Radeon R9 280X vs GeForce GTX 1630

Speed and memory

In our performance index the Radeon R9 280X scores 5.5 and the GeForce GTX 1630 scores 5.2, which makes the Radeon R9 280X about 6% faster. That is a small gap, below what most people notice without a frame counter.

The Radeon R9 280X has 3 GB of video memory and the GeForce GTX 1630 has 4 GB. That is a small difference and unlikely to decide anything.

In our estimates for popular games at 1080p on High, the biggest gap is in Cyberpunk 2077 (9 against 12 fps), and the smallest is in Grand Theft Auto V Legacy (90 against 86 fps). Games that are light enough to run above 200 fps on both cards show little difference at all.

Power and value

The Radeon R9 280X is rated at 250 W and the GeForce GTX 1630 at 75 W. With a mid-range processor that means a power supply of about 650 W for the first and 450 W for the second. A gap of 175 W shows up in heat and fan noise, and in your electricity use over a few years.

At launch the Radeon R9 280X cost $299 and the GeForce GTX 1630 $149. Per dollar, the GeForce GTX 1630 gave more performance (3.5 points per $100 against 1.8). Current prices differ, so run the same sum on what you can actually buy today.

Which one to buy

Choose the Radeon R9 280X if you want the faster card, and you can accept 3 GB of memory. It makes the most sense at 1440p and above, or on a monitor with a high refresh rate.

Choose the GeForce GTX 1630 if the price gap matters more than the 6% speed difference, and you value the extra video memory. Whichever you pick, check reviews for the games you play, because two cards with similar scores can differ in individual titles.