GeForce RTX 3070 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 RTX 3070 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 RTX 3070 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 RTX 3070

2020

Why buy it

✅312.8% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 2 GB).
✅Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌120% higher power demand at 220W vs 100W.

Radeon HD8970M

2013

Why buy it

✅Draws 100W instead of 220W, a 120W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3070 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
❌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 44.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $499 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce RTX 3070 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 312.8% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 558.1% in PassMark G3D (22,172 vs 3,369), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

GeForce RTX 3070 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 8 GB vs 2 GB of VRAM, a 8nm process instead of 28nm, 46 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2020 generation instead of 2013. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce RTX 3070 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce RTX 3070 vs Radeon HD8970M Technical Specifications

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

GeForce RTX 3070

The GeForce RTX 3070 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1500 MHz to 1725 MHz. It has 5888 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 220W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 46 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 22,172 points. Launch price was $499.

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

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3070 scores 22,172 versus the Radeon HD8970M's 3,369 — the GeForce RTX 3070 leads by 558.1%. The GeForce RTX 3070 is built on Ampere while the Radeon HD8970M uses GCN 1.0, both on 8 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 5,888 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 1,280 (Radeon HD8970M). Raw compute: 20.31 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 2.304 TFLOPS (Radeon HD8970M). Boost clocks: 1725 MHz vs 900 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3070	Radeon HD8970M
G3D Mark Score	22,172+558%	3,369
Architecture	Ampere	GCN 1.0
Process Node	8 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	5888+360%	1280
Compute (TFLOPS)	20.31 TFLOPS+782%	2.304 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1725 MHz+92%	900 MHz
ROPs	96+200%	32
TMUs	184+130%	80
L1 Cache	5.8 MB+1771%	0.31 MB
L2 Cache	4 MB+700%	0.5 MB

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3070 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 RTX 3070	Radeon HD8970M
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 3070 has 8 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD8970M carries 2 GB. GeForce RTX 3070 gives you 300% 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 RTX 3070 and System on the Radeon HD8970M. L2 Cache: 4 MB (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon HD8970M) — the GeForce RTX 3070 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3070	Radeon HD8970M
VRAM Capacity	8 GB+300%	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	Shared
Memory Bandwidth	448 GB/s	System
Bus Width	256-bit	System
L2 Cache	4 MB+700%	0.5 MB

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3070 draws 220W versus the Radeon HD8970M's 100W — a 75% difference. The Radeon HD8970M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 350W (Radeon HD8970M). Power connectors: 8-pin vs PCIe-powered.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3070	Radeon HD8970M
TDP	220W	100W-55%
Recommended PSU	650W	350W-46%
Power Connector	8-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	242mm	—
Height	112mm	—
Slots	2	—
Temp (Load)	75°C	—
Perf/Watt	100.8+199%	33.7

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Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3070 (2020 vs 2013).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3070	Radeon HD8970M
MSRP	$499	—
Codename	GA104	Neptune
Release	September 1 2020	May 14 2013
Ranking	#63	#507

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