The Radeon R9 M280X is a mobile graphics chip. It was launched by AMD on February 5th, 2015. Designed on the 28nm process, and formulated on the Saturn graphics processor, in its Saturn XT variant, the chip supports DirectX 12. This makes sure that all modern games will run on AMD Radeon R9 M280X. The Saturn graphics processor is a medium sized chip with a die area of 160 mm square and 2,080 million transistors. It comes with 896 shading units, 56 texture mapping units, and 16 ROPs. AMD has adjoined 4 GB GDDR5 memory with Radeon R9 M280X, which are connected with the help of a 128-bit memory interface.
The GPU is functioning at a frequency of 900 MHz, which can be amplified up to 1000 MHz. The memory runs at 1375 MHz (5.5 Gbps effective). However, this device has no display connectivity, as it is not devised to have monitors connected to it. In fact, it is meant for use in laptop/notebooks and will draw from the output of the host mobile device. AMD Radeon R9 M280X is joined to the rest of the system using a PCI-Express 3.0×16 interface.
A detailed critical analysis of the features
The AMD Radeon R9 M280X is a 28 nm DirectX 12 graphics card formed on the GCN (Graphics Core Next) architecture. Designed chiefly for large laptops, the card is positioned in the upper midrange category as of 2014. It is centred on the Saturn chip (Bonaire codename for Desktop R7 260(X)) and clocked at 900 to 1000 MHz (Boost). The R9 M280X allows 896 shader cores, 56 TMUs, 16 ROPs and a 128 Bit memory interface for up to 4 GB GDDR5 memory.
The performance of the Radeon R9 M280X is similar to Nvidia GeForce GTX 850M or GTX 950M. Thus, games from 2015 must run in middle to high settings in 1080p. Some more challenging games like Assassin’s Creed Unity may only run smoothly in reduced settings. The 640 shader cores can be operated with OpenCL 1.2 for general-purpose calculations (as 10 compute units).
In fact, the Radeon R9 also assists automatic graphics switching between the integrated GPU and discrete GPU, called Enduro. The technology supplants AMD’s Dynamic Switchable Graphics and is on par with Nvidia’s Optimus. Other characteristics include ZeroCore for reducing power consumption when the display is turned off.
The price of AMD Radeon R9 M280X is $249. Indeed, the power consumption of the R9 M280X must be around 70 to 80 Watt. Therefore, the GPU is only suitable for larger laptops and DTRs. Graphics cards are potentially significant for gaming and other heavy graphics processing activities. Thus, if you are intending to upgrade your graphics card, the AMD Radeon R9 M280X is a brilliant option.
Performance overview
The AMD Radeon R9 M280X is a dynamic and affordable graphics card ideal for gamers looking for magnificent performance without breaking the bank. The card ushers in with 2,560 stream processors and 4 GB of GDDR5 memory, which ensures remarkable gaming performance. In fact, the R9 M280X hails in with support for DirectX 12, which promises compatibility with latest games. The card also offers a range of ports and connections, including DisplayPort, DVI, and HDMI, thus making it convenient to connect to various monitors and displays.
Pros You Must Know
- The Radeon R9 M280X allows gamers to enjoy fluent gameplay at high settings.
- It also offers amazing image quality. The credit goes to its support for AMD Eyefinity technology, which lets you connect up to six displays.
- In fact, the card goes well with DirectX 12 and Vulkan APIs for the latest gaming titles.
- The AMD Radeon R9 M280X ensures excellent value for money.
- In fact, the card consumes less power than other cards. Thus, it is perfect for gamers who want to save on their energy bills.
- It’s also comparatively easy to overclock this card. Thus, there is the option of further improvement of its performance.
Also read: Acer C720 Chromebook (11.6-Inch, 2GB): the New Generation Laptop
