GeForce GTX 970 vs Radeon HD 8970M

When comparing GeForce GTX 970 and Radeon HD 8970M, we look primarily at benchmarks and game tests. But it is not only about the numbers. Often you can find third-party models with higher clock speeds, better cooling, or a customizable RGB lighting. Not all of them will have all the features you need. Another thing to consider is the port selection. Most graphics cards have at least one DisplayPort and HDMI interface, but some monitors require DVI. Before you buy, check the TDP of the graphics card - this characteristic will help you estimate the consumption of the graphics card. You may even have to upgrade your PSU to meet its requirements. An important factor when choosing between GeForce GTX 970 and Radeon HD 8970M is the price. Does the additional cost justify the performance hit? Our comparison should help you make the right decision.

Radeon HD 8970M is a Laptop Graphics Card

Note: Radeon HD 8970M is only used in laptop graphics. It has lower GPU clock speed compared to the desktop variant, which results in lower power consumption, but also 10-30% lower gaming performance. Check available laptop models with Radeon HD 8970M here:

Main Specs

  GeForce GTX 970 Radeon HD 8970M
Power consumption (TDP) 148 Watt 100 Watt
Interface PCIe 3.0 x16 PCIe 3.0 x16
Supplementary power connectors 2x 6-pins
Memory type GDDR5 GDDR5
Maximum RAM amount 4 GB 4 GB
Display Connectors 1x DVI, 1x HDMI, 3x DisplayPort No outputs
Recommended system power (PSU) 500 Watt
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  • GeForce GTX 970 has 48% more power consumption, than Radeon HD 8970M.
  • Both video cards are using PCIe 3.0 x16 interface connection to a motherboard.
  • GeForce GTX 970 and Radeon HD 8970M have maximum RAM of 4 GB.
  • GeForce GTX 970 is used in Desktops, and Radeon HD 8970M - in Laptops.
  • GeForce GTX 970 is build with Maxwell architecture, and Radeon HD 8970M - with GCN.
  • Core clock speed of GeForce GTX 970 is 200 MHz higher, than Radeon HD 8970M.
  • GeForce GTX 970 and Radeon HD 8970M are manufactured by 28 nm process technology.
  • Memory clock speed of Radeon HD 8970M is 4793 MHz higher, than GeForce GTX 970.

Game benchmarks

high / 1080p 50−55 20−22
ultra / 1080p 30−35 12−14
QHD / 1440p 27−30 6−7
4K / 2160p 14−16 5−6
low / 720p 75−80 35−40
medium / 1080p 60−65 24−27
The average gaming FPS of GeForce GTX 970 in Assassin's Creed Odyssey is 144% more, than Radeon HD 8970M.

Full Specs

  GeForce GTX 970 Radeon HD 8970M
Architecture Maxwell GCN
Code name GM204 Neptune
Type Desktop Laptop
Release date 19 September 2014 15 May 2013
Pipelines 1664 1280
Core clock speed 1050 MHz 850 MHz
Boost Clock 1178 MHz 900 MHz
Transistor count 5,200 million 2,800 million
Manufacturing process technology 28 nm 28 nm
Texture fill rate 109 billion/sec 72.00
Floating-point performance 3,920 gflops 2,304 gflops
Length 10.5" (26.7 cm)
Memory bus width 256 Bit 256 Bit
Memory clock speed 7.0 GB/s 4800 MHz
Memory bandwidth 224 GB/s 153.6 GB/s
Shared memory - -
G-SYNC support +
DirectX 12 (12_1) 12 (11_1)
Shader Model 6.4 5.1
OpenGL 4.4 4.6
OpenCL 1.2 1.2
Vulkan 1.1.126 1.2.131
CUDA +
Monero / XMR (CryptoNight) 0.48 kh/s
CUDA cores 1664
Bus support PCI Express 3.0
Height 4.376" (11.1 cm)
SLI options +
Multi monitor support 4 displays
HDCP +
Maximum VGA resolution 2048x1536
Audio input for HDMI Internal
Bitcoin / BTC (SHA256) 478 Mh/s 273 Mh/s
Laptop size large
Decred / DCR (Decred) 1.51 Gh/s
Ethereum / ETH (DaggerHashimoto) 22.21 Mh/s
Zcash / ZEC (Equihash) 291.61 Sol/s
GameStream +
GeForce ShadowPlay +
GPU Boost 2.0
GameWorks +
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