Radeon HD 6970M vs GeForce GTX 980M

VS

Aggregate performance score

We've compared GeForce GTX 980M and Radeon HD 6970M, covering specs and all relevant benchmarks.

GTX 980M
2014
8 GB GDDR5
19.10
+224%

GTX 980M outperforms HD 6970M by a whopping 224% based on our aggregate benchmark results.

Primary details

GPU architecture, market segment, value for money and other general parameters compared.

Place in the ranking291591
Place by popularitynot in top-100not in top-100
Power efficiency13.095.38
ArchitectureMaxwell 2.0 (2014−2019)TeraScale 2 (2009−2015)
GPU code nameGM204Blackcomb
Market segmentLaptopLaptop
Release date7 October 2014 (10 years ago)4 January 2011 (13 years ago)

Detailed specifications

General parameters such as number of shaders, GPU core base clock and boost clock speeds, manufacturing process, texturing and calculation speed. Note that power consumption of some graphics cards can well exceed their nominal TDP, especially when overclocked.

Pipelines / CUDA cores1536960
Core clock speed1038 MHz680 MHz
Boost clock speed1127 MHzno data
Number of transistors5,200 million1,700 million
Manufacturing process technology28 nm40 nm
Power consumption (TDP)unknown75 Watt
Texture fill rate51.8432.64
Floating-point processing power1.659 TFLOPS1.306 TFLOPS
ROPs6432
TMUs9648

Form factor & compatibility

Information on compatibility with other computer components. Useful when choosing a future computer configuration or upgrading an existing one. For desktop graphics cards it's interface and bus (motherboard compatibility), additional power connectors (power supply compatibility).

Laptop sizelargelarge
Bus supportPCI Express 3.0no data
InterfaceMXM-B (3.0)MXM-B (3.0)
Supplementary power connectorsNoneNone
SLI options+-

VRAM capacity and type

Parameters of VRAM installed: its type, size, bus, clock and resulting bandwidth. Integrated GPUs have no dedicated video RAM and use a shared part of system RAM.

Memory typeGDDR5GDDR5
Maximum RAM amount8 GB1 GB
Memory bus width256 Bit256 Bit
Memory clock speed2500 MHz900 MHz
Memory bandwidth160 GB/s115.2 GB/s
Shared memory--

Connectivity and outputs

Types and number of video connectors present on the reviewed GPUs. As a rule, data in this section is precise only for desktop reference ones (so-called Founders Edition for NVIDIA chips). OEM manufacturers may change the number and type of output ports, while for notebook cards availability of certain video outputs ports depends on the laptop model rather than on the card itself.

Display ConnectorsNo outputsNo outputs
VGA аnalog display support+no data
DisplayPort Multimode (DP++) support+no data
HDMI+-
G-SYNC support+-

Supported technologies

Supported technological solutions. This information will prove useful if you need some particular technology for your purposes.

GameStream+-
GeForce ShadowPlay+-
GPU Boost2.0no data
GameWorks+-
H.264, VC1, MPEG2 1080p video decoder+-
Optimus+-
BatteryBoost+-
Ansel+-

API compatibility

List of supported 3D and general-purpose computing APIs, including their specific versions.

DirectX12 (12_1)11.2 (11_0)
Shader Model6.45.0
OpenGL4.54.4
OpenCL1.11.2
Vulkan1.1.126N/A
CUDA+-

Synthetic benchmark performance

Non-gaming benchmark results comparison. The combined score is measured on a 0-100 point scale.


Combined synthetic benchmark score

This is our combined benchmark score. We are regularly improving our combining algorithms, but if you find some perceived inconsistencies, feel free to speak up in comments section, we usually fix problems quickly.

GTX 980M 19.10
+224%
HD 6970M 5.89

Passmark

This is the most ubiquitous GPU benchmark. It gives the graphics card a thorough evaluation under various types of load, providing four separate benchmarks for Direct3D versions 9, 10, 11 and 12 (the last being done in 4K resolution if possible), and few more tests engaging DirectCompute capabilities.

GTX 980M 7357
+224%
HD 6970M 2270

3DMark 11 Performance GPU

3DMark 11 is an obsolete DirectX 11 benchmark by Futuremark. It used four tests based on two scenes, one being few submarines exploring the submerged wreck of a sunken ship, the other is an abandoned temple deep in the jungle. All the tests are heavy with volumetric lighting and tessellation, and despite being done in 1280x720 resolution, are relatively taxing. Discontinued in January 2020, 3DMark 11 is now superseded by Time Spy.

GTX 980M 12517
+344%
HD 6970M 2819

3DMark Vantage Performance

3DMark Vantage is an outdated DirectX 10 benchmark using 1280x1024 screen resolution. It taxes the graphics card with two scenes, one depicting a girl escaping some militarized base located within a sea cave, the other displaying a space fleet attack on a defenseless planet. It was discontinued in April 2017, and Time Spy benchmark is now recommended to be used instead.

GTX 980M 31944
+168%
HD 6970M 11898

Gaming performance

Let's see how good the compared graphics cards are for gaming. Particular gaming benchmark results are measured in FPS.

