AMD Radeon R9 M280X
AMD graphics card specifications and benchmark scores
At a Glance
AMDAMD Radeon R9 M280X Specifications
Radeon R9 M280X GPU Core
Shader units and compute resources
The AMD Radeon R9 M280X GPU core specifications define its raw processing power for graphics and compute workloads. Shading units (also called CUDA cores, stream processors, or execution units depending on manufacturer) handle the parallel calculations required for rendering. TMUs (Texture Mapping Units) process texture data, while ROPs (Render Output Units) handle final pixel output. Higher shader counts generally translate to better GPU benchmark performance, especially in demanding games and 3D applications.
R9 M280X Clock Speeds
GPU and memory frequencies
Clock speeds directly impact the Radeon R9 M280X's performance in GPU benchmarks and real-world gaming. The base clock represents the minimum guaranteed frequency, while the boost clock indicates peak performance under optimal thermal conditions. Memory clock speed affects texture loading and frame buffer operations. The Radeon R9 M280X by AMD dynamically adjusts frequencies based on workload, temperature, and power limits to maximize performance while maintaining stability.
AMD's Radeon R9 M280X Memory
VRAM capacity and bandwidth
VRAM (Video RAM) is dedicated memory for storing textures, frame buffers, and shader data. The Radeon R9 M280X's memory capacity determines how well it handles high-resolution textures and multiple displays. Memory bandwidth, measured in GB/s, affects how quickly data moves between the GPU and VRAM. Higher bandwidth improves performance in memory-intensive scenarios like 4K gaming. The memory bus width and type (GDDR6, GDDR6X, HBM) significantly influence overall GPU benchmark scores.
Radeon R9 M280X by AMD Cache
On-chip cache hierarchy
On-chip cache provides ultra-fast data access for the R9 M280X, reducing the need to fetch data from slower VRAM. L1 and L2 caches store frequently accessed data close to the compute units. AMD's Infinity Cache (L3) dramatically increases effective bandwidth, improving GPU benchmark performance without requiring wider memory buses. Larger cache sizes help maintain high frame rates in memory-bound scenarios and reduce power consumption by minimizing VRAM accesses.
R9 M280X Theoretical Performance
Compute and fill rates
Theoretical performance metrics provide a baseline for comparing the AMD Radeon R9 M280X against other graphics cards. FP32 (single-precision) performance, measured in TFLOPS, indicates compute capability for gaming and general GPU workloads. FP64 (double-precision) matters for scientific computing. Pixel and texture fill rates determine how quickly the GPU can render complex scenes. While real-world GPU benchmark results depend on many factors, these specifications help predict relative performance levels.
GCN 2.0 Architecture & Process
Manufacturing and design details
The AMD Radeon R9 M280X is built on AMD's GCN 2.0 architecture, which defines how the GPU processes graphics and compute workloads. The manufacturing process node affects power efficiency, thermal characteristics, and maximum clock speeds. Smaller process nodes pack more transistors into the same die area, enabling higher performance per watt. Understanding the architecture helps predict how the R9 M280X will perform in GPU benchmarks compared to previous generations.
AMD's Radeon R9 M280X Power & Thermal
TDP and power requirements
Power specifications for the AMD Radeon R9 M280X determine PSU requirements and thermal management needs. TDP (Thermal Design Power) indicates the heat output under typical loads, guiding cooler selection. Power connector requirements ensure adequate power delivery for stable operation during demanding GPU benchmarks. The suggested PSU wattage accounts for the entire system, not just the graphics card. Efficient power delivery enables the Radeon R9 M280X to maintain boost clocks without throttling.
Radeon R9 M280X by AMD Physical & Connectivity
Dimensions and outputs
Physical dimensions of the AMD Radeon R9 M280X are critical for case compatibility. Card length, height, and slot width determine whether it fits in your chassis. The PCIe interface version affects bandwidth for communication with the CPU. Display outputs define monitor connectivity options, with modern cards supporting multiple high-resolution displays simultaneously. Verify these specifications against your case and motherboard before purchasing to ensure a proper fit.
