GeForce MX450 vs Radeon HD 7970M

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 MX450 vs Radeon HD 7970M 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 MX450 vs Radeon HD 7970M: 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 MX450

2020

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 14.9 vs 0 G3D/$ ($250 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Radeon HD 7970M is already obsolete for modern gaming, so GeForce MX450 is the less risky modern option long term.
✅Draws 25W instead of 100W, a 75W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon HD 7970M across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Older hardware, 2 GB of VRAM, and weaker feature support mean it will age faster in newer AAA releases.

Radeon HD 7970M

2012

Why buy it

✅1.9% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 2 GB).

Trade-offs

❌2012 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 14.9 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $250 MSRP).
❌300% higher power demand at 100W vs 25W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon HD 7970M is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 1.9% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward GeForce MX450 instead at 3,720 vs 3,663, 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 MX450 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 12nm process instead of 28nm and a newer 2020 generation instead of 2012. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce MX450 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. Radeon HD 7970M still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

GeForce MX450 vs Radeon HD 7970M Technical Specifications

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

GeForce MX450

The GeForce MX450 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 1 2020. It features the Turing architecture. The core clock ranges from 1395 MHz to 1575 MHz. It has 896 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 25W. Manufactured using 12 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,720 points.

Radeon HD 7970M

The Radeon HD 7970M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 24 2012. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 850 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,663 points.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce MX450 scores 3,720 and the Radeon HD 7970M reaches 3,663 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.6% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce MX450 is built on Turing while the Radeon HD 7970M uses GCN 1.0, both on 12 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 896 (GeForce MX450) vs 1,280 (Radeon HD 7970M). Raw compute: 3.226 TFLOPS (GeForce MX450) vs 2.176 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7970M).

Feature	GeForce MX450	Radeon HD 7970M
G3D Mark Score	3,720+2%	3,663
Architecture	Turing	GCN 1.0
Process Node	12 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	896	1280+43%
Compute (TFLOPS)	3.226 TFLOPS+48%	2.176 TFLOPS
ROPs	32	32
TMUs	64	80+25%

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce MX450 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon HD 7970M leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce MX450	Radeon HD 7970M
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 MX450 has 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 7970M carries 4 GB. Radeon HD 7970M gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the GeForce MX450 and System on the Radeon HD 7970M.

Feature	GeForce MX450	Radeon HD 7970M
VRAM Capacity	2 GB	4 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR6	Shared
Memory Bandwidth	80 GB/s	System
Bus Width	64-bit	System

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce MX450 draws 25W versus the Radeon HD 7970M's 100W — a 120% difference. The GeForce MX450 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce MX450) vs 350W (Radeon HD 7970M). Power connectors: Mobile vs 1x 6-pin.

Feature	GeForce MX450	Radeon HD 7970M
TDP	25W-75%	100W
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	Mobile	1x 6-pin
Slots	—	0
Temp (Load)	—	85°C
Perf/Watt	148.8+307%	36.6

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Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce MX450 (2020 vs 2012).

Feature	GeForce MX450	Radeon HD 7970M
MSRP	$250	—
Codename	N17S-G5 / GP107-670-A1	Wimbledon
Release	August 1 2020	April 24 2012
Ranking	#523	#531

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