GeForce GTX 970M SLI vs Radeon R9 285 / 380

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. The GeForce GTX 970M SLI is positioned at rank #132 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar GeForce GTX 970M SLI

#122

Radeon RX 550X (móvel)

MSRP: $35|Avg: $35

296%

#124

GeForce GTX 1070 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $150

268%

#125

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $100

268%

#129

GeForce GTX 1050 (Mobile)

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

243%

#130

Radeon RX 6300

MSRP: $60|Avg: $40

242%

#132

GeForce GTX 970M SLI

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#139

Iris Xe MAX Graphics

MSRP: $55|Avg: $40

98%

#145

Radeon RX 580 (móvel)

MSRP: $229|Avg: $65

95%

#147

GeForce GT 630M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $35

95%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

The Radeon R9 285 / 380 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.9% higher G3D Mark score. However, the GeForce GTX 970M SLI offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.

Insight	GeForce GTX 970M SLI	Radeon R9 285 / 380
Performance	❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.9%)	✅Leading raw performance (+0.9%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / Maxwell (2014−2017))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / GCN 3.0 (2014−2019))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	✅ More VRAM (+100%)	❌ Less VRAM capacity
Efficiency	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt	Normal Efficiency
Case Fit	—	📏 Compact / SFF Friendly

💎 Value Proposition

While current pricing data is unavailable, the Radeon R9 285 / 380 remains the clear technical winner. Check real-time availability to determine if the performance gap justifies the market price.

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.

GeForce GTX 970M SLI Benchmark Check

Radeon R9 285 / 380 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 970M SLI and Radeon R9 285 / 380

GeForce GTX 970M SLI

The GeForce GTX 970M SLI is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in October 7 2014. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 924 MHz to 1038 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 162W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,500 points.

Radeon R9 285 / 380

The Radeon R9 285 / 380 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in September 2 2014. It features the GCN 3.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 918 MHz. It has 1792 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 190W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,550 points. Launch price was $249.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 970M SLI scores 5,500 and the Radeon R9 285 / 380 reaches 5,550 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 970M SLI is built on Maxwell while the Radeon R9 285 / 380 uses GCN 3.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 970M SLI) vs 1,792 (Radeon R9 285 / 380).

Feature	GeForce GTX 970M SLI	Radeon R9 285 / 380
G3D Mark Score	5,500	5,550
Architecture	Maxwell	GCN 3.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	2560+43%	1792

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 970M SLI	Radeon R9 285 / 380
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)

The GeForce GTX 970M SLI comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 285 / 380 has 2 GB. The GeForce GTX 970M SLI offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 120 GB/s x2 (GeForce GTX 970M SLI) vs 176 GB/s (Radeon R9 285 / 380) — a 583% advantage for the GeForce GTX 970M SLI. Bus width: 192-bit x2 vs 256-bit.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970M SLI	Radeon R9 285 / 380
VRAM Capacity	4 GB+100%	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	120 GB/s x2	176 GB/s+47%
Bus Width	192-bit x2	256-bit+33%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce GTX 970M SLI) vs 12 (Radeon R9 285 / 380). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.4 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970M SLI	Radeon R9 285 / 380
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12
Vulkan	1.2	1.2
OpenGL	4.4	4.6+5%
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (GeForce GTX 970M SLI) vs VCE 3.0 (Radeon R9 285 / 380). Decoder: PureVideo HD (VP6) vs UVD 5.0. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 970M SLI) vs H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Radeon R9 285 / 380).

Feature	GeForce GTX 970M SLI	Radeon R9 285 / 380
Encoder	NVENC	VCE 3.0
Decoder	PureVideo HD (VP6)	UVD 5.0
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC	H.264,HEVC,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 970M SLI draws 162W versus the Radeon R9 285 / 380's 190W — a 15.9% difference. The GeForce GTX 970M SLI is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 970M SLI) vs 500W (Radeon R9 285 / 380). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 2x 6-pin. Card length: 0mm vs 221mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970M SLI	Radeon R9 285 / 380
TDP	162W-15%	190W
Recommended PSU	350W-30%	500W
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	2x 6-pin
Length	0mm	221mm
Height	0mm	111mm
Slots	0-100%	2
Temp (Load)	80°C	—
Perf/Watt	34.0+16%	29.2