Maxwell GPU Surface Book vs Radeon HD8970M

Performance Spectrum - GPU

Maxwell GPU Surface Book

30

3,311

0.0%

3,369

+1.8%

About G3D Mark

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. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Maxwell GPU Surface Book is positioned at rank 230 and the Radeon HD8970M is on rank 154, so the Radeon HD8970M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

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

Performance Per Dollar Maxwell GPU Surface Book

#53

Radeon RX 6850M XT

MSRP: $800|Avg: $800

98%

#220

Radeon RX 550X (móvel)

MSRP: $35|Avg: $35

492%

#222

GeForce GTX 1070 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $150

446%

#223

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $100

445%

#227

GeForce GTX 1050 (Mobile)

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

404%

#228

Radeon RX 6300

MSRP: $60|Avg: $40

402%

#230

Maxwell GPU Surface Book

MSRP: $150|Avg: $75

100%

#235

Radeon RX 540

MSRP: $99|Avg: $40

98%

#236

Radeon HD 6750M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $60

97%

#237

Radeon HD 7570M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $15

95%

#239

Arc Graphics 130T

MSRP: $300|Avg: $250

94%

#240

GeForce MX570 A

MSRP: $300|Avg: $300

94%

#242

GeForce GT 645

MSRP: $99|Avg: $15

92%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Per Dollar Radeon HD8970M

#42

Radeon RX 6600S

MSRP: $400|Avg: $400

97%

#43

Radeon RX 8060S

MSRP: $500|Avg: $500

95%

#143

Radeon RX 550X (móvel)

MSRP: $35|Avg: $35

322%

#145

GeForce GTX 1070 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $150

292%

#146

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $100

291%

#150

GeForce GTX 1050 (Mobile)

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

265%

#151

Radeon RX 6300

MSRP: $60|Avg: $40

263%

#154

Radeon HD8970M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#156

GeForce 830M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $30

99%

#157

GeForce GT 750M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

99%

#158

GeForce GT 425M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $25

99%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

The Radeon HD8970M is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.8% higher G3D Mark score. This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Maxwell GPU Surface Book.

Insight	Maxwell GPU Surface Book	Radeon HD8970M
Performance	❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.8%)	✅Leading raw performance (+1.8%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / Maxwell (2014−2017))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	❌ Less VRAM capacity	✅ More VRAM (+0%)
Efficiency	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt	⚡ Higher Power Consumption
Case Fit	—	—

💎 Value Proposition

While current pricing data is unavailable, the Radeon HD8970M 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.

Maxwell GPU Surface Book Benchmark Check

Radeon HD8970M Benchmark Check

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Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Maxwell GPU Surface Book and Radeon HD8970M

Maxwell GPU Surface Book

The Maxwell GPU Surface Book is manufactured by an unknown manufacturer. It was released in October 1 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 954 MHz to 993 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 30W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,311 points.

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.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Maxwell GPU Surface Book scores 3,311 and the Radeon HD8970M reaches 3,369 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.8% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Maxwell GPU Surface Book is built on Maxwell while the Radeon HD8970M uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 384 (Maxwell GPU Surface Book) vs 1,280 (Radeon HD8970M). Boost clocks: 993 MHz vs 900 MHz.

Feature	Maxwell GPU Surface Book	Radeon HD8970M
G3D Mark Score	3,311	3,369+2%
Architecture	Maxwell	GCN 1.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	384	1280+233%
Boost Clock	993 MHz+10%	900 MHz

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Maxwell GPU Surface Book	Radeon HD8970M
Upscaling Tech	FSR 1.0 (Software)	FSR 1.0 (Software)
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	Standard	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

Both cards feature 2 GB of video memory. Bus width: 128-bit vs System.

Feature	Maxwell GPU Surface Book	Radeon HD8970M
VRAM Capacity	2 GB	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	Shared
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	System
Bus Width	128-bit	System

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Maxwell GPU Surface Book draws 30W versus the Radeon HD8970M's 100W — a 107.7% difference. The Maxwell GPU Surface Book is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Maxwell GPU Surface Book) vs 350W (Radeon HD8970M). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs PCIe-powered.