AMD Radeon HD 8970M vs NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded database contains a single directly comparable benchmark between the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER and the AMD Radeon HD 8970M: Geekbench OpenCL. This test measures general-purpose compute performance across a wide range of workloads, and the results are decisively one-sided.

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER scores 99,226 points in Geekbench OpenCL, while the AMD Radeon HD 8970M scores 21,237 points. This represents a delta of 367.2% in favor of the NVIDIA part. To put that in perspective, the RTX 2080 SUPER is roughly 4.7 times faster in this compute workload. The gap is so large that it is not a matter of incremental improvement; it is a generational chasm in raw computational throughput.

Looking at the broader context, the RTX 2080 SUPER's average benchmark score across all recorded tests is 24,170, which places it in the 69th percentile of all GPUs in the database. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti (average score 24,236, delta of -0.3%), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1630 (24,277, -0.4%), the AMD Radeon RX 6800S (24,063, +0.4%), and the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT (24,442, -1.1%). The RTX 2080 SUPER sits virtually at parity with these cards, all within roughly a single percentage point of each other. This suggests that while the RTX 2080 SUPER is an older architecture, it still competes at a level comparable to mid-range and upper-mid-range GPUs from later generations.

The AMD Radeon HD 8970M, by contrast, has an average benchmark score of 21,237, placing it in the 66th percentile. Its nearest rivals are the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL (21,153, +0.4%), the NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile (21,379, -0.7%), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 (21,035, +1%), and the NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 (21,629, -1.8%). The HD 8970M is thus clustered with mobile and low-power parts, and its average score is about 12% below the RTX 2080 SUPER's average. Notably, the HD 8970M's only recorded benchmark is the Geekbench OpenCL test, so the database lacks additional data points for gaming or other compute workloads on this part.

The head-to-head Geekbench OpenCL result shows a 367.2% advantage for the RTX 2080 SUPER. The HD 8970M has no counter-victory in any recorded test; the win tally is 1 for NVIDIA and 0 for AMD. This is not a close contest in any measurable way.

The Verdict

From the recorded data, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER is the unequivocal choice for any user prioritizing compute performance. Its Geekbench OpenCL score is more than four times higher than the AMD Radeon HD 8970M's, and its average benchmark score is 2,933 points higher (24,170 versus 21,237). The RTX 2080 SUPER also sits in a higher percentile overall (69th versus 66th).

The AMD Radeon HD 8970M, however, should not be dismissed outright. Its percentile ranking of 66th is not far behind the RTX 2080 SUPER's 69th, and its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile and the NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000, both professional mobile parts. This suggests the HD 8970M, despite its age, still holds its own in the low-to-mid range of the database's GPU population. It is also a mobile part with a 100 W TDP, making it a low-power option for portable systems.

The verdict depends on the use case. For desktop users seeking maximum compute throughput, the RTX 2080 SUPER is the clear winner. For users constrained by power and form factor, such as those with legacy mobile workstations, the HD 8970M remains a serviceable part, but the data shows it is vastly outclassed in raw performance. There is no benchmark in the database where the HD 8970M beats the RTX 2080 SUPER.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two GPUs is substantial and explains the performance disparity.

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER is built on the Turing architecture, specifically the TU104 chip, fabricated on a 12 nm process at TSMC. It contains 13,600 million transistors on a die size of 545 mm², yielding a transistor density of 25.0M per mm². Turing introduces dedicated hardware features that the older GCN architecture lacks: the RTX 2080 SUPER has 48 ray tracing cores and 384 tensor cores. These are specialized units for ray-traced rendering and AI-accelerated workloads, respectively. The card also supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

The AMD Radeon HD 8970M is based on the much older GCN 1.0 architecture, using the Neptune chip, fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC. It contains 2,800 million transistors on a die size of 212 mm², with a transistor density of 13.2M per mm². The GCN 1.0 architecture predates ray tracing and tensor core technology; the HD 8970M has no such units. It supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The DirectX feature level is notably lower (11_1 versus 12_2), which limits access to newer rendering features.

The process node difference is significant: 12 nm versus 28 nm. The smaller node allows for much higher transistor density and clock speeds, contributing to the RTX 2080 SUPER's massive performance lead. The RTX 2080 SUPER also has a much larger die and more than four times the transistor count of the HD 8970M.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every measurable specification.

