GeForce GTX 590 vs Radeon HD8970M

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 GTX 590 vs Radeon HD8970M 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 GTX 590 vs Radeon HD8970M: 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 GTX 590

2011

Why buy it

✅13.7% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 4.8 vs 0 G3D/$ ($699 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (3 GB vs 2 GB).

Trade-offs

❌2011 hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌265% higher power demand at 365W vs 100W.

Radeon HD8970M

2013

Why buy it

✅Draws 100W instead of 365W, a 265W reduction.
✅More future proof: GCN 1.0 (2012−2020) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 590 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 3 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2013 hardware with 2 GB 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 4.8 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $699 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce GTX 590 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 13.7% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward Radeon HD8970M instead at 3,369 vs 3,341, 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?

GeForce GTX 590 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 3 GB vs 2 GB of VRAM. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce GTX 590 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce GTX 590 vs Radeon HD8970M Technical Specifications

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

GeForce GTX 590

The GeForce GTX 590 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 24 2011. It features the Fermi 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 607 MHz. It has 1024 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 365W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,341 points. Launch price was $699.

Radeon HD8970M

The Radeon HD8970M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in May 14 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 850 MHz to 900 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,369 points.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 590 scores 3,341 and the Radeon HD8970M reaches 3,369 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.8% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 590 is built on Fermi 2.0 while the Radeon HD8970M uses GCN 1.0, both on 40 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 1,024 (GeForce GTX 590) vs 1,280 (Radeon HD8970M). Raw compute: 1.244 TFLOPS ×2 (GeForce GTX 590) vs 2.304 TFLOPS (Radeon HD8970M).

Feature	GeForce GTX 590	Radeon HD8970M
G3D Mark Score	3,341	3,369
Architecture	Fermi 2.0	GCN 1.0
Process Node	40 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	1024 ×2	1280+25%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.244 TFLOPS ×2	2.304 TFLOPS+85%
ROPs	48 ×2+50%	32
TMUs	64 ×2	80+25%
L1 Cache	1 MB+223%	0.31 MB
L2 Cache	768 KB+50%	512 KB

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 590 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon HD8970M leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce GTX 590	Radeon HD8970M
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

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 590 has 3 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD8970M carries 2 GB. GeForce GTX 590 gives you 50% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 256-bit on the GeForce GTX 590 and System on the Radeon HD8970M. L2 Cache: 768 KB (GeForce GTX 590) vs 512 KB (Radeon HD8970M) — the GeForce GTX 590 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 590	Radeon HD8970M
VRAM Capacity	3 GB+50%	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	Shared
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	System
Bus Width	256-bit	System
L2 Cache	768 KB+50%	512 KB

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 590 draws 365W versus the Radeon HD8970M's 100W — a 114% difference. The Radeon HD8970M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 700W (GeForce GTX 590) vs 350W (Radeon HD8970M). Power connectors: 2x 8-pin vs PCIe-powered.

Feature	GeForce GTX 590	Radeon HD8970M
TDP	365W	100W-73%
Recommended PSU	700W	350W-50%
Power Connector	2x 8-pin	PCIe-powered
Slots	2	—
Temp (Load)	90°C	—
Perf/Watt	9.2	33.7+266%

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Value Analysis

The newer card here is Radeon HD8970M (2013 vs 2011).

Feature	GeForce GTX 590	Radeon HD8970M
MSRP	$699	—
Codename	GF110	Neptune
Release	March 24 2011	May 14 2013
Ranking	#555	#507

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