Radeon 840M vs Radeon HD 8970M

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.

Radeon 840M vs Radeon HD 8970M 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.

Radeon 840M vs Radeon HD 8970M: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

Radeon 840M

2024

Why buy it

✅Better long-term bet: RDNA 3+ (2024) on 4nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.
✅Draws 30W instead of 100W, a 70W reduction.
✅More future proof: RDNA 3+ (2024) on 4nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon HD 8970M across 30 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.

Radeon HD 8970M

2013

Why buy it

✅1.6% more average FPS across 30 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 2 GB).

Trade-offs

❌2013 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌233.3% higher power demand at 100W vs 30W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon HD 8970M is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 1.6% in average FPS across 30 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 1.9% in PassMark G3D (3,876 vs 3,803), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

Radeon 840M is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 4nm process instead of 28nm and a newer 2024 generation instead of 2013. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon HD 8970M makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon HD 8970M is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Radeon 840M has the stronger long-term case.

Radeon 840M vs Radeon HD 8970M Technical Specifications

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

Radeon 840M

The Radeon 840M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in June 2 2024. It features the RDNA 3+ architecture. The boost clock speed is 2900 MHz. It has 256 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 30W. Manufactured using 4 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,803 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.

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Graphics Performance

The Radeon 840M scores 3,803 and the Radeon HD 8970M reaches 3,876 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon 840M is built on RDNA 3+ while the Radeon HD 8970M uses GCN 1.0, both on 4 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 256 (Radeon 840M) vs 1,280 (Radeon HD 8970M). Boost clocks: 2900 MHz vs 900 MHz.

Feature	Radeon 840M	Radeon HD 8970M
G3D Mark Score	3,803	3,876+2%
Architecture	RDNA 3+	GCN 1.0
Process Node	4 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	256	1280+400%
Boost Clock	2900 MHz+222%	900 MHz
Frame Generation	FSR upscaling + RSR	FSR upscaling

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon 840M	Radeon HD 8970M
Upscaling Tech	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	AMD Anti-Lag	AMD Anti-Lag

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon 840M has 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 8970M carries 4 GB. Radeon HD 8970M gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is System on the Radeon 840M and System on the Radeon HD 8970M.

Feature	Radeon 840M	Radeon HD 8970M
VRAM Capacity	2 GB	4 GB+100%
Memory Type	Shared	Shared
Memory Bandwidth	System	System
Bus Width	System	System

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Power & Dimensions

The Radeon 840M draws 30W versus the Radeon HD 8970M's 100W — a 107.7% difference. The Radeon 840M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon 840M) vs 350W (Radeon HD 8970M). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 1x 6-pin.