Process and Die: The RTX 2080 SUPER uses a 12 nm process with a 545 mm² die and 13,600 million transistors. The HD 8970M uses a 28 nm process with a 212 mm² die and 2,800 million transistors.

Clocks: The RTX 2080 SUPER has a base clock of 1650 MHz and a boost clock of 1815 MHz. The HD 8970M has a base clock of 850 MHz and a boost clock of 900 MHz. The NVIDIA part runs at nearly double the frequency.

Memory: The RTX 2080 SUPER has 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, with memory clocked at 1937 MHz (15.5 Gbps effective) and bandwidth of 495.9 GB/s. The HD 8970M has 4 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, with memory clocked at 1200 MHz (4.8 Gbps effective) and bandwidth of 153.6 GB/s. The RTX 2080 SUPER offers more than three times the memory bandwidth.

Compute Units: The RTX 2080 SUPER has 3072 shading units, 192 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. The HD 8970M has 1280 shading units, 80 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. The RTX 2080 SUPER has 2.4 times the shading units, 2.4 times the TMUs, and double the ROPs.

Throughput: The RTX 2080 SUPER delivers 116.2 GPixel/s pixel rate, 348.5 GTexel/s texture rate, and 11.15 TFLOPS FP32. The HD 8970M delivers 28.80 GPixel/s, 72.00 GTexel/s, and 2.304 TFLOPS FP32. The RTX 2080 SUPER is roughly 4 times faster in pixel rate, 4.8 times faster in texture rate, and 4.8 times faster in FP32 compute.

Power and Form Factor: The RTX 2080 SUPER has a TDP of 250 W, is dual-slot, requires 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin power connectors, and suggests a 600 W PSU. The HD 8970M has a TDP of 100 W and uses an MXM module form factor, with no listed power connectors or PSU suggestion. The HD 8970M is a mobile part, while the RTX 2080 SUPER is a desktop card.

Other: The RTX 2080 SUPER has display outputs of 1x HDMI 2.0, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, and 1x USB Type-C. The HD 8970M's display outputs are listed as "Portable Device Dependent." The RTX 2080 SUPER has a launch MSRP of 699 USD; the HD 8970M has no recorded launch MSRP.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher Geekbench OpenCL score?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER scores 99,226, while the AMD Radeon HD 8970M scores 21,237, a 367.2% advantage for NVIDIA.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The RTX 2080 SUPER has an average score of 24,170, while the HD 8970M has an average score of 21,237, a difference of 2,933 points in favor of NVIDIA.

Q: What percentile does each GPU rank in the database?

A: The RTX 2080 SUPER ranks in the 69th percentile, and the HD 8970M ranks in the 66th percentile.

Q: Which GPU has more memory bandwidth?

A: The RTX 2080 SUPER has 495.9 GB/s bandwidth with 8 GB GDDR6, while the HD 8970M has 153.6 GB/s bandwidth with 4 GB GDDR5.

Q: Does the AMD Radeon HD 8970M have ray tracing or tensor cores?

A: No. The HD 8970M has no recorded ray tracing or tensor cores, while the RTX 2080 SUPER has 48 RT cores and 384 tensor cores.

Q: What is the TDP difference?

A: The RTX 2080 SUPER has a TDP of 250 W, and the HD 8970M has a TDP of 100 W.

Where Each One Wins

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER:

• Geekbench OpenCL: 99,226 versus 21,237 (367.2% higher)
• Average benchmark score: 24,170 versus 21,237
• Memory bandwidth: 495.9 GB/s versus 153.6 GB/s
• FP32 compute: 11.15 TFLOPS versus 2.304 TFLOPS
• Shading units: 3072 versus 1280
• VRAM capacity: 8 GB versus 4 GB
• DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (12_2) versus 12 (11_1)
• Ray tracing and tensor cores: present versus absent
• Pixel rate: 116.2 GPixel/s versus 28.80 GPixel/s
• Texture rate: 348.5 GTexel/s versus 72.00 GTexel/s

AMD Radeon HD 8970M:

• TDP: 100 W versus 250 W (lower power draw)
• Form factor: MXM module (mobile-friendly) versus dual-slot desktop card
• No power connectors required versus 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin
• No suggested PSU requirement versus 600 W suggested PSU
• Release date: May 2013 versus July 2019 (earlier availability)

The data shows no benchmark where the HD 8970M wins. Its advantages are purely in power efficiency and form factor suitability for portable systems. The RTX 2080 SUPER wins every recorded performance metric, making it the superior choice for any compute-intensive application on a desktop platform.