G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

M1 8-Core GPU

2020

Why buy it

✅More future proof: Unknown architecture on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 30W instead of 180W, a 150W reduction.
✅More future proof: Unknown architecture on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 24.5 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $199 MSRP).

Radeon R9 270X

2013

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 24.5 vs 0 G3D/$ ($199 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 2 GB).

Trade-offs

❌Very weak future-proofing: 2013-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌500% higher power demand at 180W vs 30W.

M1 8-Core GPU

2020

Radeon R9 270X

2013

Why buy it

✅More future proof: Unknown architecture on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.
✅Draws 30W instead of 180W, a 150W reduction.
✅More future proof: Unknown architecture on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 24.5 vs 0 G3D/$ ($199 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 2 GB).

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 24.5 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $199 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Very weak future-proofing: 2013-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌500% higher power demand at 180W vs 30W.

Quick Answers

So, is M1 8-Core GPU better than Radeon R9 270X?

Yes. M1 8-Core GPU is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 5,000 vs 4,874 in G3D Mark. On top of that, M1 8-Core GPU is a 2020 card with no meaningful modern upscaling stack, while Radeon R9 270X is a 2013 model from an older generation with FSR upscaling. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

M1 8-Core GPU is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2020 generation instead of 2013, the stronger feature stack with no meaningful modern upscaling stack instead of FSR upscaling, and a 5nm process instead of 28nm. That broader feature stack should age better as more games lean on modern upscaling and frame-generation support.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

M1 8-Core GPU is the smarter buy by a wide margin. M1 8-Core GPU is priced in an unclear MSRP range at an unclear MSRP versus $199 MSRP, and you are getting 2.6% higher G3D Mark. Radeon R9 270X really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

Is Radeon R9 270X still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

No, not for a fresh gaming build. Radeon R9 270X is 2013 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM, 4,874 in G3D Mark, and FSR upscaling. That is simply too far behind to be an easy modern recommendation.

Games Benchmarks

Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 9800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.

Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.

M1 8-Core GPU Benchmark Check

Radeon R9 270X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	M1 8-Core GPU	Radeon R9 270X
1080p
low	91 FPS	78 FPS
medium	81 FPS	66 FPS
high	56 FPS	53 FPS
ultra	44 FPS	35 FPS
1440p
low	74 FPS	69 FPS
medium	63 FPS	59 FPS
high	42 FPS	42 FPS
ultra	33 FPS	27 FPS
4K
low	35 FPS	24 FPS
medium	33 FPS	23 FPS
high	20 FPS	15 FPS
ultra	18 FPS	13 FPS

Open M1 8-Core GPU Open Radeon R9 270X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	M1 8-Core GPU	Radeon R9 270X
1080p
low	123 FPS	116 FPS
medium	92 FPS	86 FPS
high	66 FPS	66 FPS
ultra	43 FPS	41 FPS
1440p
low	83 FPS	65 FPS
medium	56 FPS	44 FPS
high	41 FPS	32 FPS
ultra	29 FPS	22 FPS
4K
low	37 FPS	24 FPS
medium	27 FPS	16 FPS
high	21 FPS	13 FPS
ultra	15 FPS	9 FPS

Open M1 8-Core GPU Open Radeon R9 270X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	M1 8-Core GPU	Radeon R9 270X
1080p
low	225 FPS	219 FPS
medium	180 FPS	175 FPS
high	150 FPS	146 FPS
ultra	112 FPS	110 FPS
1440p
low	169 FPS	164 FPS
medium	135 FPS	132 FPS
high	112 FPS	110 FPS
ultra	84 FPS	82 FPS
4K
low	112 FPS	110 FPS
medium	90 FPS	88 FPS
high	75 FPS	73 FPS
ultra	56 FPS	55 FPS

Open M1 8-Core GPU Open Radeon R9 270X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	M1 8-Core GPU	Radeon R9 270X
1080p
low	184 FPS	137 FPS
medium	139 FPS	112 FPS
high	125 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	102 FPS	82 FPS
1440p
low	147 FPS	100 FPS
medium	109 FPS	83 FPS
high	89 FPS	72 FPS
ultra	72 FPS	57 FPS
4K
low	78 FPS	59 FPS
medium	58 FPS	46 FPS
high	51 FPS	36 FPS
ultra	40 FPS	26 FPS

Open M1 8-Core GPU Open Radeon R9 270X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of M1 8-Core GPU and Radeon R9 270X

M1 8-Core GPU

The M1 8-Core GPU is manufactured by Apple. It was released in November 10 2020. The core clock speed is 1278 MHz. It has 8 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 30W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,000 points.

Radeon R9 270X

The Radeon R9 270X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in October 8 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1050 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 180W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,874 points. Launch price was $199.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The M1 8-Core GPU scores 5,000 and the Radeon R9 270X reaches 4,874 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.6% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. Shader units: 8 (M1 8-Core GPU) vs 1,280 (Radeon R9 270X).

Feature	M1 8-Core GPU	Radeon R9 270X
G3D Mark Score	5,000+3%	4,874
Process Node	5 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	8	1280+15900%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	M1 8-Core GPU	Radeon R9 270X
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	Standard	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The M1 8-Core GPU comes with 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 270X has 4 GB. The Radeon R9 270X offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 68 GB/s (M1 8-Core GPU) vs 179.2 GB/s (Radeon R9 270X) — a 163.5% advantage for the Radeon R9 270X. Bus width: Unified vs 256-bit.

Feature	M1 8-Core GPU	Radeon R9 270X
VRAM Capacity	2 GB	4 GB+100%
Memory Type	Shared	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	68 GB/s	179.2 GB/s+164%
Bus Width	Unified	256-bit

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: N/A (M1 8-Core GPU) vs 12 (11_1) (Radeon R9 270X). OpenGL: 4.1 (Rosetta 2) vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 4.

Feature	M1 8-Core GPU	Radeon R9 270X
DirectX	N/A	12 (11_1)
OpenGL	4.1 (Rosetta 2)	4.6+12%
Max Displays	2	4+100%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: Apple M1 Video Encoder (M1 8-Core GPU) vs VCE 1.0 (Radeon R9 270X). Decoder: Apple M1 Video Decoder vs UVD 4.2. Supported codecs: H.264,HEVC,ProRes,ProRes RAW (M1 8-Core GPU) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,MPEG-4 (Radeon R9 270X).

Feature	M1 8-Core GPU	Radeon R9 270X
Encoder	Apple M1 Video Encoder	VCE 1.0
Decoder	Apple M1 Video Decoder	UVD 4.2
Codecs	H.264,HEVC,ProRes,ProRes RAW	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1,MPEG-4

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The M1 8-Core GPU draws 30W versus the Radeon R9 270X's 180W — a 142.9% difference. The M1 8-Core GPU is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (M1 8-Core GPU) vs 500W (Radeon R9 270X). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 2x 6-pin.

Feature	M1 8-Core GPU	Radeon R9 270X
TDP	30W-83%	180W
Recommended PSU	350W-30%	500W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	2x 6-pin
Length	—	241mm
Height	—	109mm
Slots	0-100%	2
Temp (Load)	—	80 C
Perf/Watt	166.7+515%	27.1

💰

Value Analysis

The M1 8-Core GPU launched at $0 MSRP, while the Radeon R9 270X launched at $199. The M1 8-Core GPU costs 100+% less ($199 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): Infinity (M1 8-Core GPU) vs 24.5 (Radeon R9 270X) — the M1 8-Core GPU offers Infinity% better value. The M1 8-Core GPU is the newer GPU (2020 vs 2013).