Radeon HD 8970M
VS
GRID M60-4Q

Radeon HD 8970M vs GRID M60-4Q

AMD

Radeon HD 8970M

2013Core: 850 MHzBoost: 900 MHz
VS

GRID M60-4Q

2015Core: 557 MHzBoost: 1178 MHz

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 HD 8970M is positioned at rank 78 and the GRID M60-4Q is on rank 318, 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
203%
#71
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 GRID M60-4Q

#303
Tesla K20m
MSRP: $3199|Avg: $55
9656%
#318
GRID M60-4Q
MSRP: $2500|Avg: $120
100%
#319
Quadro K6000
MSRP: $5265|Avg: $300
99%
#320
FirePro V8800
MSRP: $1499|Avg: $100
99%
#321
NVS 510
MSRP: $449|Avg: $15
99%
#322
GRID M60-1Q
MSRP: $2500|Avg: $50
97%
#323
FirePro M2000
MSRP: $300|Avg: $50
93%
#324
GRID K280Q
MSRP: $2000|Avg: $50
93%
#325
Tesla K20c
MSRP: $3199|Avg: $500
91%
#326
GRID M6-1Q
MSRP: $1500|Avg: $100
90%
#327
Tesla C2050 / C2070
MSRP: $2499|Avg: $30
90%
#328
Quadro FX 380
MSRP: $129|Avg: $15
90%
#329
FirePro M7740
MSRP: $500|Avg: $500
87%
#330
Quadro FX 570
MSRP: $199|Avg: $15
85%
#331
RTXA5000-24Q
MSRP: $3721|Avg: $2100
84%
#333
GRID P40-1Q
MSRP: $3000|Avg: $150
84%
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 1.2% 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 GRID M60-4Q.

InsightRadeon HD 8970MGRID M60-4Q
Performance
Leading raw performance (+1.2%)
Lower raw frame rates (-1.2%)
Longevity
🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020))
🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / Maxwell 2.0 (2014−2019))
Ecosystem
Supports FSR Upscaling
Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM
✅ More VRAM (+100%)
❌ Less VRAM capacity
Efficiency
💡 Excellent Perf/Watt
⚡ Higher Power Consumption
Case Fit
Standard Size (267mm)

💎 Value Proposition

The GRID M60-4Q offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the GRID M60-4Q holds the technical lead. Priced at $120 (vs $170), it costs 29% less, resulting in a 40% higher cost efficiency score.

InsightRadeon HD 8970MGRID M60-4Q
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Better overall value (+40%)
Upfront Cost
⚠️Higher upfront cost ($170)
More affordable ($120)

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Radeon HD 8970M and GRID M60-4Q

AMD

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.

NVIDIA

GRID M60-4Q

The GRID M60-4Q is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 30 2015. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 557 MHz to 1178 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 225W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,831 points.

Graphics Performance

The Radeon HD 8970M scores 3,876 and the GRID M60-4Q reaches 3,831 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 8970M is built on GCN 1.0 while the GRID M60-4Q uses Maxwell 2.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,280 (Radeon HD 8970M) vs 2,048 (GRID M60-4Q). Raw compute: 2.304 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 8970M) vs 4.825 TFLOPS (GRID M60-4Q). Boost clocks: 900 MHz vs 1178 MHz.

FeatureRadeon HD 8970MGRID M60-4Q
G3D Mark Score
3,876+1%
3,831
Architecture
GCN 1.0
Maxwell 2.0
Process Node
28 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
1280
2048+60%
Compute (TFLOPS)
2.304 TFLOPS
4.825 TFLOPS+109%
Boost Clock
900 MHz
1178 MHz+31%
ROPs
32
64+100%
TMUs
80
128+60%
L1 Cache
320 KB
768 KB+140%
L2 Cache
0.5 MB
2 MB+300%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureRadeon HD 8970MGRID M60-4Q
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
Standard
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon HD 8970M comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the GRID M60-4Q has 2 GB. The Radeon HD 8970M offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: System vs 64-bit. L2 Cache: 0.5 MB (Radeon HD 8970M) vs 2 MB (GRID M60-4Q) — the GRID M60-4Q has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureRadeon HD 8970MGRID M60-4Q
VRAM Capacity
4 GB+100%
2 GB
Memory Type
Shared
GDDR5
Bus Width
System
64-bit
L2 Cache
0.5 MB
2 MB+300%
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD 8970M draws 100W versus the GRID M60-4Q's 225W — a 76.9% difference. The Radeon HD 8970M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon HD 8970M) vs 350W (GRID M60-4Q). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered.

FeatureRadeon HD 8970MGRID M60-4Q
TDP
100W-56%
225W
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
1x 6-pin
PCIe-powered
Length
267mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
85°C
Perf/Watt
38.8+128%
17.0
💰

Value Analysis

The GRID M60-4Q costs 29.4% less ($50 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 22.8 (Radeon HD 8970M) vs 31.9 (GRID M60-4Q) — the GRID M60-4Q offers 39.9% better value. The GRID M60-4Q is the newer GPU (2015 vs 2013).

FeatureRadeon HD 8970MGRID M60-4Q
MSRP
$2500
Avg Price (30d)
$170
$120-29%
Performance per Dollar
22.8
31.9+40%
Codename
Neptune
GM204
Release
May 14 2013
August 30 2015
Ranking
#507
#433