Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000) vs HD 8970M

VS

Aggregate performance score

We've compared Radeon HD 8970M and Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000), covering specs and all relevant benchmarks.

HD 8970M
2013
4 GB GDDR5, 100 Watt
10.06
+66.6%

HD 8970M outperforms RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000) by an impressive 67% based on our aggregate benchmark results.

Primary details

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

Place in the ranking449586
Place by popularitynot in top-100not in top-100
Power efficiency6.9027.61
ArchitectureGCN 1.0 (2011−2020)Vega (2017−2020)
GPU code nameNeptuneVega Renoir
Market segmentLaptopLaptop
Release date14 May 2013 (11 years ago)7 January 2020 (4 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 cores1280384
Core clock speed850 MHz400 MHz
Boost clock speed900 MHz1500 MHz
Number of transistors2,800 millionno data
Manufacturing process technology28 nm7 nm
Power consumption (TDP)100 Watt15 Watt
Texture fill rate72.00no data
Floating-point processing power2.304 TFLOPSno data
ROPs32no data
TMUs80no data

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 sizelargeno data
InterfacePCIe 3.0 x16no data

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 typeGDDR5no data
Maximum RAM amount4 GBno data
Memory bus width256 Bitno data
Memory clock speed1200 MHzno data
Memory bandwidth153.6 GB/sno data
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 data

API compatibility

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

DirectX12 (11_1)12_1
Shader Model5.1no data
OpenGL4.6no data
OpenCL1.2no data
Vulkan1.2.131-

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.

HD 8970M 10.06
+66.6%
RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000) 6.04

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.

HD 8970M 6818
+61.9%
RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000) 4210

3DMark Fire Strike Graphics

Fire Strike is a DirectX 11 benchmark for gaming PCs. It features two separate tests displaying a fight between a humanoid and a fiery creature made of lava. Using 1920x1080 resolution, Fire Strike shows off some realistic graphics and is quite taxing on hardware.

HD 8970M 5039
+80.4%
RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000) 2793

3DMark Cloud Gate GPU

Cloud Gate is an outdated DirectX 11 feature level 10 benchmark that was used for home PCs and basic notebooks. It displays a few scenes of some weird space teleportation device launching spaceships into unknown, using fixed resolution of 1280x720. Just like Ice Storm benchmark, it has been discontinued in January 2020 and replaced by 3DMark Night Raid.

HD 8970M 31027
+42%
RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000) 21857

Unigine Heaven 3.0

This is an old DirectX 11 benchmark using Unigine, a 3D game engine by eponymous Russian company. It displays a fantasy medieval town sprawling over several flying islands. Version 3.0 was released in 2012, and in 2013 it was superseded by Heaven 4.0, which introduced several slight improvements, including a newer version of Unigine.

HD 8970M 56
+121%
RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000) 25

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:

Full HD51
+155%
20
−155%
1440p45−50
+60.7%
28
−60.7%
4K30−35
+50%
20
−50%

FPS performance in popular games

Full HD
Low Preset

Cyberpunk 2077 16−18
+45.5%
11
−45.5%

Full HD
Medium Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 24−27
+50%
16
−50%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 14−16
+87.5%
8−9
−87.5%
Battlefield 5 30−35
+82.4%
16−18
−82.4%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 20−22
+42.9%
14
−42.9%
Cyberpunk 2077 16−18
+77.8%
9
−77.8%
Far Cry 5 21−24
+64.3%
14−16
−64.3%
Far Cry New Dawn 27−30
+55.6%
18−20
−55.6%
Forza Horizon 4 65−70
+63.4%
40−45
−63.4%
Hitman 3 18−20
+72.7%
11
−72.7%
Horizon Zero Dawn 55−60
−76.4%
97
+76.4%
Metro Exodus 30−35
+39.1%
23
−39.1%
Red Dead Redemption 2 27−30
+27.3%
22
−27.3%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 30−35
+50%
21−24
−50%
Watch Dogs: Legion 60−65
+1.6%
62
−1.6%

