Radeon 680M vs Radeon HD 8970M
Radeon 680M
Popular choices:
Radeon HD 8970M
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Performance Spectrum - GPU
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 Radeon 680M is positioned at rank 331 and the Radeon HD 8970M is on rank 78, so the Radeon HD 8970M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Radeon 680M
Performance Per Dollar Radeon HD 8970M
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The Radeon 680M is significantly newer (2023 vs 2013). The Radeon 680M likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon HD 8970M lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon HD 8970M is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1% higher G3D Mark score and 100% more VRAM (4 GB vs 2 GB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon 680M.
| Insight | Radeon 680M | Radeon HD 8970M |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-1%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+1%) |
| Longevity | RDNA 2.0 (2020−2025) (6nm) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | — |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon 680M offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Priced at $80 versus $170 for the Radeon HD 8970M, it costs 53% less. While it maintains basic entry-level capabilities, this results in a 110.3% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon 680M | Radeon HD 8970M |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+110.3%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($80) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($170) |
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Radeon 680M and Radeon HD 8970M
Radeon 680M
The Radeon 680M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 3 2023. It features the RDNA 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 2000 MHz to 2200 MHz. It has 768 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 6 nm process technology. It features 12 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,836 points.
Radeon HD 8970M
The Radeon HD 8970M 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: 3,876 points.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon 680M scores 3,836 and the Radeon HD 8970M reaches 3,876 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon 680M is built on RDNA 2.0 while the Radeon HD 8970M uses GCN 1.0, both on 6 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 768 (Radeon 680M) vs 1,280 (Radeon HD 8970M). Raw compute: 3.379 TFLOPS (Radeon 680M) vs 2.304 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 8970M). Boost clocks: 2200 MHz vs 900 MHz.
| Feature | Radeon 680M | Radeon HD 8970M |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 3,836 | 3,876+1% |
| Architecture | RDNA 2.0 | GCN 1.0 |
| Process Node | 6 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 768 | 1280+67% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 3.379 TFLOPS+47% | 2.304 TFLOPS |
| Boost Clock | 2200 MHz+144% | 900 MHz |
| ROPs | 32 | 32 |
| TMUs | 48 | 80+67% |
| L1 Cache | 256 KB | 320 KB+25% |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB+300% | 0.5 MB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon 680M | Radeon HD 8970M |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 1.0 (Software) | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | AMD Anti-Lag | AMD Anti-Lag |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The Radeon 680M comes with 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 8970M has 4 GB. The Radeon HD 8970M offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: System vs System. L2 Cache: 2 MB (Radeon 680M) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon HD 8970M) — the Radeon 680M has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon 680M | Radeon HD 8970M |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 2 GB | 4 GB+100% |
| Memory Type | Shared | Shared |
| Memory Bandwidth | System | System |
| Bus Width | System | System |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB+300% | 0.5 MB |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon 680M draws 50W versus the Radeon HD 8970M's 100W — a 66.7% difference. The Radeon 680M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon 680M) vs 350W (Radeon HD 8970M). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 1x 6-pin.
| Feature | Radeon 680M | Radeon HD 8970M |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 50W-50% | 100W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 350W |
| Power Connector | PCIe-powered | 1x 6-pin |
| Length | 1mm | — |
| Slots | 0 | — |
| Perf/Watt | 76.7+98% | 38.8 |
Value Analysis
The Radeon 680M costs 52.9% less ($90 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 48.0 (Radeon 680M) vs 22.8 (Radeon HD 8970M) — the Radeon 680M offers 110.5% better value. The Radeon 680M is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2013).
| Feature | Radeon 680M | Radeon HD 8970M |
|---|---|---|
| Avg Price (30d) | $80-53% | $170 |
| Performance per Dollar | 48.0+111% | 22.8 |
| Codename | Rembrandt+ | Neptune |
| Release | January 3 2023 | May 14 2013 |
| Ranking | #512 | #507 |
Top Performing GPUs
The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
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