GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 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 4060 Ti

2023

Why buy it

✅+311.8% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 209.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 56.8 vs 18.3 G3D/$ ($399 MSRP vs $300 MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

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

✅Costs $99 less on MSRP ($300 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (5,500 vs 22,651).
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2012-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 18.3 vs 56.8 G3D/$ ($300 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 4060 Ti

2023

Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire

2012

Why buy it

✅+311.8% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 209.7% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 56.8 vs 18.3 G3D/$ ($399 MSRP vs $300 MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Why buy it

✅Costs $99 less on MSRP ($300 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).

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 22,651).
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2012-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 18.3 vs 56.8 G3D/$ ($300 MSRP vs $399 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 4060 Ti better than Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire?

Yes. GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 22,651 vs 5,500 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is a 2023 card with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation, 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 4060 Ti is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2023 generation instead of 2012, 311.8% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 8 GB instead of 4 GB, and better frame-generation support with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023) 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 4060 Ti is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is about 33.0% more expensive on MSRP at $399 MSRP versus $300 MSRP, and you are getting 311.8% higher G3D Mark. Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

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

No, not for a fresh gaming build. Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire is 2012 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM, 5,500 in G3D Mark, and FSR upscaling. That is simply too far behind to be an easy modern recommendation.

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 4060 Ti Benchmark Check

Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti	Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire
1080p
low	177 FPS	96 FPS
medium	162 FPS	84 FPS
high	142 FPS	65 FPS
ultra	124 FPS	39 FPS
1440p
low	143 FPS	87 FPS
medium	118 FPS	75 FPS
high	101 FPS	52 FPS
ultra	93 FPS	30 FPS
4K
low	93 FPS	27 FPS
medium	79 FPS	26 FPS
high	66 FPS	17 FPS
ultra	59 FPS	14 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4060 Ti Open Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti	Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire
1080p
low	433 FPS	94 FPS
medium	363 FPS	65 FPS
high	294 FPS	48 FPS
ultra	240 FPS	31 FPS
1440p
low	278 FPS	53 FPS
medium	238 FPS	31 FPS
high	194 FPS	22 FPS
ultra	161 FPS	16 FPS
4K
low	123 FPS	18 FPS
medium	102 FPS	11 FPS
high	84 FPS	9 FPS
ultra	65 FPS	7 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4060 Ti Open Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti	Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire
1080p
low	855 FPS	248 FPS
medium	693 FPS	198 FPS
high	609 FPS	165 FPS
ultra	510 FPS	124 FPS
1440p
low	660 FPS	186 FPS
medium	527 FPS	148 FPS
high	452 FPS	124 FPS
ultra	382 FPS	93 FPS
4K
low	447 FPS	124 FPS
medium	355 FPS	99 FPS
high	308 FPS	82 FPS
ultra	255 FPS	62 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4060 Ti Open Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti	Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire
1080p
low	775 FPS	156 FPS
medium	639 FPS	128 FPS
high	558 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	492 FPS	89 FPS
1440p
low	613 FPS	114 FPS
medium	503 FPS	95 FPS
high	435 FPS	86 FPS
ultra	378 FPS	66 FPS
4K
low	375 FPS	66 FPS
medium	322 FPS	52 FPS
high	298 FPS	43 FPS
ultra	255 FPS	31 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4060 Ti Open Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 4060 Ti and Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire

GeForce RTX 4060 Ti

The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 18 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 2310 MHz to 2535 MHz. It has 4352 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 160W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 34 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 22,651 points. Launch price was $399.

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 4060 Ti scores 22,651 versus the Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire's 5,500 — the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti leads by 311.8%. The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is built on Ada Lovelace while the Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire uses GCN, both on 5 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 4,352 (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti) vs 2,560 (Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire). Boost clocks: 2535 MHz vs 900 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti	Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire
G3D Mark Score	22,651+312%	5,500
Architecture	Ada Lovelace	GCN
Process Node	5 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	4352+70%	2560
Boost Clock	2535 MHz+182%	900 MHz

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is support for DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation. This allows it to generate entire frames using AI/Algorithms, essentially doubling the frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios or heavy ray-tracing titles. The Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 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 4060 Ti	Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	Yes (DLSS 3.5)	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	AMD Anti-Lag

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire has 4 GB. The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 288 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti) vs 153.6 GB/s x2 (Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire) — a 87.5% advantage for the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti. Bus width: 128-bit vs 256-bit x2.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti	Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire
VRAM Capacity	8 GB+100%	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	288 GB/s+88%	153.6 GB/s x2
Bus Width	128-bit	256-bit x2+100%

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti draws 160W versus the Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire's 200W — a 22.2% difference. The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti) vs 350W (Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 1x 6-pin.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060 Ti	Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire
TDP	160W-20%	200W
Recommended PSU	550W	350W-36%
Power Connector	8-pin	1x 6-pin
Length	240mm	—
Height	111mm	—
Slots	2	—
Temp (Load)	70°C	—
Perf/Watt	141.6+415%	27.5

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Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti launched at $399 MSRP, while the Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire launched at $300. The Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire costs 24.8% less ($99 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 56.8 (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti) vs 18.3 (Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire) — the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti offers 210.4% better value. The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2012).