GeForce GTX 970M vs Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire

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 970M vs Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire 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 970M vs Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire: 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 970M

2014

Why buy it

✅47.7% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅More future proof: Maxwell 2.0 (2014−2019) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2014 hardware with 3 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 37.6 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
❌62% higher power demand at 81W vs 50W.

Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire

2011

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 37.6 vs 0 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅33.3% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 3 GB).
✅Draws 50W instead of 81W, a 31W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 970M across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2011 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce GTX 970M is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 47.7% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 1.2% in PassMark G3D (5,705 vs 5,637), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

GeForce GTX 970M is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 28nm process instead of 40nm and a newer 2014 generation instead of 2011. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce GTX 970M has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 970M vs Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire Technical Specifications

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

GeForce GTX 970M

The GeForce GTX 970M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in October 7 2014. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 924 MHz to 1038 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 81W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,705 points. Launch price was $2,560.89.

Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire

The Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 6 2011. It features the Terascale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 680 MHz. It has 1920 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,637 points.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 970M scores 5,705 and the Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire reaches 5,637 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 970M is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire uses Terascale 2, both on 28 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 1,280 (GeForce GTX 970M) vs 1,920 (Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire).

Feature	GeForce GTX 970M	Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire
G3D Mark Score	5,705+1%	5,637
Architecture	Maxwell 2.0	Terascale 2
Process Node	28 nm	40 nm
Shading Units	1280	1920+50%

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 970M gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970M	Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire
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 970M has 3 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire carries 4 GB. Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire gives you 33.3% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 120 GB/s (GeForce GTX 970M) vs 115.2 GB/s x2 (Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire) — a 4.1% advantage for the GeForce GTX 970M. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 970M and 256-bit x2 on the Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970M	Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire
VRAM Capacity	3 GB	4 GB+33%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	120 GB/s+4%	115.2 GB/s x2
Bus Width	192-bit	256-bit x2+33%

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Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12_1 (GeForce GTX 970M) vs 11_0 (Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire). Maximum simultaneous displays: 0 vs 0.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970M	Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire
DirectX	12_1+9%	11_0
Max Displays	0	0

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Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 5th Gen (GeForce GTX 970M) vs UVD 3 (Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire). Decoder: NVDEC 2nd Gen vs UVD 3.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970M	Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire
Encoder	NVENC 5th Gen	UVD 3
Decoder	NVDEC 2nd Gen	UVD 3

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 970M draws 81W versus the Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire's 50W — a 47.3% difference. The Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 970M) vs 350W (Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 1x 6-pin. Card length: 1mm vs 1mm, occupying 0 vs 0 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 970M	Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire
TDP	81W	50W-38%
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	1x 6-pin
Length	1mm	1mm
Slots	0	0
Perf/Watt	70.4	112.7+60%

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Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce GTX 970M (2014 vs 2011).

Feature	GeForce GTX 970M	Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire
MSRP	—	$150
Codename	GM204	Blackcomb XT
Release	October 7 2014	January 6 2011
Ranking	#408	#537

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