AMD Radeon RX 470 Mobile

Benchmark Performance

The AMD Radeon RX 470 Mobile occupies a firm mid-table position in the GPU landscape, sitting at the 50th percentile among all GPUs in the database. This places it squarely in the middle of the pack, neither a high-end contender nor a low-end afterthought. Its FP32 compute throughput of 4.399 TFLOPS provides a solid theoretical ceiling, and the data indicates it is a capable performer for its intended mobile segment.

With a pixel rate of 34.37 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 137.5 GTexel/s, the card demonstrates balanced rasterization capabilities. The 2048 shading units operating at a base clock of 926 MHz and a boost clock of 1074 MHz deliver consistent throughput across synthetic and gaming workloads. The 4.399 TFLOPS figure is achieved in both FP32 and FP16 modes, indicating a 1:1 ratio that simplifies compute workloads but offers no half-precision advantage for machine learning tasks.

The benchmark distribution shows no single standout metric, but rather a well-rounded profile. The card's 50th percentile ranking means half of all GPUs in the database outperform it, while half fall behind. This is not a class-leading part, but it is far from obsolete. For a mobile GPU from the Polaris generation, this represents a reasonable equilibrium between power draw and performance, as evidenced by its ability to maintain competitive frame rates at mainstream settings without requiring extreme cooling solutions.

Who Should Consider It

The RX 470 Mobile is best suited for users targeting 1080p gaming with high detail presets, where its 4.399 TFLOPS of compute power and 34.37 GPixel/s fill rate can hold steady frame rates. At this resolution, the card's 32 ROPs and 128 TMUs provide sufficient geometry and texture throughput for most contemporary titles without overwhelming the 85 W thermal envelope.

For 1440p gaming, the data suggests this GPU will require reduced settings to maintain playable frame rates. The 224.0 GB/s memory bandwidth acts as a bottleneck at higher resolutions, limiting the card's ability to stream textures and geometry quickly enough for ultra settings. Users who prefer high refresh rate 1080p monitors will find the card adequate for esports titles, but demanding AAA games may see frame rates dip below competitive thresholds.

The card is not recommended for 4K gaming, as the 34.37 GPixel/s pixel rate and 224.0 GB/s bandwidth are insufficient to drive the massive pixel counts and texture loads at acceptable performance levels. Instead, this GPU suits users who prioritize a balance of performance and power efficiency in a portable form factor, accepting that the latest titles at maximum settings will require compromises.

Memory Subsystem

The RX 470 Mobile is equipped with 8 GB of GDDR5 memory, which is generous for its performance class and ensures that memory capacity rarely becomes a limiting factor. The 256-bit memory bus is a key strength, providing a wide data path that complements the 224.0 GB/s total bandwidth. This configuration is well matched to the GPU's compute capabilities, preventing severe memory starvation in most workloads.

The memory runs at 1750 MHz, translating to 7 Gbps effective data rate. This is a moderate speed for GDDR5, reflecting the card's mobile orientation where power consumption and heat dissipation are critical constraints. The 224.0 GB/s bandwidth is sufficient for 1080p gaming, where texture sizes and geometry loads are within its reach, but it becomes a limiting factor at higher resolutions or when using high-resolution texture packs.

At 1440p, the memory subsystem's limitations become apparent. The bandwidth is roughly half of what high-end desktop cards offer, and this manifests as stuttering or frame drops when the GPU needs to fetch large amounts of data simultaneously. The 8 GB capacity, however, ensures that the card does not run out of memory entirely, allowing it to maintain stable performance albeit at lower settings. For users who prioritize high-resolution textures, the capacity is there, but the bandwidth constrains how quickly those textures can be accessed.

How It Compares

The RX 470 Mobile's position in the market is best understood through its percentile ranking and the absence of direct rival data in the database. Without nearestRivals entries, the comparison must rely on the card's absolute metrics and its 50th percentile standing. This indicates that it sits at the median of all GPUs, meaning it outperforms a significant portion of the budget and integrated solutions while falling behind many desktop and high-end mobile parts.

Against its own generation, the card's 4.399 TFLOPS and 224.0 GB/s bandwidth place it as a mid-range Polaris offering. The 14 nm process node from GlobalFoundries allows for a transistor density of 24.6 million per square millimeter, packing 5,700 million transistors into a 232 mm² die. This density enables the 85 W TDP, which is reasonable for a mobile GPU of this era.

The card's end-of-life production status suggests it has been superseded by newer architectures, and the successor designation of Navi Mobile indicates a significant generational leap in efficiency and features. The predecessor, Gem System, represents a prior era of AMD mobile graphics. In the current landscape, the RX 470 Mobile holds relevance primarily for legacy systems or budget-oriented laptops where its 8 GB memory capacity remains a selling point despite its age.

Power and Cooling

The RX 470 Mobile carries an 85 W TDP, which is modest for a GPU with 2048 shading units and 8 GB of GDDR5 memory. This power envelope allows for thinner laptop designs without requiring exotic cooling solutions. A standard MXM module cooler, typically featuring heat pipes and a blower fan, is adequate to manage thermals under sustained load.

The card uses an MXM-B (3.0) bus interface and comes in an MXM Module slot width, indicating it is designed for upgradeable laptops or mobile workstations. It requires no external power connectors, drawing all power through the MXM slot itself. This simplifies installation and reduces cable management issues within the chassis.

The absence of a suggested PSU rating reflects the mobile nature of the card, where system power is managed by the laptop's internal power supply unit rather than a separate desktop PSU. The 85 W TDP is conservative, allowing for a shared thermal solution with the CPU in many designs. The power connectors are listed as None, confirming that the card relies entirely on slot power, which is standard for MXM modules in this performance class.

Under sustained gaming loads, the card's boost clock of 1074 MHz is sustainable provided the cooling solution can dissipate the 85 W of heat. The 14 nm process node helps keep thermals in check, and the card's end-of-life status means it has been validated across numerous laptop implementations, providing a mature and stable power delivery design. Users should ensure their laptop's cooling system is clean and functional to maintain peak performance, as thermal throttling could reduce the boost clock and negatively impact frame rates.