GeForce GTX 970M SLI
VS
Radeon HD 7990

GeForce GTX 970M SLI vs Radeon HD 7990

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 970M SLI

2014Core: 924 MHzBoost: 1038 MHz
VS
AMD

Radeon HD 7990

2013Core: 950 MHzBoost: 1000 MHz

Performance Spectrum - GPU

About G3D Mark

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. The GeForce GTX 970M SLI is positioned at rank #132 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar GeForce GTX 970M SLI

#122
Radeon RX 550X (móvel)
MSRP: $35|Avg: $35
296%
#124
268%
#125
268%
#129
GeForce GTX 1050 (Mobile)
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50
243%
#130
Radeon RX 6300
MSRP: $60|Avg: $40
242%
#132
GeForce GTX 970M SLI
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#139
Iris Xe MAX Graphics
MSRP: $55|Avg: $40
98%
#145
Radeon RX 580 (móvel)
MSRP: $229|Avg: $65
95%
#147
GeForce GT 630M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $35
95%
Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

The Radeon HD 7990 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.2% higher G3D Mark score. However, the GeForce GTX 970M SLI offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.

InsightGeForce GTX 970M SLIRadeon HD 7990
Performance
Lower raw frame rates (-1.2%)
Leading raw performance (+1.2%)
Longevity
🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / Maxwell (2014−2017))
🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020))
Ecosystem
Supports FSR Upscaling
Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM
✅ More VRAM (+33.3%)
❌ Less VRAM capacity
Efficiency
💡 Excellent Perf/Watt
⚡ Higher Power Consumption
Case Fit
Standard Size (305mm)

💎 Value Proposition

While current pricing data is unavailable, the Radeon HD 7990 remains the clear technical winner. Check real-time availability to determine if the performance gap justifies the market price.

Performance Check

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 7800X3D 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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 970M SLI and Radeon HD 7990

NVIDIA

GeForce GTX 970M SLI

The GeForce GTX 970M SLI is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in October 7 2014. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 924 MHz to 1038 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 162W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,500 points.

AMD

Radeon HD 7990

The Radeon HD 7990 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 24 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 950 MHz to 1000 MHz. It has 2048 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 375W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,566 points. Launch price was $999.

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 970M SLI scores 5,500 and the Radeon HD 7990 reaches 5,566 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 970M SLI is built on Maxwell while the Radeon HD 7990 uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 2,560 (GeForce GTX 970M SLI) vs 2,048 (Radeon HD 7990). Boost clocks: 1038 MHz vs 1000 MHz.

FeatureGeForce GTX 970M SLIRadeon HD 7990
G3D Mark Score
5,500
5,566+1%
Architecture
Maxwell
GCN 1.0
Process Node
28 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
2560+25%
2048 ×2
Boost Clock
1038 MHz+4%
1000 MHz

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureGeForce GTX 970M SLIRadeon HD 7990
Upscaling Tech
FSR 2.1 (Compatible)
FSR 1.0 (Software)
Frame Generation
FSR 3 (Compatible)
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
Standard
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 970M SLI comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 7990 has 3 GB. The GeForce GTX 970M SLI offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 120 GB/s x2 (GeForce GTX 970M SLI) vs 288 GB/s x2 (Radeon HD 7990) — a 139.8% advantage for the Radeon HD 7990. Bus width: 192-bit x2 vs 384-bit x2.

FeatureGeForce GTX 970M SLIRadeon HD 7990
VRAM Capacity
4 GB+33%
3 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
120 GB/s x2
288 GB/s x2+140%
Bus Width
192-bit x2
384-bit x2+100%
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce GTX 970M SLI) vs 12 (11_1) (Radeon HD 7990). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.4 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 5.

FeatureGeForce GTX 970M SLIRadeon HD 7990
DirectX
12 Ultimate
12 (11_1)
Vulkan
1.2
1.2
OpenGL
4.4
4.6+5%
Max Displays
4
5+25%
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (GeForce GTX 970M SLI) vs VCE 1.0 (Radeon HD 7990). Decoder: PureVideo HD (VP6) vs UVD 3.2. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 970M SLI) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (Radeon HD 7990).

FeatureGeForce GTX 970M SLIRadeon HD 7990
Encoder
NVENC
VCE 1.0
Decoder
PureVideo HD (VP6)
UVD 3.2
Codecs
H.264,H.265/HEVC
H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 970M SLI draws 162W versus the Radeon HD 7990's 375W — a 79.3% difference. The GeForce GTX 970M SLI is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 970M SLI) vs 750W (Radeon HD 7990). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 2x 8-pin. Card length: 0mm vs 305mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 85.

FeatureGeForce GTX 970M SLIRadeon HD 7990
TDP
162W-57%
375W
Recommended PSU
350W-53%
750W
Power Connector
1x 6-pin
2x 8-pin
Length
0mm
305mm
Height
0mm
111mm
Slots
0-100%
2
Temp (Load)
80°C-6%
85
Perf/Watt
34.0+130%
14.8
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 970M SLI is the newer GPU (2014 vs 2013).

FeatureGeForce GTX 970M SLIRadeon HD 7990
MSRP
$999
Avg Price (30d)
$999
Codename
Malta
Release
October 7 2014
April 24 2013
Ranking
#284
#412