GeForce GTX 1050 3GB vs Radeon HD 7970M Crossfire

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.

GeForce GTX 1050 3GB vs Radeon HD 7970M Crossfire FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

GeForce GTX 1050 3GB vs Radeon HD 7970M Crossfire: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

GeForce GTX 1050 3GB

2018

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 39.7 vs 0 G3D/$ ($129 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (3 GB vs 2 GB).
✅Radeon HD 7970M Crossfire is already obsolete for modern gaming, so GeForce GTX 1050 3GB is the less risky modern option long term.
✅Draws 75W instead of 200W, a 125W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon HD 7970M Crossfire across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2018 hardware with 3 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.

Radeon HD 7970M Crossfire

2012

Why buy it

✅13.7% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 3 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2012 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 39.7 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $129 MSRP).
❌166.7% higher power demand at 200W vs 75W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon HD 7970M Crossfire is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 13.7% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward GeForce GTX 1050 3GB instead at 5,116 vs 5,000, so for this question the real-game FPS result matters more than the synthetic split.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce GTX 1050 3GB is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 3 GB vs 2 GB of VRAM, a 14nm process instead of 28nm, and a newer 2018 generation instead of 2012. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce GTX 1050 3GB makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. Radeon HD 7970M Crossfire still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

GeForce GTX 1050 3GB vs Radeon HD 7970M Crossfire Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

GeForce GTX 1050 3GB

The GeForce GTX 1050 3GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 21 2018. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1392 MHz to 1518 MHz. It has 768 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,116 points.

Radeon HD 7970M Crossfire

The Radeon HD 7970M Crossfire is manufactured by AMD. It was released in May 1 2012. It features the GCN architecture. The core clock speed is 850 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,000 points.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 1050 3GB scores 5,116 and the Radeon HD 7970M Crossfire reaches 5,000 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.3% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 1050 3GB is built on Pascal while the Radeon HD 7970M Crossfire uses GCN, both on 14 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 768 (GeForce GTX 1050 3GB) vs 2,560 (Radeon HD 7970M Crossfire).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1050 3GB	Radeon HD 7970M Crossfire
G3D Mark Score	5,116+2%	5,000
Architecture	Pascal	GCN
Process Node	14 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	768	2560+233%

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 1050 3GB gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon HD 7970M Crossfire leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1050 3GB	Radeon HD 7970M Crossfire
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	AMD Anti-Lag

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 1050 3GB has 3 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 7970M Crossfire carries 2 GB. GeForce GTX 1050 3GB gives you 50% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 84 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1050 3GB) vs 153.6 GB/s x2 (Radeon HD 7970M Crossfire) — a 82.9% advantage for the Radeon HD 7970M Crossfire. Memory bus width is 96-bit on the GeForce GTX 1050 3GB and 256-bit x2 on the Radeon HD 7970M Crossfire.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1050 3GB	Radeon HD 7970M Crossfire
VRAM Capacity	3 GB+50%	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	84 GB/s	153.6 GB/s x2+83%
Bus Width	96-bit	256-bit x2+167%

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1050 3GB draws 75W versus the Radeon HD 7970M Crossfire's 200W — a 90.9% difference. The GeForce GTX 1050 3GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce GTX 1050 3GB) vs 350W (Radeon HD 7970M Crossfire). Power connectors: None vs 1x 6-pin.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1050 3GB	Radeon HD 7970M Crossfire
TDP	75W-63%	200W
Recommended PSU	300W-14%	350W
Power Connector	None	1x 6-pin
Length	145mm	—
Height	111mm	—
Slots	2	—
Temp (Load)	65	—
Perf/Watt	68.2+173%	25.0

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Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce GTX 1050 3GB (2018 vs 2012).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1050 3GB	Radeon HD 7970M Crossfire
MSRP	$129	—
Codename	GP107	Wimbledon XT
Release	May 21 2018	May 1 2012
Ranking	#440	#395

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