AMD API Support
Graphics and compute APIs
API support determines which games and applications can fully utilize the AMD Radeon R9 M280X. DirectX 12 Ultimate enables advanced features like ray tracing and variable rate shading. Vulkan provides cross-platform graphics capabilities with low-level hardware access. OpenGL remains important for professional applications and older games. CUDA (NVIDIA) and OpenCL enable GPU compute for video editing, 3D rendering, and scientific applications. Higher API versions unlock newer graphical features in GPU benchmarks and games.
Radeon R9 M280X Product Information
Release and pricing details
The AMD Radeon R9 M280X is manufactured by AMD as part of their graphics card lineup. Release date and launch pricing provide context for comparing GPU benchmark results with competing products from the same era. Understanding the product lifecycle helps evaluate whether the Radeon R9 M280X by AMD represents good value at current market prices. Predecessor and successor information aids in tracking generational improvements and planning future upgrades.
Radeon R9 M280X Benchmark Scores
No benchmark data available for this GPU.
About AMD Radeon R9 M280X
The AMD Radeon R9 M280X is a mobile GPU built on GCN 2.0 architecture, manufactured by TSMC on a 28 nm process. The chip, codenamed Saturn, packs 2,080 million transistors onto a 160 mm² die and was released on 2015-02-04 as part of the Gem System (R9 M200) generation. Its production status is end-of-life. In the database, the M280X sits at the 50th percentile among all GPUs, but its benchmark array is empty and its average benchmark score is 0. The full specification covers 896 shading units, 56 texture units, 16 ROPs, 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, and API support for DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170.
Benchmark Performance
The fact pack contains no benchmark entries and no nearestRivals objects. The average benchmark score is 0. There are no game or synthetic scores to analyze, and there are no exact percentage deltas to report against a named competitor. Any statement about a measured performance lead or deficit cannot be grounded in the data. The only ranking field present is percentileVsAllGpus, with a value of 50, placing the M280X at the midpoint of the database’s GPU distribution.
Because benchmark results are absent, the raw throughput figures become the best available performance indicators. The base clock is 900 MHz and the boost clock is 1000 MHz. The FP32 rate is 1.792 TFLOPS, matching the operating envelope of the 896 shading units at the listed boost frequency. The texture rate is 56.00 GTexel/s from the 56 texture units, and the pixel rate is 16.00 GPixel/s from the 16 ROPs. These numbers describe a rasterization pipeline that is internally consistent, but they cannot be translated into a percentage comparison because no rival scores accompany them.
The 50th percentile ranking is the single comparative marker. It places the M280X exactly in the middle of the database’s GPU population, meaning there is no additional resolution around which specific products sit above or below. The average benchmark score of 0 is not a hardware measurement; it is the arithmetic result of an empty benchmark list. The percentile field may therefore reflect database-wide placement rather than validated performance data.
Memory Subsystem
The memory subsystem is fully specified in the fact pack. The M280X uses 4 GB of GDDR5 memory, a type that transfers data on both edges of the memory clock. The memory clock is 1375 MHz, and the effective data rate is 5.5 Gbps. The 128-bit bus width connects the memory controller to the 4 GB frame buffer. These three figures combine to yield a memory bandwidth of 88.00 GB/s.
For high-resolution rendering, the capacity side is less restrictive than the throughput side. 4 GB is a substantial frame buffer for a GCN 2.0 mobile part, offering enough space for large textures and multi-frame data. The operative constraint is the 88.00 GB/s aggregate bandwidth and the 128-bit path that feeds it. The bandwidth controls how quickly texture data reaches the 896 shading units and how fast pixel writes move through the 16 ROPs.
