Radeon HD8970M
VS
GeForce GTX 1060

Radeon HD8970M vs GeForce GTX 1060

AMD

Radeon HD8970M

2013Core: 850 MHzBoost: 900 MHz
VS
NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060

2016Core: 1607 MHzBoost: 1733 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. The Radeon HD8970M is positioned at rank #154 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 HD8970M

#42
Radeon RX 6600S
MSRP: $400|Avg: $400
97%
#43
Radeon RX 8060S
MSRP: $500|Avg: $500
95%
#143
Radeon RX 550X (móvel)
MSRP: $35|Avg: $35
322%
#145
292%
#146
291%
#150
GeForce GTX 1050 (Mobile)
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50
265%
#151
Radeon RX 6300
MSRP: $60|Avg: $40
263%
#154
Radeon HD8970M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#156
GeForce 830M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $30
99%
#157
GeForce GT 750M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50
99%
#158
GeForce GT 425M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $25
99%
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 GeForce GTX 1060 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 198.7% higher G3D Mark score and 200% more VRAM (6 GB vs 2 GB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon HD8970M.

InsightRadeon HD8970MGeForce GTX 1060
Performance
Lower raw frame rates (-198.7%)
Leading raw performance (+198.7%)
Longevity
🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020))
🛑Obsolete Architecture (2016 / Pascal (2016−2021))
Ecosystem
Supports FSR Upscaling
Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM
❌ Less VRAM capacity
✅ More VRAM (+200%)
Efficiency
⚡ Higher Power Consumption
💡 Excellent Perf/Watt
Case Fit
📏 Compact / SFF Friendly

💎 Value Proposition

While current pricing data is unavailable, the GeForce GTX 1060 remains the clear technical winner. Check real-time availability to determine if the performance gap justifies the market price.

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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Radeon HD8970M and GeForce GTX 1060

AMD

Radeon HD8970M

The Radeon HD8970M 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: 3,369 points.

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 1060

The GeForce GTX 1060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 27 2016. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1607 MHz to 1733 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 180W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 10,064 points. Launch price was $599.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the Radeon HD8970M scores 3,369 versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 10,064 — the GeForce GTX 1060 leads by 198.7%. The Radeon HD8970M is built on GCN 1.0 while the GeForce GTX 1060 uses Pascal, both on 28 nm vs 16 nm. Shader units: 1,280 (Radeon HD8970M) vs 2,560 (GeForce GTX 1060). Raw compute: 2.304 TFLOPS (Radeon HD8970M) vs 8.873 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060). Boost clocks: 900 MHz vs 1733 MHz.

FeatureRadeon HD8970MGeForce GTX 1060
G3D Mark Score
3,369
10,064+199%
Architecture
GCN 1.0
Pascal
Process Node
28 nm
16 nm
Shading Units
1280
2560+100%
Compute (TFLOPS)
2.304 TFLOPS
8.873 TFLOPS+285%
Boost Clock
900 MHz
1733 MHz+93%
ROPs
32
64+100%
TMUs
80
160+100%
L1 Cache
320 KB
960 KB+200%
L2 Cache
0.5 MB
2 MB+300%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureRadeon HD8970MGeForce GTX 1060
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 HD8970M comes with 2 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 1060 has 6 GB. The GeForce GTX 1060 offers 200% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: System vs 192-bit. L2 Cache: 0.5 MB (Radeon HD8970M) vs 2 MB (GeForce GTX 1060) — the GeForce GTX 1060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureRadeon HD8970MGeForce GTX 1060
VRAM Capacity
2 GB
6 GB+200%
Memory Type
Shared
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
System
192 GB/s
Bus Width
System
192-bit
L2 Cache
0.5 MB
2 MB+300%
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD8970M draws 100W versus the GeForce GTX 1060's 180W — a 57.1% difference. The Radeon HD8970M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon HD8970M) vs 400W (GeForce GTX 1060). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 6-pin.

FeatureRadeon HD8970MGeForce GTX 1060
TDP
100W-44%
180W
Recommended PSU
350W-13%
400W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
6-pin
Length
173mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
Perf/Watt
33.7
55.9+66%
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 1060 is the newer GPU (2016 vs 2013).

FeatureRadeon HD8970MGeForce GTX 1060
MSRP
$249
Avg Price (30d)
$60
Codename
Neptune
GP104
Release
May 14 2013
May 27 2016
Ranking
#507
#137