorithms, but if you find some perceived inconsistencies, feel free to speak up in comments section, we usually fix problems quickly.

GTX 1050 Ti 16.37
+8.2%

R9 280X 15.13

Passmark

This is the most ubiquitous GPU benchmark. It gives the graphics card a thorough evaluation under various types of load, providing four separate benchmarks for Direct3D versions 9, 10, 11 and 12 (the last being done in 4K resolution if possible), and few more tests engaging DirectCompute capabilities.

GTX 1050 Ti 6316
+8.2%

R9 280X 5837

3DMark 11 Performance GPU

3DMark 11 is an obsolete DirectX 11 benchmark by Futuremark. It used four tests based on two scenes, one being few submarines exploring the submerged wreck of a sunken ship, the other is an abandoned temple deep in the jungle. All the tests are heavy with volumetric lighting and tessellation, and despite being done in 1280x720 resolution, are relatively taxing. Discontinued in January 2020, 3DMark 11 is now superseded by Time Spy.

GTX 1050 Ti 9453

R9 280X 10792
+14.2%

3DMark Fire Strike Graphics

Fire Strike is a DirectX 11 benchmark for gaming PCs. It features two separate tests displaying a fight between a humanoid and a fiery creature made of lava. Using 1920x1080 resolution, Fire Strike shows off some realistic graphics and is quite taxing on hardware.

GTX 1050 Ti 7485

R9 280X 8343
+11.5%

3DMark Cloud Gate GPU

Cloud Gate is an outdated DirectX 11 feature level 10 benchmark that was used for home PCs and basic notebooks. It displays a few scenes of some weird space teleportation device launching spaceships into unknown, using fixed resolution of 1280x720. Just like Ice Storm benchmark, it has been discontinued in January 2020 and replaced by 3DMark Night Raid.

GTX 1050 Ti 50939

R9 280X 52117
+2.3%

3DMark Ice Storm GPU

Ice Storm Graphics is an obsolete benchmark, part of 3DMark suite. Ice Storm was used to measure entry level laptops and Windows-based tablets performance. It utilizes DirectX 11 feature level 9 to display a battle between two space fleets near a frozen planet in 1280x720 resolution. Discontinued in January 2020, it is now superseded by 3DMark Night Raid.

GTX 1050 Ti 352876
+23.7%

R9 280X 285376

Gaming performance

Let's see how good the compared graphics cards are for gaming. Particular gaming benchmark results are measured in FPS.

Average FPS across all PC games

Here are the average frames per second in a large set of popular games across different resolutions:

Full HD	50 −30%	65 +30%
1440p	29 +20.8%	24−27 −20.8%
4K	25 −28%	32 +28%

Cost per frame, $

1080p	2.78	4.60
1440p	4.79	12.46
4K	5.56	9.34

FPS performance in popular games

Full HD
Low Preset

Cyberpunk 2077

24−27
+8.3%

24−27

−8.3%

Full HD
Medium Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey	48 +41.2%	30−35 −41.2%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla	27−30 +8%	24−27 −8%
Battlefield 5	53 +8.2%	45−50 −8.2%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare	30−35 +10%	30−33 −10%
Cyberpunk 2077	24−27 +8.3%	24−27 −8.3%
Far Cry 5	35−40 +8.6%	35−40 −8.6%
Far Cry New Dawn	40−45 +7.3%	40−45 −7.3%
Forza Horizon 4	100−110 +7.1%	95−100 −7.1%
Hitman 3	30−35 +6.9%	27−30 −6.9%
Horizon Zero Dawn	80−85 +6.5%	75−80 −6.5%
Metro Exodus	56 +9.8%	50−55 −9.8%
Red Dead Redemption 2	45−50 +9.8%	40−45 −9.8%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider	80 +63.3%	45−50 −63.3%
Watch Dogs: Legion	80−85 +5.1%	75−80 −5.1%

Full HD
High Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey	64 +88.2%	30−35 −88.2%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla	27−30 +8%	24−27 −8%
Battlefield 5	44 −11.4%	45−50 +11.4%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare	30−35 +10%	30−33 −10%
Cyberpunk 2077	24−27 +8.3%	24−27 −8.3%
Far Cry 5	35 +0%	35−40 +0%
Far Cry New Dawn	41 +0%	40−45 +0%
Forza Horizon 4	100−110 +7.1%	95−100 −7.1%
Hitman 3	30−35 +6.9%	27−30 −6.9%
Horizon Zero Dawn	80−85 +6.5%	75−80 −6.5%
Metro Exodus	46 −10.9%	50−55 +10.9%
Red Dead Redemption 2	45−50 +9.8%	40−45 −9.8%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider	50 +2%	45−50 −2%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt	35−40 −189%	110 +189%
Watch Dogs: Legion	80−85 +5.1%	75−80 −5.1%

