Radeon R7 250X vs Radeon R9 M470

AMD

Radeon R7 250X

2014Boost: 1000 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
AMD

Radeon R9 M470

2016Core: 900 MHzBoost: 1000 MHz
Similar parts
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Radeon R7 250X vs Radeon R9 M470 Performance Spectrum

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.

Radeon R7 250X vs Radeon R9 M470 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 R7 250X vs Radeon R9 M470: 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 R7 250X

2014

Why buy it

  • Costs $251 less on MSRP ($99 MSRP vs $350 MSRP).
  • Delivers 244.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 22.9 vs 6.7 G3D/$ ($99 MSRP vs $350 MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than Radeon R9 M470 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2014 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Radeon R9 M470

2016

Why buy it

  • 17.4% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 2 GB).
  • More future proof: GCN 2.0 (2013−2017) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 2016 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 253.5% HIGHER MSRP
    $350 MSRPvs$99 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 6.7 vs 22.9 G3D/$ ($350 MSRP vs $99 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Radeon R9 M470 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 17.4% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 2.7% in PassMark G3D (2,331 vs 2,269), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
Radeon R7 250X is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond because it comes out ahead on the available hardware-headroom signals for this matchup.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Radeon R7 250X makes the most sense to buy today. It is $251 cheaper on MSRP at $99 vs $350, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 244.1% (22.9 vs 6.7), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. Radeon R9 M470 still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

Radeon R7 250X vs Radeon R9 M470 Technical Specifications

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

AMD

Radeon R7 250X

The Radeon R7 250X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in February 13 2014. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1000 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 80W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,269 points. Launch price was $99.

AMD

Radeon R9 M470

The Radeon R9 M470 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in May 15 2016. It features the GCN 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 900 MHz to 1000 MHz. It has 768 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,331 points.

Graphics Performance

The Radeon R7 250X scores 2,269 and the Radeon R9 M470 reaches 2,331 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon R7 250X is built on GCN 1.0 while the Radeon R9 M470 uses GCN 2.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 640 (Radeon R7 250X) vs 768 (Radeon R9 M470). Raw compute: 1.216 TFLOPS (Radeon R7 250X) vs 1.536 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 M470). Boost clocks: 1000 MHz vs 1000 MHz.

FeatureRadeon R7 250XRadeon R9 M470
G3D Mark Score
2,269
2,331+3%
Architecture
GCN 1.0
GCN 2.0
Process Node
28 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
640
768+20%
Compute (TFLOPS)
1.216 TFLOPS
1.536 TFLOPS+26%
Boost Clock
1000 MHz
1000 MHz
ROPs
16
16
TMUs
40
48+20%
L1 Cache
160 KB
192 KB+20%
L2 Cache
256 KB
256 KB
Frame Generation
FSR upscaling
FSR upscaling

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureRadeon R7 250XRadeon R9 M470
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
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon R7 250X has 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 M470 carries 4 GB. Radeon R9 M470 gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the Radeon R7 250X and 128-bit on the Radeon R9 M470.

FeatureRadeon R7 250XRadeon R9 M470
VRAM Capacity
2 GB
4 GB+100%
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
72 GB/s
Unknown
Bus Width
128-bit
128-bit
L2 Cache
256 KB
256 KB
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon R7 250X draws 80W versus the Radeon R9 M470's 75W — a 6.5% difference. The Radeon R9 M470 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (Radeon R7 250X) vs 350W (Radeon R9 M470). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs Mobile.

FeatureRadeon R7 250XRadeon R9 M470
TDP
80W
75W-6%
Recommended PSU
400W
350W-13%
Power Connector
1x 6-pin
Mobile
Length
210mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
70°C
Perf/Watt
28.4
31.1+10%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Radeon R7 250X came in at $99, while the Radeon R9 M470 launched at $350. On MSRP, Radeon R7 250X was 71.7% cheaper ($251 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 22.9 (Radeon R7 250X) vs 6.7 (Radeon R9 M470) — the Radeon R7 250X offers 241.8% better value. The newer card here is Radeon R9 M470 (2016 vs 2014).

FeatureRadeon R7 250XRadeon R9 M470
MSRP
$99-72%
$350
Performance per Dollar
22.9+242%
6.7
Codename
Cape Verde
Emerald
Release
February 13 2014
May 15 2016
Ranking
#655
#649

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