The relationship between the 1375 MHz clock and the 5.5 Gbps effective rate is notable: the effective rate is the per-pin transfer rate after double-data-rate operation, while the 128-bit bus determines the aggregate. The 4 GB capacity means a high-resolution workload can store its working set locally, but the 88.00 GB/s rate will be what limits texture streaming once that working set grows. This is a memory subsystem that favors capacity over bandwidth, and the 128-bit interface is the narrowest structural element in the memory path.
Ray Tracing and Feature Set
The M280X specification lists no RT cores and no tensor cores. The rtCores field and tensorCores field are both empty in the data. Dedicated hardware blocks for ray traversal and tensor operations are therefore not present in the specification. The architecture is GCN 2.0, a rasterization-and-compute design rather than a hybrid ray tracing design.
The feature set is defined by the API list. DirectX 12 (12_0) is the Direct3D feature level, representing the baseline DirectX 12 feature set. OpenGL 4.6 and Vulkan 1.2.170 are also listed, providing cross-platform rendering support. The host interface is PCIe 3.0 x16, which is the bus connection documented in the fact pack.
The chip itself is a 28 nm TSMC device with 2,080 million transistors on a 160 mm² die. The transistor density is 13.0M / mm², a derived figure in the specification. The absence of fixed-function ray tracing and tensor hardware leaves the shader units as the only compute resource, and the data does not indicate any alternative hardware path for those workloads.
Who Should Consider It
Based on the available data, the AMD Radeon R9 M280X is best suited to systems that need a 4 GB GDDR5 frame buffer, a 128-bit memory bus, and an 88.00 GB/s memory path. The 50th percentile ranking places it in the middle of the database, though the empty benchmark set means that position is not backed by a measured score. The theoretical throughput figures are 1.792 TFLOPS FP32, 56.00 GTexel/s texture rate, and 16.00 GPixel/s pixel rate.
At high resolutions, the frame buffer capacity is sufficient, but the bandwidth will be the limiting factor. The 16 ROPs and 56 texture units set the raster fill ceiling, and the 88.00 GB/s bus governs how quickly data moves into and out of memory. Users expecting a benchmark-verified performance result will not find one in the data.
For software compatibility, the DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170 support makes the M280X a possible candidate for legacy systems running modern API titles at moderate settings. The end-of-life production status is the central caveat: the product is no longer in production, and the release date of 2015-02-04 places it in an older mobile generation. Workloads that require dedicated RT cores or tensor cores are not supported, as neither block appears in the specification.
How It Compares
The nearestRivals array is empty. There are no rival names, no scores, and no deltaPct values to use in comparison. The M280X cannot be positioned against a specific database entry because the data does not provide such reference points. The only quantitative comparative marker is the 50th percentile, which places the GPU at the middle of all GPUs in the database.
The fact pack does list lineage fields. The predecessor is Solar System, and the successor is Polaris Mobile. These are not nearestRivals; they indicate the product’s place in a sequence of GPU families. The generation field, Gem System (R9 M200), groups the M280X with a set of R9 M200 parts. Without benchmark scores, the relationship between the M280X and either Solar System or Polaris Mobile remains qualitative.
The specification table offers the hard data for any comparison. The M280X has a 128-bit memory bus, 4 GB of GDDR5, 896 shading units, a 1000 MHz boost clock, and a 28 nm manufacturing process. The absence of a rival list means no percentage lead or deficit can be stated. The 50th percentile is the one relative number, and it is unverified by any benchmark entry.
The NVIDIA Equivalent of Radeon R9 M280X
Looking for a similar graphics card from NVIDIA? The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 offers comparable performance and features in the NVIDIA lineup.
Popular AMD Radeon R9 M280X Comparisons
See how the Radeon R9 M280X stacks up against similar graphics cards from the same generation and competing brands.
Compare Radeon R9 M280X with Other GPUs
Select another GPU to compare specifications and benchmarks side-by-side.
Browse GPUs