Radeon HD8970M vs Radeon RX 560X

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 HD8970M vs Radeon RX 560X 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 HD8970M vs Radeon RX 560X: 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 HD8970M

2013

Why buy it

✅9.2% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like FSR Frame Generation (2023).
❌2013 hardware with 2 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 25.9 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $129 MSRP).
❌33.3% higher power demand at 100W vs 75W.

Radeon RX 560X

2018

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 25.9 vs 0 G3D/$ ($129 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with FSR Frame Generation (2023).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 2 GB).
✅Radeon HD8970M is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon RX 560X is the less risky modern option long term.
✅Draws 75W instead of 100W, a 25W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon HD8970M across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Older hardware, 4 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in newer AAA releases.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon HD8970M is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 9.2% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 0.9% in PassMark G3D (3,369 vs 3,340), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

Radeon RX 560X is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 4 GB vs 2 GB of VRAM, native frame generation with FSR Frame Generation (2023), while Radeon HD8970M has no comparable frame-generation support, a 14nm process instead of 28nm, and a newer 2018 generation instead of 2013. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon RX 560X makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. Radeon HD8970M still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

Radeon HD8970M vs Radeon RX 560X Technical Specifications

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

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 RX 560X

The Radeon RX 560X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 11 2018. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1175 MHz to 1275 MHz. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,340 points.

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Graphics Performance

The Radeon HD8970M scores 3,369 and the Radeon RX 560X reaches 3,340 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD8970M is built on GCN 1.0 while the Radeon RX 560X uses GCN 4.0, both on 28 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 1,280 (Radeon HD8970M) vs 1,024 (Radeon RX 560X). Raw compute: 2.304 TFLOPS (Radeon HD8970M) vs 2.611 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 560X). Boost clocks: 900 MHz vs 1275 MHz.

Feature	Radeon HD8970M	Radeon RX 560X
G3D Mark Score	3,369	3,340
Architecture	GCN 1.0	GCN 4.0
Process Node	28 nm	14 nm
Shading Units	1280+25%	1024
Compute (TFLOPS)	2.304 TFLOPS	2.611 TFLOPS+13%
Boost Clock	900 MHz	1275 MHz+42%
ROPs	32+100%	16
TMUs	80+25%	64
L1 Cache	320 KB+25%	256 KB
L2 Cache	0.5 MB	1 MB+100%
Frame Generation	FSR upscaling	FSR upscaling + limited Frame Generation

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the Radeon RX 560X is support for FSR Frame Generation. In games that support it, that can smooth out motion and lift perceived FPS. The Radeon HD8970M does not have comparable native support in the same tier.

Feature	Radeon HD8970M	Radeon RX 560X
Upscaling Tech	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	FSR Frame Generation
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	AMD Anti-Lag	AMD Anti-Lag

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon HD8970M has 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon RX 560X carries 4 GB. Radeon RX 560X 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 HD8970M and 256-bit on the Radeon RX 560X. L2 Cache: 0.5 MB (Radeon HD8970M) vs 1 MB (Radeon RX 560X) — the Radeon RX 560X has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	Radeon HD8970M	Radeon RX 560X
VRAM Capacity	2 GB	4 GB+100%
Memory Type	Shared	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	System	Unknown
Bus Width	System	256-bit
L2 Cache	0.5 MB	1 MB+100%

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Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD8970M draws 100W versus the Radeon RX 560X's 75W — a 28.6% difference. The Radeon RX 560X is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon HD8970M) vs 400W (Radeon RX 560X). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs None.

Feature	Radeon HD8970M	Radeon RX 560X
TDP	100W	75W-25%
Recommended PSU	350W-13%	400W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	None
Perf/Watt	33.7	44.5+32%

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Value Analysis

The newer card here is Radeon RX 560X (2018 vs 2013).

Feature	Radeon HD8970M	Radeon RX 560X
MSRP	—	$129
Codename	Neptune	Polaris 21
Release	May 14 2013	April 11 2018
Ranking	#507	#556

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