Radeon HD 8970M
AMD
G3D Mark
3,876
AVG Price
$170
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.
Overview
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. The Radeon HD 8970M is positioned at rank #78 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Balanced cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Radeon HD 8970M
FPS Benchmarks
Predicted performance for Radeon HD 8970M across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 7800X3D to isolate GPU performance.
Path of Exile 2
Counter-Strike 2
League of Legends
Valorant
Technical Analysis
Detailed breakdown of Radeon HD 8970M specifications and capabilities.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 8970M scores 3,876 in the G3D Mark benchmark (the standard measure of rasterization GPU performance), placing it in the Entry Level tier as a Legacy generation graphics card. It is built on the GCN 1.0 (2012−2020) architecture (codename: Neptune), manufactured on a 28 nm process— smaller process nodes improve power efficiency and transistor density. It packs 1280 shader units (the primary compute units for rendering pixels), 80 TMUs (texture mapping units), and 32 ROPs (render output units that handle final pixel output). Raw FP32 compute power: 2.304 TFLOPS — this measures the theoretical peak floating-point performance. Boost clock reaches 900 MHz from a base of 850 MHz.
| Specification | Radeon HD 8970M |
|---|---|
| G3D MarkPassMark 3D graphics benchmark score | 3,876 |
| ArchitectureGPU microarchitecture generation | GCN 1.0 (2012−2020) |
| CodenameInternal GPU die codename | Neptune |
| Manufacturing ProcessFabrication node — smaller = more efficient | 28 nm |
| Shader UnitsCore compute units for rendering/compute | 1280 |
| TMUsTexture Mapping Units — handle texture sampling | 80 |
| ROPsRender Output Units — final pixel/color blending | 32 |
| Boost ClockMaximum GPU frequency under load | 900 MHz |
| Base ClockGuaranteed minimum GPU frequency | 850 MHz |
| Compute (FP32)Peak single-precision floating-point performance | 2.304 TFLOPS |
| Texture Fill RateTextures processed per second | 72.00 GTexel/s |
| PCIe InterfaceCPU↔GPU data link generation | IGP |
| Transistor Count | 2,800 million |
| Performance RankPosition in global GPU performance ranking | #507 |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The Radeon HD 8970M is equipped with 4 GB of Shared video memory connected via a System memory bus, delivering System of bandwidth.
| Specification | Radeon HD 8970M |
|---|---|
| VRAM SizeVideo memory capacity — more = better for high-res textures | 4 GB |
| VRAM TypeMemory technology generation | Shared |
| Memory BusWidth of data path — wider = more bandwidth | System |
| BandwidthMaximum data throughput between GPU and VRAM | System |
| L1 Cache | 320 kB |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB |
Advanced Features & APIs
The Radeon HD 8970M supports modern upscaling and frame generation technologies: FidelityFX Super Resolution — these can dramatically boost effective FPS by generating intermediate frames or upscaling from lower internal resolution.
| Specification | Radeon HD 8970M |
|---|---|
| FSR Frame Generation | ❌ Not Supported |
| AMD Fluid Motion Frames | ❌ Not Supported |
| FidelityFX Super Resolution | ✅ Supported |
Display & Media
Display outputs: .
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 8970M draws 100 Watt under load (TDP) — a 350W PSU minimum is recommended. Power connector: 1x 6-pin.
| Specification | Radeon HD 8970M |
|---|---|
| TDPPower consumption under load | 100 Watt |
| Recommended PSUMinimum power supply wattage | 350W |
| Power ConnectorRequired PCIe power cable type | 1x 6-pin |
Value Analysis
At an average price of $170, the Radeon HD 8970M delivers 23 G3D Mark points per dollar. It holds Rank #78 in the cost-benefit ranking — a comprehensive score that weighs raw performance against current market pricing. Overall performance ranking position: #507 among all indexed GPUs.
| Specification | Radeon HD 8970M |
|---|---|
| Avg Price (30d)Average market price over the last 30 days | $170 |
| Cost-Benefit RankOverall value ranking position | #78 |
| Performance RankPosition in global GPU performance ranking | #507 |
| Release Date | May 14 2013 |
| Release Year | 2013 |
Similar Performance
Graphics cards with benchmark scores closest to the current hardware, grouped by manufacturer.
NVIDIA (12)
AMD (12)
Intel (9)
Our Recommendation for Radeon HD 8970M
Suggested pairings based on performance balance
Minimum (Avoid Bottleneck) (12)
Recommended (Balanced) (12)
High-End (Max Performance) (12)
Popular Comparisons
Compare Radeon HD 8970M with other popular GPUs
Compare Radeon HD 8970M
See how this GPU stacks up against similar alternatives
Better Alternatives (8)
Similar or Lower Performance (8)