Average FPS across all PC games

Here are the average frames per second in a large set of popular games across different resolutions:

900p173
+233%
52
−233%
Full HD70
+37.3%
51
−37.3%
1440p36
+260%
10−12
−260%
4K27
+238%
8−9
−238%

FPS performance in popular games

Full HD
Low Preset

Cyberpunk 2077 30−33
+200%
10−11
−200%

Full HD
Medium Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 51
+240%
14−16
−240%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 30−35
+357%
7−8
−357%
Battlefield 5 67
+319%
16−18
−319%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 35−40
+217%
12−14
−217%
Cyberpunk 2077 30−33
+200%
10−11
−200%
Far Cry 5 62
+377%
12−14
−377%
Far Cry New Dawn 59
+269%
16−18
−269%
Forza Horizon 4 196
+416%
35−40
−416%
Hitman 3 35−40
+208%
12−14
−208%
Horizon Zero Dawn 90−95
+156%
35−40
−156%
Metro Exodus 65
+333%
14−16
−333%
Red Dead Redemption 2 50−55
+219%
16−18
−219%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 100
+400%
20−22
−400%
Watch Dogs: Legion 85−90
+81.6%
45−50
−81.6%

Full HD
High Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 68
+353%
14−16
−353%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 30−35
+357%
7−8
−357%
Battlefield 5 57
+256%
16−18
−256%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 35−40
+217%
12−14
−217%
Cyberpunk 2077 30−33
+200%
10−11
−200%
Far Cry 5 52
+300%
12−14
−300%
Far Cry New Dawn 47
+194%
16−18
−194%
Forza Horizon 4 191
+403%
35−40
−403%
Hitman 3 35−40
+208%
12−14
−208%
Horizon Zero Dawn 90−95
+156%
35−40
−156%
Metro Exodus 55
+267%
14−16
−267%
Red Dead Redemption 2 50−55
+219%
16−18
−219%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 60−65
+215%
20−22
−215%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 121
+537%
18−20
−537%
Watch Dogs: Legion 85−90
+81.6%
45−50
−81.6%

Full HD
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 26
+73.3%
14−16
−73.3%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 30−35
+357%
7−8
−357%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 35−40
+217%
12−14
−217%
Cyberpunk 2077 30−33
+200%
10−11
−200%
Far Cry 5 38
+192%
12−14
−192%
Forza Horizon 4 47
+23.7%
35−40
−23.7%
Hitman 3 35−40
+208%
12−14
−208%
Horizon Zero Dawn 90−95
+156%
35−40
−156%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 60−65
+215%
20−22
−215%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 33
+73.7%
18−20
−73.7%
Watch Dogs: Legion 85−90
+81.6%
45−50
−81.6%

Full HD
Epic Preset

Red Dead Redemption 2 50−55
+219%
16−18
−219%

1440p
High Preset

Battlefield 5 33
+200%
10−12
−200%
Far Cry New Dawn 32
+256%
9−10
−256%

1440p
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 20
+300%
5−6
−300%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 16−18
+1600%
1−2
−1600%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 21−24
+320%
5−6
−320%
Cyberpunk 2077 10−12
+267%
3−4
−267%
Far Cry 5 24
+243%
7−8
−243%
Forza Horizon 4 134
+688%
16−18
−688%
Hitman 3 21−24
+120%
10−11
−120%
Horizon Zero Dawn 35−40
+200%
12−14
−200%
Metro Exodus 38
+660%
5−6
−660%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 35−40
+3700%
1−2
−3700%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 21−24
+340%
5−6
−340%
Watch Dogs: Legion 110−120
+205%
35−40
−205%

1440p
Epic Preset

Red Dead Redemption 2 30−35
+210%
10−11
−210%

4K
High Preset

Battlefield 5 16
+220%
5−6
−220%
Far Cry New Dawn 17
+325%
4−5
−325%
Hitman 3 14−16
+600%
2−3
−600%
Horizon Zero Dawn 95−100
+600%
14−16
−600%
Metro Exodus 18
+500%
3−4
−500%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 22
+1000%
2−3
−1000%

4K
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 12
+200%
4−5
−200%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 9−10
+350%
2−3
−350%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 10−11
+400%
2−3
−400%
Cyberpunk 2077 4−5 0−1
Far Cry 5 12
+300%
3−4
−300%
Forza Horizon 4 26
+333%
6−7
−333%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 21−24
+250%
6−7
−250%
Watch Dogs: Legion 8−9
+300%
2−3
−300%

4K
Epic Preset

Red Dead Redemption 2 16−18
+183%
6−7
−183%

This is how GTX 980M and HD 6970M compete in popular games:

  • GTX 980M is 233% faster in 900p
  • GTX 980M is 37% faster in 1080p
  • GTX 980M is 260% faster in 1440p
  • GTX 980M is 238% faster in 4K

Here's the range of performance differences observed across popular games:

  • in Shadow of the Tomb Raider, with 1440p resolution and the Ultra Preset, the GTX 980M is 3700% faster.

All in all, in popular games:

  • Without exception, GTX 980M surpassed HD 6970M in all 70 of our tests.

Pros & cons summary


Performance score 19.10 5.89
Recency 7 October 2014 4 January 2011
Maximum RAM amount 8 GB 1 GB
Chip lithography 28 nm 40 nm

GTX 980M has a 224.3% higher aggregate performance score, an age advantage of 3 years, a 700% higher maximum VRAM amount, and a 42.9% more advanced lithography process.

The GeForce GTX 980M is our recommended choice as it beats the Radeon HD 6970M in performance tests.


Should you still have questions concerning choice between the reviewed GPUs, ask them in Comments section, and we shall answer.

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NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980M
GeForce GTX 980M
AMD Radeon HD 6970M
Radeon HD 6970M

Comparisons with similar GPUs

We selected several comparisons of graphics cards with performance close to those reviewed, providing you with more options to consider.

Community ratings

Here you can see the user ratings of the compared graphics cards, as well as rate them yourself.


4.2 336 votes

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Questions & comments

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