
GeForce GTX 970 vs Radeon R9 Fury

GeForce GTX 970
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Radeon R9 Fury
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Performance Spectrum - GPU
About G3D Mark
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce GTX 970 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.2% higher G3D Mark score. This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon R9 Fury.
| Insight | GeForce GTX 970 | Radeon R9 Fury |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+1.2%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.2%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / Maxwell 2.0 (2014−2019)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / GCN 3.0 (2014−2019)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+0%) |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | Standard Size (267mm) | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
The GeForce GTX 970 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the GeForce GTX 970 holds the technical lead. Priced at $50 (vs $50), it costs 0% less, resulting in a 1.2% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | GeForce GTX 970 | Radeon R9 Fury |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+1.2%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
Performance Check
Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 7800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.
Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 970 and Radeon R9 Fury

GeForce GTX 970
The GeForce GTX 970 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 19 2014. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1050 MHz to 1178 MHz. It has 1664 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,640 points. Launch price was $329.

Radeon R9 Fury
The Radeon R9 Fury is manufactured by AMD. It was released in July 10 2015. It features the GCN 3.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1000 MHz. It has 3584 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 275W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,521 points. Launch price was $549.
Graphics Performance
The GeForce GTX 970 scores 9,640 and the Radeon R9 Fury reaches 9,521 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 970 is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the Radeon R9 Fury uses GCN 3.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,664 (GeForce GTX 970) vs 3,584 (Radeon R9 Fury). Raw compute: 3.92 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 970) vs 7.168 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 Fury). Boost clocks: 1178 MHz vs 1000 MHz.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 970 | Radeon R9 Fury |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 9,640+1% | 9,521 |
| Architecture | Maxwell 2.0 | GCN 3.0 |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 1664 | 3584+115% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 3.92 TFLOPS | 7.168 TFLOPS+83% |
| Boost Clock | 1178 MHz+18% | 1000 MHz |
| ROPs | 56 | 64+14% |
| TMUs | 104 | 224+115% |
| L1 Cache | 624 KB | 896 KB+44% |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB | 2 MB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | GeForce GTX 970 | Radeon R9 Fury |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 2.1 (Compatible) | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| Frame Generation | FSR 3 (Compatible) | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | Standard | AMD Anti-Lag |
Video Memory (VRAM)
Both cards feature 4 GB of video memory. Memory bandwidth: 224 GB/s (GeForce GTX 970) vs 512 GB/s (Radeon R9 Fury) — a 128.6% advantage for the Radeon R9 Fury. Bus width: 256-bit vs 4096-bit.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 970 | Radeon R9 Fury |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 4 GB | 4 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | HBM |
| Memory Bandwidth | 224 GB/s | 512 GB/s+129% |
| Bus Width | 256-bit | 4096-bit+1500% |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB | 2 MB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 (FL 12_1) (GeForce GTX 970) vs 12.0 (Radeon R9 Fury). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.4. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 970 | Radeon R9 Fury |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 (FL 12_1) | 12.0 |
| Vulkan | 1.3+8% | 1.2 |
| OpenGL | 4.6+5% | 4.4 |
| Max Displays | 4 | 4 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: NVENC 2nd gen (GeForce GTX 970) vs VCE 3.0 (Radeon R9 Fury). Decoder: PureVideo VP6 vs UVD 6.0. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 970) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (Radeon R9 Fury).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 970 | Radeon R9 Fury |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | NVENC 2nd gen | VCE 3.0 |
| Decoder | PureVideo VP6 | UVD 6.0 |
| Codecs | H.264,H.265/HEVC | MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce GTX 970 draws 150W versus the Radeon R9 Fury's 275W — a 58.8% difference. The GeForce GTX 970 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce GTX 970) vs 600W (Radeon R9 Fury). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs 2x 8-pin. Card length: 267mm vs 195mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 65°C.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 970 | Radeon R9 Fury |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 150W-45% | 275W |
| Recommended PSU | 500W-17% | 600W |
| Power Connector | 2x 6-pin | 2x 8-pin |
| Length | 267mm | 195mm |
| Height | 111mm | 115mm |
| Slots | 2 | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | 80°C | 65°C-19% |
| Perf/Watt | 64.3+86% | 34.6 |
Value Analysis
The GeForce GTX 970 launched at $329 MSRP and currently averages $50, while the Radeon R9 Fury launched at $549 and now averages $50. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 192.8 (GeForce GTX 970) vs 190.4 (Radeon R9 Fury) — the GeForce GTX 970 offers 1.3% better value. The Radeon R9 Fury is the newer GPU (2015 vs 2014).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 970 | Radeon R9 Fury |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $329-40% | $549 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $50 | $50 |
| Performance per Dollar | 192.8+1% | 190.4 |
| Codename | GM204 | Fiji |
| Release | September 19 2014 | July 10 2015 |
| Ranking | #269 | #274 |
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