
Radeon HD8970M vs Radeon E8870PCIe

Radeon HD8970M
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Radeon E8870PCIe
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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 HD8970M is positioned at rank 154 and the Radeon E8870PCIe is on rank 327, so the Radeon HD8970M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Radeon HD8970M
Performance Per Dollar Radeon E8870PCIe
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon HD8970M is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0% higher G3D Mark score. This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon E8870PCIe.
| Insight | Radeon HD8970M | Radeon E8870PCIe |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+0%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+0%) |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | — | — |
💎 Value Proposition
While current pricing data is unavailable, the Radeon HD8970M 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 Radeon E8870PCIe

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.

Radeon E8870PCIe
The Radeon E8870PCIe is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 25 2014. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 575 MHz to 625 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 37W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,368 points.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD8970M scores 3,369 and the Radeon E8870PCIe reaches 3,368 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD8970M is built on GCN 1.0 while the Radeon E8870PCIe uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,280 (Radeon HD8970M) vs 640 (Radeon E8870PCIe). Raw compute: 2.304 TFLOPS (Radeon HD8970M) vs 0.8 TFLOPS (Radeon E8870PCIe). Boost clocks: 900 MHz vs 625 MHz.
| Feature | Radeon HD8970M | Radeon E8870PCIe |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 3,369 | 3,368 |
| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | GCN 1.0 |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 1280+100% | 640 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 2.304 TFLOPS+188% | 0.8 TFLOPS |
| Boost Clock | 900 MHz+44% | 625 MHz |
| ROPs | 32+100% | 16 |
| TMUs | 80+100% | 40 |
| L1 Cache | 320 KB+100% | 160 KB |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB+100% | 256 KB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD8970M | Radeon E8870PCIe |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | AMD Anti-Lag |
Video Memory (VRAM)
Both cards feature 2 GB of video memory. Bus width: System vs 64-bit. L2 Cache: 512 KB (Radeon HD8970M) vs 256 KB (Radeon E8870PCIe) — the Radeon HD8970M has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon HD8970M | Radeon E8870PCIe |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 2 GB | 2 GB |
| Memory Type | Shared | GDDR5 |
| Bus Width | System | 64-bit |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB+100% | 256 KB |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD8970M draws 100W versus the Radeon E8870PCIe's 37W — a 92% difference. The Radeon E8870PCIe is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon HD8970M) vs 350W (Radeon E8870PCIe). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs PCIe-powered.
| Feature | Radeon HD8970M | Radeon E8870PCIe |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 100W | 37W-63% |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 350W |
| Power Connector | PCIe-powered | PCIe-powered |
| Perf/Watt | 33.7 | 91.0+170% |
Value Analysis
The Radeon E8870PCIe is the newer GPU (2014 vs 2013).
| Feature | Radeon HD8970M | Radeon E8870PCIe |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | — | $250 |
| Avg Price (30d) | — | $200 |
| Codename | Neptune | Venus |
| Release | May 14 2013 | January 25 2014 |
| Ranking | #507 | #734 |
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