Radeon HD 8970M vs GeForce GTX 880M

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 HD 8970M is positioned at rank 78 and the GeForce GTX 880M is on rank 116, so the Radeon HD 8970M 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 Radeon HD 8970M

#25

Radeon RX 7600M XT

MSRP: $329|Avg: $300

92%

#68

Radeon RX 550X (móvel)

MSRP: $35|Avg: $35

224%

#70

GeForce GTX 1070 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $150

203%

#71

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $100

203%

#75

GeForce GTX 1050 (Mobile)

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

184%

#76

Radeon RX 6300

MSRP: $60|Avg: $40

183%

#78

Radeon HD 8970M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $170

100%

#82

Arc 7-Core iGPU

MSRP: $199|Avg: N/A

97%

#87

Radeon RX 560 (móvel)

MSRP: $99|Avg: $50

94%

#92

Radeon RX 550 (móvel)

MSRP: $79|Avg: $40

91%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Per Dollar GeForce GTX 880M

#106

Radeon RX 550X (móvel)

MSRP: $35|Avg: $35

284%

#108

GeForce GTX 1070 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $150

257%

#109

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $100

257%

#113

GeForce GTX 1050 (Mobile)

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

233%

#114

Radeon RX 6300

MSRP: $60|Avg: $40

232%

#116

GeForce GTX 880M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $150

100%

#117

GeForce MX570

MSRP: $150|Avg: $120

100%

#118

Radeon RX 6500

MSRP: $199|Avg: $150

100%

#119

GeForce 825M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $30

99%

#121

Radeon HD 6970M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $48

99%

#123

Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire

MSRP: $150|Avg: $150

98%

#125

GeForce GT 550M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $30

98%

#131

GeForce GT 335M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $25

96%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

The Radeon HD 8970M is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.3% higher G3D Mark score. However, the GeForce GTX 880M offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.

Insight	Radeon HD 8970M	GeForce GTX 880M
Performance	✅Leading raw performance (+1.3%)	❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.3%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / Kepler (2012−2018))
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 GeForce GTX 880M offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the GeForce GTX 880M holds the technical lead. Priced at $150 (vs $170), it costs 12% less, resulting in a 11.9% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	Radeon HD 8970M	GeForce GTX 880M
Cost Efficiency	❌Lower cost efficiency	✅Better overall value (+11.9%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($170)	✅More affordable ($150)

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 Benchmark Check

GeForce GTX 880M Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Radeon HD 8970M and GeForce GTX 880M

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.

GeForce GTX 880M

The GeForce GTX 880M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 12 2014. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 954 MHz to 993 MHz. It has 1536 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 122W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,826 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon HD 8970M scores 3,876 and the GeForce GTX 880M reaches 3,826 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.3% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 8970M is built on GCN 1.0 while the GeForce GTX 880M uses Kepler, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,280 (Radeon HD 8970M) vs 1,536 (GeForce GTX 880M). Raw compute: 2.304 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 8970M) vs 3.05 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 880M). Boost clocks: 900 MHz vs 993 MHz.

Feature	Radeon HD 8970M	GeForce GTX 880M
G3D Mark Score	3,876+1%	3,826
Architecture	GCN 1.0	Kepler
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	1280	1536+20%
Compute (TFLOPS)	2.304 TFLOPS	3.05 TFLOPS+32%
Boost Clock	900 MHz	993 MHz+10%
ROPs	32	32
TMUs	80	128+60%
L1 Cache	320 KB+150%	128 KB
L2 Cache	512 KB	512 KB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon HD 8970M	GeForce GTX 880M
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 comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 880M has 8 GB. The GeForce GTX 880M offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: System vs 256-bit.

Feature	Radeon HD 8970M	GeForce GTX 880M
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	8 GB+100%
Memory Type	Shared	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	System	160 GB/s
Bus Width	System	256-bit
L2 Cache	512 KB	512 KB

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD 8970M draws 100W versus the GeForce GTX 880M's 122W — a 19.8% difference. The Radeon HD 8970M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon HD 8970M) vs 350W (GeForce GTX 880M). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered.

Feature	Radeon HD 8970M	GeForce GTX 880M
TDP	100W-18%	122W
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	—	1mm
Slots	—	0
Perf/Watt	38.8+24%	31.4

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 880M costs 11.8% less ($20 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 22.8 (Radeon HD 8970M) vs 25.5 (GeForce GTX 880M) — the GeForce GTX 880M offers 11.8% better value. The GeForce GTX 880M is the newer GPU (2014 vs 2013).