GeForce GTX 280 vs Radeon HD 8970M

When comparing GeForce GTX 280 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 280 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 280 Radeon HD 8970M
Power consumption (TDP) 236 Watt 100 Watt
Interface PCIe 2.0 x16 PCIe 3.0 x16
Supplementary power connectors 6-pin & 8-pin
Memory type GDDR3 GDDR5
Maximum RAM amount 1 GB 4 GB
Display Connectors 2x DVI, 1x S-Video No outputs
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  • GeForce GTX 280 has 136% more power consumption, than Radeon HD 8970M.
  • GeForce GTX 280 is connected by PCIe 2.0 x16, and Radeon HD 8970M uses PCIe 3.0 x16 interface.
  • Radeon HD 8970M has 3 GB more memory, than GeForce GTX 280.
  • GeForce GTX 280 is used in Desktops, and Radeon HD 8970M - in Laptops.
  • GeForce GTX 280 is build with Tesla 2.0 architecture, and Radeon HD 8970M - with GCN.
  • Core clock speed of GeForce GTX 280 is 446 MHz higher, than Radeon HD 8970M.
  • GeForce GTX 280 is manufactured by 65 nm process technology, and Radeon HD 8970M - by 28 nm process technology.
  • Memory clock speed of Radeon HD 8970M is 3693 MHz higher, than GeForce GTX 280.

Game benchmarks

high / 1080p 1−2 20−22
ultra / 1080p 0−1 12−14
QHD / 1440p 0−1 6−7
4K / 2160p 5−6
low / 720p 12−14 35−40
medium / 1080p 3−4 24−27
The average gaming FPS of Radeon HD 8970M in Assassin's Creed Odyssey is 366% more, than GeForce GTX 280.

Full Specs

  GeForce GTX 280 Radeon HD 8970M
Architecture Tesla 2.0 GCN
Code name GT200 Neptune
Type Desktop Laptop
Release date 16 June 2008 15 May 2013
Pipelines 240 1280
Core clock speed 1296 MHz 850 MHz
Boost Clock 900 MHz
Transistor count 1,400 million 2,800 million
Manufacturing process technology 65 nm 28 nm
Texture fill rate 48.2 billion/sec 72.00
Floating-point performance 622.1 gflops 2,304 gflops
Length 10.5" (267 mm) (26.7 cm)
Memory bus width 512 Bit 256 Bit
Memory clock speed 1107 MHz 4800 MHz
Memory bandwidth 141.7 GB/s 153.6 GB/s
Shared memory -
DirectX 11.1 (10_0) 12 (11_1)
Shader Model 4.0 5.1
OpenGL 2.1 4.6
OpenCL 1.1 1.2
Vulkan N/A 1.2.131
CUDA +
CUDA cores 240
Height 4.376" (111 mm) (11.1 cm)
SLI options +
Multi monitor support +
Maximum VGA resolution 2048x1536
Audio input for HDMI S/PDIF
Bitcoin / BTC (SHA256) 273 Mh/s
Laptop size large
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