GeForce RTX 3050 6GB vs Radeon HD 8970M 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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

2024

Why buy it

✅+95.4% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Costs $131 less on MSRP ($169 MSRP vs $300 MSRP).
✅Delivers 246.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 63.6 vs 18.3 G3D/$ ($169 MSRP vs $300 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).

Trade-offs

❌Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire

2012

Why buy it

✅Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (5,500 vs 10,749).
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2012-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
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77.5% HIGHER MSRP
$300 MSRPvs$169 MSRP

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

2024

Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire

2012

Why buy it

✅+95.4% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Costs $131 less on MSRP ($169 MSRP vs $300 MSRP).
✅Delivers 246.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 63.6 vs 18.3 G3D/$ ($169 MSRP vs $300 MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 4 GB).

Why buy it

✅Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (5,500 vs 10,749).
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2012-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌
77.5% HIGHER MSRP
$300 MSRPvs$169 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3050 6GB better than Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire?

Yes. GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 10,749 vs 5,500 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is a 2024 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire is a 2012 model from an older generation with FSR upscaling. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2024 generation instead of 2012, 95.4% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 6 GB instead of 4 GB, and the stronger feature stack with DLSS Super Resolution instead of FSR upscaling. That leaves it with more room for heavier textures, tougher ray tracing loads, and higher-end 1440p or 4K gaming over the next few years.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is about $131 cheaper on MSRP at $169 MSRP versus $300 MSRP, and you are getting 95.4% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 246.9%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

Is Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around $300 MSRP, even if GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is still the cleaner recommendation on overall value today.

Games Benchmarks

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 9800X3D 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 RTX 3050 6GB Benchmark Check

Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire
1080p
low	85 FPS	96 FPS
medium	72 FPS	84 FPS
high	60 FPS	65 FPS
ultra	40 FPS	39 FPS
1440p
low	74 FPS	87 FPS
medium	64 FPS	75 FPS
high	47 FPS	52 FPS
ultra	30 FPS	30 FPS
4K
low	27 FPS	27 FPS
medium	25 FPS	26 FPS
high	17 FPS	17 FPS
ultra	15 FPS	14 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Open Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire
1080p
low	174 FPS	94 FPS
medium	149 FPS	65 FPS
high	118 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	87 FPS	31 FPS
1440p
low	129 FPS	53 FPS
medium	106 FPS	31 FPS
high	83 FPS	22 FPS
ultra	62 FPS	16 FPS
4K
low	74 FPS	18 FPS
medium	62 FPS	11 FPS
high	48 FPS	9 FPS
ultra	34 FPS	7 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Open Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire
1080p
low	484 FPS	248 FPS
medium	387 FPS	198 FPS
high	322 FPS	165 FPS
ultra	242 FPS	124 FPS
1440p
low	363 FPS	186 FPS
medium	290 FPS	148 FPS
high	242 FPS	124 FPS
ultra	181 FPS	93 FPS
4K
low	242 FPS	124 FPS
medium	193 FPS	99 FPS
high	161 FPS	82 FPS
ultra	121 FPS	62 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Open Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire
1080p
low	243 FPS	156 FPS
medium	210 FPS	128 FPS
high	171 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	144 FPS	89 FPS
1440p
low	185 FPS	114 FPS
medium	166 FPS	95 FPS
high	131 FPS	86 FPS
ultra	109 FPS	66 FPS
4K
low	104 FPS	66 FPS
medium	87 FPS	52 FPS
high	69 FPS	43 FPS
ultra	55 FPS	31 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Open Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3050 6GB and Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 2 2024. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1042 MHz to 1470 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 70W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 18 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 10,749 points. Launch price was $179.

Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire

The Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire is manufactured by AMD. It was released in May 1 2012. It features the GCN architecture. The core clock ranges from 850 MHz to 900 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,500 points.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB scores 10,749 versus the Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire's 5,500 — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB leads by 95.4%. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is built on Ampere while the Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire uses GCN, both on 8 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 2,304 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 2,560 (Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire). Boost clocks: 1470 MHz vs 900 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire
G3D Mark Score	10,749+95%	5,500
Architecture	Ampere	GCN
Process Node	8 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	2304	2560+11%
Boost Clock	1470 MHz+63%	900 MHz

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 2 Super Resolution	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 RTX 3050 6GB comes with 6 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire has 4 GB. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 168 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 153.6 GB/s x2 (Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire) — a 9.4% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB. Bus width: 96-bit vs 256-bit x2.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire
VRAM Capacity	6 GB+50%	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	168 GB/s+9%	153.6 GB/s x2
Bus Width	96-bit	256-bit x2+167%

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB draws 70W versus the Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire's 200W — a 96.3% difference. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 350W (Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire). Power connectors: None vs 1x 6-pin.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire
TDP	70W-65%	200W
Recommended PSU	300W-14%	350W
Power Connector	None	1x 6-pin
Length	160mm	—
Slots	2	—
Temp (Load)	75°C	—
Perf/Watt	153.6+459%	27.5

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB launched at $169 MSRP, while the Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire launched at $300. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB costs 43.7% less ($131 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 63.6 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 18.3 (Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire) — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB offers 247.5% better value. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is the newer GPU (2024 vs 2012).