Full HD
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey	24 −41.7%	30−35 +41.7%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla	27−30 +8%	24−27 −8%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare	30−35 +10%	30−33 −10%
Cyberpunk 2077	24−27 +8.3%	24−27 −8.3%
Far Cry 5	27 −29.6%	35−40 +29.6%
Forza Horizon 4	45 −118%	95−100 +118%
Hitman 3	30−35 +6.9%	27−30 −6.9%
Horizon Zero Dawn	45 −71.1%	75−80 +71.1%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider	43 −14%	45−50 +14%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt	26 +30%	20 −30%
Watch Dogs: Legion	80−85 +5.1%	75−80 −5.1%

Full HD
Epic Preset

Red Dead Redemption 2

45−50
+9.8%

40−45

−9.8%

1440p
High Preset

Battlefield 5	30−35 +10.3%	27−30 −10.3%
Far Cry New Dawn	24−27 +8.7%	21−24 −8.7%

1440p
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey	16−18 +6.7%	14−16 −6.7%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla	14−16 +16.7%	12−14 −16.7%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare	18−20 +12.5%	16−18 −12.5%
Cyberpunk 2077	9−10 +12.5%	8−9 −12.5%
Far Cry 5	18−20 +11.8%	16−18 −11.8%
Forza Horizon 4	75 −5.3%	75−80 +5.3%
Hitman 3	18−20 +5.6%	18−20 −5.6%
Horizon Zero Dawn	32 +3.2%	30−35 −3.2%
Metro Exodus	29 +7.4%	27−30 −7.4%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider	30 +11.1%	27−30 −11.1%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt	18−20 +12.5%	16−18 −12.5%
Watch Dogs: Legion	95−100 +6.5%	90−95 −6.5%

1440p
Epic Preset

Red Dead Redemption 2

27−30
+8%

24−27

−8%

4K
High Preset

Battlefield 5	16−18 +6.7%	14−16 −6.7%
Far Cry New Dawn	12−14 +9.1%	10−12 −9.1%
Hitman 3	12−14 +9.1%	10−12 −9.1%
Horizon Zero Dawn	80−85 +9.2%	75−80 −9.2%
Metro Exodus	14 −7.1%	14−16 +7.1%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt	16−18 +14.3%	14−16 −14.3%

4K
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey	9−10 +0%	9−10 +0%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla	8−9 +14.3%	7−8 −14.3%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare	8−9 +0%	8−9 +0%
Cyberpunk 2077	3−4 +50%	2−3 −50%
Far Cry 5	9−10 +12.5%	8−9 −12.5%
Forza Horizon 4	20 +0%	20−22 +0%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider	17 +13.3%	14−16 −13.3%
Watch Dogs: Legion	7−8 +16.7%	6−7 −16.7%

4K
Epic Preset

Red Dead Redemption 2

14−16
+7.1%

14−16

−7.1%

This is how GTX 1050 Ti and R9 280X compete in popular games:

R9 280X is 30% faster in 1080p
GTX 1050 Ti is 21% faster in 1440p
R9 280X is 28% faster in 4K

Here's the range of performance differences observed across popular games:

in Assassin's Creed Odyssey, with 1080p resolution and the High Preset, the GTX 1050 Ti is 88% faster.
in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, with 1080p resolution and the High Preset, the R9 280X is 189% faster.

All in all, in popular games:

GTX 1050 Ti is ahead in 57 tests (79%)
R9 280X is ahead in 10 tests (14%)
there's a draw in 5 tests (7%)

Pros & cons summary

Performance score	16.37	15.13
Recency	25 October 2016	8 October 2013
Maximum RAM amount	4 GB	3 GB
Chip lithography	14 nm	28 nm
Power consumption (TDP)	75 Watt	250 Watt

GTX 1050 Ti has a 8.2% higher aggregate performance score, an age advantage of 3 years, a 33.3% higher maximum VRAM amount, a 100% more advanced lithography process, and 233.3% lower power consumption.

Given the minimal performance differences, no clear winner can be declared between GeForce GTX 1050 Ti and Radeon R9 280X.

Should you still have questions concerning choice between the reviewed GPUs, ask them in Comments section, and we shall answer.