GeForce 9700M GTS vs Radeon R3

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.

GeForce 9700M GTS vs Radeon R3 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

GeForce 9700M GTS vs Radeon R3: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

GeForce 9700M GTS

2008

Why buy it

✅14.2% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.

Trade-offs

❌2008 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 6.3 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $50 MSRP).
❌200% higher power demand at 150W vs 50W.

Radeon R3

2019

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 6.3 vs 0 G3D/$ ($50 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅GeForce 9700M GTS is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon R3 is the less risky modern option long term.
✅Draws 50W instead of 150W, a 100W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce 9700M GTS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2019 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce 9700M GTS is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 14.2% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward Radeon R3 instead at 314 vs 312, so for this question the real-game FPS result matters more than the synthetic split.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

Radeon R3 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: the newer upscaling stack, FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack, a 14nm process instead of 65nm, and a newer 2019 generation instead of 2008. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon R3 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. GeForce 9700M GTS still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

GeForce 9700M GTS vs Radeon R3 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

GeForce 9700M GTS

The GeForce 9700M GTS is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in July 15 2008. It features the G9x architecture. The core clock speed is 500 MHz. It has 224 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 65 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 312 points.

Radeon R3

The Radeon R3 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in May 13 2019. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1082 MHz to 1218 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 314 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce 9700M GTS scores 312 and the Radeon R3 reaches 314 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.6% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce 9700M GTS is built on G9x while the Radeon R3 uses GCN 4.0, both on 65 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 224 (GeForce 9700M GTS) vs 512 (Radeon R3).

Feature	GeForce 9700M GTS	Radeon R3
G3D Mark Score	312	314
Architecture	G9x	GCN 4.0
Process Node	65 nm	14 nm
Shading Units	224	512+129%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce 9700M GTS gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon R3 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce 9700M GTS	Radeon R3
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)

Both cards ship with 512 MB of GDDR5. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the GeForce 9700M GTS and 64-bit on the Radeon R3.

Feature	GeForce 9700M GTS	Radeon R3
VRAM Capacity	0.5 GB	0.5 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Bus Width	64-bit	64-bit

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11.1 (10_0) (GeForce 9700M GTS) vs 12 (12_0) (Radeon R3). Vulkan: N/A vs 1.2. OpenGL: 3.3 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.

Feature	GeForce 9700M GTS	Radeon R3
DirectX	11.1 (10_0)	12 (12_0)+8%
Vulkan	N/A	1.2
OpenGL	3.3	4.6+39%
Max Displays	2	2

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: None (GeForce 9700M GTS) vs VCE 2.0 (Radeon R3). Decoder: VP2 vs UVD 4.2. Supported codecs: H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GeForce 9700M GTS) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 (Radeon R3).

Feature	GeForce 9700M GTS	Radeon R3
Encoder	None	VCE 2.0
Decoder	VP2	UVD 4.2
Codecs	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce 9700M GTS draws 150W versus the Radeon R3's 50W — a 100% difference. The Radeon R3 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 9700M GTS) vs 350W (Radeon R3). Power connectors: Legacy vs PCIe-powered. Typical load temperature: 90 vs 70°C.

Feature	GeForce 9700M GTS	Radeon R3
TDP	150W	50W-67%
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	Legacy	PCIe-powered
Length	0mm	—
Height	0mm	—
Slots	0	0
Temp (Load)	90	70°C-22%
Perf/Watt	2.1	6.3+200%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce 9700M GTS came in at $0, while the Radeon R3 launched at $50. On MSRP, GeForce 9700M GTS was 100+% cheaper ($50 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): Infinity (GeForce 9700M GTS) vs 6.3 (Radeon R3) — the GeForce 9700M GTS offers Infinity% better value. The newer card here is Radeon R3 (2019 vs 2008).

Feature	GeForce 9700M GTS	Radeon R3
MSRP	$0-100%	$50
Performance per Dollar	Infinity	6.3
Codename	NB9E-GTX	Polaris 23
Release	July 15 2008	May 13 2019
Ranking	#825	#757

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