Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire vs GeForce GTX 950

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. The Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire is positioned at rank #264 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

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

Performance Per Dollar Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire

#254

Radeon RX 550X (móvel)

MSRP: $35|Avg: $35

592%

#256

GeForce GTX 1070 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $150

537%

#257

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $100

536%

#261

GeForce GTX 1050 (Mobile)

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

487%

#262

Radeon RX 6300

MSRP: $60|Avg: $40

484%

#264

Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire

MSRP: $300|Avg: $75

100%

#265

Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake)

MSRP: $300|Avg: $100

100%

#270

GeForce GTX 960A

MSRP: $199|Avg: $60

95%

#271

Radeon HD 8770

MSRP: $150|Avg: $150

95%

#273

Radeon R9 M295X

MSRP: $300|Avg: $150

94%

#274

GeForce GT 325M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $20

93%

#275

GeForce GTS 160M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $30

93%

#276

GeForce GTX 470M SLI

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $60

92%

#277

Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 3 3200G

MSRP: $99|Avg: $70

92%

#279

Radeon RX Vega 9

MSRP: $99|Avg: $50

92%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

The Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 2.7% 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 GeForce GTX 950.

Insight	Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire	GeForce GTX 950
Performance	✅Leading raw performance (+2.7%)	❌Lower raw frame rates (-2.7%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / GCN (2012−2015))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / Maxwell 2.0 (2014−2019))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	✅ More VRAM (+100%)	❌ Less VRAM capacity
Efficiency	⚡ Higher Power Consumption	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt
Case Fit	—	📏 Compact / SFF Friendly

💎 Value Proposition

The GeForce GTX 950 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the GeForce GTX 950 holds the technical lead. Priced at $48 (vs $75), it costs 36% less, resulting in a 52.2% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire	GeForce GTX 950
Cost Efficiency	❌Lower cost efficiency	✅Better overall value (+52.2%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($75)	✅More affordable ($48)

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.

Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire Benchmark Check

GeForce GTX 950 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire and GeForce GTX 950

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.

GeForce GTX 950

The GeForce GTX 950 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 20 2015. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1024 MHz to 1188 MHz. It has 768 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 90W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,357 points. Launch price was $159.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire scores 5,500 and the GeForce GTX 950 reaches 5,357 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire is built on GCN while the GeForce GTX 950 uses Maxwell 2.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 2,560 (Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire) vs 768 (GeForce GTX 950). Boost clocks: 900 MHz vs 1188 MHz.

Feature	Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire	GeForce GTX 950
G3D Mark Score	5,500+3%	5,357
Architecture	GCN	Maxwell 2.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	2560+233%	768
Boost Clock	900 MHz	1188 MHz+32%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire	GeForce GTX 950
Upscaling Tech	FSR 1.0 (Software)	FSR 2.1 (Compatible)
Frame Generation	Not Supported	FSR 3 (Compatible)
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	AMD Anti-Lag	Standard

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 950 has 2 GB. The Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 153.6 GB/s x2 (Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire) vs 106 GB/s (GeForce GTX 950) — a 44.9% advantage for the Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire. Bus width: 256-bit x2 vs 128-bit.

Feature	Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire	GeForce GTX 950
VRAM Capacity	4 GB+100%	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	153.6 GB/s x2+45%	106 GB/s
Bus Width	256-bit x2+100%	128-bit

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire draws 200W versus the GeForce GTX 950's 90W — a 75.9% difference. The GeForce GTX 950 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire) vs 350W (GeForce GTX 950). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 1x 6-pin.

Feature	Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire	GeForce GTX 950
TDP	200W	90W-55%
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	1x 6-pin
Length	—	202mm
Slots	—	2
Perf/Watt	27.5	59.5+116%

💰

Value Analysis

The Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire launched at $300 MSRP and currently averages $75, while the GeForce GTX 950 launched at $159 and now averages $48. The GeForce GTX 950 costs 36% less ($27 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 73.3 (Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire) vs 111.6 (GeForce GTX 950) — the GeForce GTX 950 offers 52.3% better value. The GeForce GTX 950 is the newer GPU (2015 vs 2012).