Full HD
High Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 24−27
+50%
16−18
−50%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 14−16
+87.5%
8−9
−87.5%
Battlefield 5 30−35
+82.4%
16−18
−82.4%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 20−22
+66.7%
12
−66.7%
Cyberpunk 2077 16−18
+167%
6
−167%
Far Cry 5 21−24
+64.3%
14−16
−64.3%
Far Cry New Dawn 27−30
+55.6%
18−20
−55.6%
Forza Horizon 4 65−70
+63.4%
40−45
−63.4%
Hitman 3 18−20
+46.2%
12−14
−46.2%
Horizon Zero Dawn 55−60
−32.7%
73
+32.7%
Metro Exodus 30−35
+88.2%
17
−88.2%
Red Dead Redemption 2 27−30
+100%
14
−100%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 30−35
+57.1%
21
−57.1%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 82
+310%
20−22
−310%
Watch Dogs: Legion 60−65
+26%
50
−26%

Full HD
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 24−27
+50%
16−18
−50%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 14−16
+87.5%
8−9
−87.5%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 20−22
+53.8%
12−14
−53.8%
Cyberpunk 2077 16−18
+60%
10−11
−60%
Far Cry 5 21−24
+64.3%
14−16
−64.3%
Forza Horizon 4 65−70
+63.4%
40−45
−63.4%
Hitman 3 18−20
+46.2%
12−14
−46.2%
Horizon Zero Dawn 55−60
+224%
17
−224%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 30−35
+83.3%
18
−83.3%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 18
+63.6%
11
−63.6%
Watch Dogs: Legion 60−65
+23.5%
50−55
−23.5%

Full HD
Epic Preset

Red Dead Redemption 2 27−30
+100%
14
−100%

1440p
High Preset

Battlefield 5 20−22
+66.7%
12−14
−66.7%
Far Cry New Dawn 14−16
+50%
10−11
−50%

1440p
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 10−11
+66.7%
6−7
−66.7%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 6−7
+500%
1−2
−500%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 10−11
+66.7%
6−7
−66.7%
Cyberpunk 2077 5−6
+66.7%
3−4
−66.7%
Far Cry 5 12−14
+71.4%
7−8
−71.4%
Forza Horizon 4 45−50
+137%
18−20
−137%
Hitman 3 12−14
+30%
10−11
−30%
Horizon Zero Dawn 21−24
+50%
14−16
−50%
Metro Exodus 14−16
+150%
6−7
−150%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 12−14
+550%
2−3
−550%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 10−11
+100%
5−6
−100%
Watch Dogs: Legion 60−65
+60%
40−45
−60%

1440p
Epic Preset

Red Dead Redemption 2 16−18
+54.5%
10−12
−54.5%

4K
High Preset

Battlefield 5 9−10
+80%
5−6
−80%
Far Cry New Dawn 7−8
+75%
4−5
−75%
Hitman 3 6−7
+200%
2−3
−200%
Horizon Zero Dawn 40−45
+291%
11
−291%
Metro Exodus 8−9
+167%
3−4
−167%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 8−9
+167%
3−4
−167%

4K
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 6−7
+50%
4−5
−50%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 4−5
+33.3%
3−4
−33.3%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 5−6
+66.7%
3−4
−66.7%
Cyberpunk 2077 1−2 0−1
Far Cry 5 5−6
+66.7%
3−4
−66.7%
Forza Horizon 4 12−14
+117%
6−7
−117%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 7−8
+600%
1−2
−600%
Watch Dogs: Legion 4−5
+100%
2−3
−100%

4K
Epic Preset

Red Dead Redemption 2 10−11
+42.9%
7−8
−42.9%

This is how HD 8970M and RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000) compete in popular games:

  • HD 8970M is 155% faster in 1080p
  • HD 8970M is 61% faster in 1440p
  • HD 8970M is 50% faster in 4K

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

  • in Shadow of the Tomb Raider, with 4K resolution and the Ultra Preset, the HD 8970M is 600% faster.
  • in Horizon Zero Dawn, with 1080p resolution and the Medium Preset, the RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000) is 76% faster.

All in all, in popular games:

  • HD 8970M is ahead in 69 tests (97%)
  • RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000) is ahead in 2 tests (3%)

Pros & cons summary


Performance score 10.06 6.04
Recency 14 May 2013 7 January 2020
Chip lithography 28 nm 7 nm
Power consumption (TDP) 100 Watt 15 Watt

HD 8970M has a 66.6% higher aggregate performance score.

RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000), on the other hand, has an age advantage of 6 years, a 300% more advanced lithography process, and 566.7% lower power consumption.

The Radeon HD 8970M is our recommended choice as it beats the Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000) 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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AMD Radeon HD 8970M
Radeon HD 8970M
AMD Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000)
Radeon RX Vega 6 (Ryzen 4000/5000)

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.


4.4 46 votes

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Questions & comments

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