GeForce GTX 780M vs Radeon HD 7850

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 780M vs Radeon HD 7850 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 780M vs Radeon HD 7850: 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 780M

2013

Why buy it

✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 2 GB).
✅More future proof: Kepler (2012−2018) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon HD 7850 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2013 hardware with 4 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 15.7 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

Radeon HD 7850

2012

Why buy it

✅1.2% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 15.7 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 4 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.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon HD 7850 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 1.2% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 1.4% in PassMark G3D (3,897 vs 3,845), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

GeForce GTX 780M is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 4 GB vs 2 GB of VRAM and a newer 2013 generation instead of 2012. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon HD 7850 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon HD 7850 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce GTX 780M has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 780M vs Radeon HD 7850 Technical Specifications

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

GeForce GTX 780M

The GeForce GTX 780M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 11 2013. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 823 MHz to 797 MHz. It has 1536 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 122W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,845 points.

Radeon HD 7850

The Radeon HD 7850 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in March 5 2012. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1000 MHz. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 130W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,897 points. Launch price was $249.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 780M scores 3,845 and the Radeon HD 7850 reaches 3,897 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 780M is built on Kepler while the Radeon HD 7850 uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,536 (GeForce GTX 780M) vs 1,024 (Radeon HD 7850). Raw compute: 2.448 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 780M) vs 1.761 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7850). Boost clocks: 797 MHz vs 1000 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 780M	Radeon HD 7850
G3D Mark Score	3,845	3,897+1%
Architecture	Kepler	GCN 1.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	1536+50%	1024
Compute (TFLOPS)	2.448 TFLOPS+39%	1.761 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	797 MHz	1000 MHz+25%
ROPs	32	32
TMUs	128+100%	64
L1 Cache	128 KB	256 KB+100%
L2 Cache	512 KB	512 KB

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 780M gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon HD 7850 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce GTX 780M	Radeon HD 7850
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 780M has 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 7850 carries 2 GB. GeForce GTX 780M gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 160 GB/s (GeForce GTX 780M) vs 153.6 GB/s (Radeon HD 7850) — a 4.2% advantage for the GeForce GTX 780M. Memory bus width is 256-bit on the GeForce GTX 780M and 256-bit on the Radeon HD 7850.

Feature	GeForce GTX 780M	Radeon HD 7850
VRAM Capacity	4 GB+100%	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	160 GB/s+4%	153.6 GB/s
Bus Width	256-bit	256-bit
L2 Cache	512 KB	512 KB

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Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GeForce GTX 780M) vs 12 (Radeon HD 7850). Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 780M	Radeon HD 7850
DirectX	12 (11_0)	12
Max Displays	4	4

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Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: 1st Gen NVENC (Kepler) (GeForce GTX 780M) vs VCE 1.0 (Radeon HD 7850). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP5 vs UVD 3.1. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (GeForce GTX 780M) vs H.264 (Radeon HD 7850).

Feature	GeForce GTX 780M	Radeon HD 7850
Encoder	1st Gen NVENC (Kepler)	VCE 1.0
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP5	UVD 3.1
Codecs	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2	H.264

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 780M draws 122W versus the Radeon HD 7850's 130W — a 6.3% difference. The GeForce GTX 780M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 780M) vs 500W (Radeon HD 7850). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 1x 6-pin.

Feature	GeForce GTX 780M	Radeon HD 7850
TDP	122W-6%	130W
Recommended PSU	350W-30%	500W
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	1x 6-pin
Length	—	210mm
Slots	0-100%	2
Temp (Load)	80°C	—
Perf/Watt	31.5+5%	30.0

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Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce GTX 780M (2013 vs 2012).

Feature	GeForce GTX 780M	Radeon HD 7850
MSRP	—	$249
Codename	GK104	Pitcairn
Release	May 11 2013	March 5 2012
Ranking	#511	#503

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