Radeon HD 8970M vs Radeon RX Vega M GL

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 HD 8970M vs Radeon RX Vega M GL 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 HD 8970M vs Radeon RX Vega M GL: 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 HD 8970M

2013

Why buy it

✅100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs Unknown).
✅Radeon RX Vega M GL is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon HD 8970M is the less risky modern option long term.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon RX Vega M GL across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2013 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 26.0 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
❌53.8% higher power demand at 100W vs 65W.

Radeon RX Vega M GL

2018

Why buy it

✅4.3% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 26.0 vs 0 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 100W, a 35W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2018 hardware with Unknown of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon RX Vega M GL is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 4.3% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 0.8% in PassMark G3D (3,906 vs 3,876), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

Radeon HD 8970M is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 4 GB vs Unknown of VRAM. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

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

Radeon HD 8970M vs Radeon RX Vega M GL Technical Specifications

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

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.

Radeon RX Vega M GL

The Radeon RX Vega M GL is manufactured by AMD. It was released in February 1 2018. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 931 MHz to 1011 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 65W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,906 points.

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Graphics Performance

The Radeon HD 8970M scores 3,876 and the Radeon RX Vega M GL reaches 3,906 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.8% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 8970M is built on GCN 1.0 while the Radeon RX Vega M GL uses GCN 4.0, both on 28 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 1,280 (Radeon HD 8970M) vs 1,280 (Radeon RX Vega M GL). Raw compute: 2.304 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 8970M) vs 2.588 TFLOPS (Radeon RX Vega M GL). Boost clocks: 900 MHz vs 1011 MHz.

Feature	Radeon HD 8970M	Radeon RX Vega M GL
G3D Mark Score	3,876	3,906
Architecture	GCN 1.0	GCN 4.0
Process Node	28 nm	14 nm
Shading Units	1280	1280
Compute (TFLOPS)	2.304 TFLOPS	2.588 TFLOPS+12%
Boost Clock	900 MHz	1011 MHz+12%
ROPs	32	32
TMUs	80	80
L1 Cache	320 KB	320 KB
L2 Cache	0.5 MB	1 MB+100%
Frame Generation	FSR upscaling	FSR upscaling

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon HD 8970M	Radeon RX Vega M GL
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 HD 8970M has 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon RX Vega M GL carries 0 MB. 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 HD 8970M and 1024-bit on the Radeon RX Vega M GL. L2 Cache: 0.5 MB (Radeon HD 8970M) vs 1 MB (Radeon RX Vega M GL) — the Radeon RX Vega M GL has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Radeon HD 8970M	Radeon RX Vega M GL
VRAM Capacity	4 GB	Shared System RAM
Memory Type	Shared	HBM2
Memory Bandwidth	System	179.2 GB/s
Bus Width	System	1024-bit
L2 Cache	0.5 MB	1 MB+100%

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Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD 8970M draws 100W versus the Radeon RX Vega M GL's 65W — a 42.4% difference. The Radeon RX Vega M GL is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon HD 8970M) vs 1W (Radeon RX Vega M GL). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs Integrated.

Feature	Radeon HD 8970M	Radeon RX Vega M GL
TDP	100W	65W-35%
Recommended PSU	350W	1W-100%
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	Integrated
Length	—	0mm
Height	—	0mm
Slots	—	0
Temp (Load)	—	80
Perf/Watt	38.8	60.1+55%

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Value Analysis

The newer card here is Radeon RX Vega M GL (2018 vs 2013).

Feature	Radeon HD 8970M	Radeon RX Vega M GL
MSRP	—	$150
Codename	Neptune	Polaris 22
Release	May 14 2013	February 1 2018
Ranking	#507	#500

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