GeForce RTX 3070 vs Radeon HD 7700-serie

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3070

2020Core: 1500 MHzBoost: 1725 MHz

Popular choices:

VS
AMD

Radeon HD 7700-serie

2012Boost: 925 MHz

Popular choices:

RTX 3070

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.

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.

GeForce RTX 3070

2020

Why buy it

  • +1067.6% higher PassMark G3D performance.
  • Delivers 272% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.4 vs 11.9 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs $159 MSRP).
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • 1500% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 512 MB).
  • More future proof: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

Radeon HD 7700-serie

2012

Why buy it

  • Costs $340 less on MSRP ($159 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark G3D performance (1,899 vs 22,172).
  • Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
  • Very weak future-proofing: 2012-era hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 11.9 vs 44.4 G3D/$ ($159 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 3070 better than Radeon HD 7700-serie?
Yes. GeForce RTX 3070 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 22,172 vs 1,899 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 3070 is a 2020 card with DLSS Super Resolution, while Radeon HD 7700-serie is a 2012 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?
GeForce RTX 3070 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2020 generation instead of 2012, 1067.6% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 8 GB instead of 512 MB, and the stronger feature stack with DLSS Super Resolution instead of FSR upscaling. That leaves it with more room for heavier textures, tougher ray tracing loads, and higher-end 1440p or 4K gaming over the next few years.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?
GeForce RTX 3070 is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce RTX 3070 is about 213.8% more expensive on MSRP at $499 MSRP versus $159 MSRP, and you are getting 1067.6% higher G3D Mark. Radeon HD 7700-serie really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.
Is Radeon HD 7700-serie still worth buying for gaming in 2026?
No, not for a fresh gaming build. Radeon HD 7700-serie is 2012 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM, 1,899 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3070Radeon HD 7700-serie
1080p
low158 FPS85 FPS
medium140 FPS68 FPS
high123 FPS57 FPS
ultra104 FPS38 FPS
1440p
low134 FPS64 FPS
medium109 FPS51 FPS
high96 FPS43 FPS
ultra86 FPS28 FPS
4K
low80 FPS27 FPS
medium67 FPS26 FPS
high52 FPS16 FPS
ultra45 FPS14 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetGeForce RTX 3070Radeon HD 7700-serie
1080p
low470 FPS85 FPS
medium405 FPS68 FPS
high327 FPS57 FPS
ultra277 FPS43 FPS
1440p
low294 FPS64 FPS
medium246 FPS51 FPS
high213 FPS43 FPS
ultra179 FPS32 FPS
4K
low141 FPS32 FPS
medium120 FPS24 FPS
high105 FPS19 FPS
ultra83 FPS14 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetGeForce RTX 3070Radeon HD 7700-serie
1080p
low885 FPS85 FPS
medium712 FPS68 FPS
high619 FPS57 FPS
ultra499 FPS43 FPS
1440p
low692 FPS64 FPS
medium557 FPS51 FPS
high473 FPS43 FPS
ultra374 FPS32 FPS
4K
low479 FPS43 FPS
medium388 FPS34 FPS
high330 FPS28 FPS
ultra249 FPS21 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

PresetGeForce RTX 3070Radeon HD 7700-serie
1080p
low600 FPS85 FPS
medium527 FPS68 FPS
high433 FPS57 FPS
ultra385 FPS43 FPS
1440p
low489 FPS64 FPS
medium433 FPS51 FPS
high339 FPS43 FPS
ultra297 FPS32 FPS
4K
low292 FPS43 FPS
medium270 FPS34 FPS
high238 FPS28 FPS
ultra200 FPS21 FPS

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 3070 and Radeon HD 7700-serie

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3070

The GeForce RTX 3070 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1500 MHz to 1725 MHz. It has 5888 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 220W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 46 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 22,172 points. Launch price was $499.

AMD

Radeon HD 7700-serie

The Radeon HD 7700-serie is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 9 2012. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 925 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 250W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,899 points. Launch price was $549.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3070 scores 22,172 versus the Radeon HD 7700-serie's 1,899 — the GeForce RTX 3070 leads by 1067.6%. The GeForce RTX 3070 is built on Ampere while the Radeon HD 7700-serie uses GCN 1.0, both on 8 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 5,888 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 2,048 (Radeon HD 7700-serie). Raw compute: 20.31 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 3.789 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7700-serie). Boost clocks: 1725 MHz vs 925 MHz.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Radeon HD 7700-serie
G3D Mark Score
22,172+1068%
1,899
Architecture
Ampere
GCN 1.0
Process Node
8 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
5888+188%
2048
Compute (TFLOPS)
20.31 TFLOPS+436%
3.789 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
1725 MHz+86%
925 MHz
ROPs
96+200%
32
TMUs
184+44%
128
L1 Cache
5.8 MB+1060%
0.5 MB
L2 Cache
4 MB+433%
0.75 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3070 gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Radeon HD 7700-serie relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Radeon HD 7700-serie
Upscaling Tech
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3070 comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 7700-serie has 512 MB. The GeForce RTX 3070 offers 1500% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 256-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 4 MB (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 0.75 MB (Radeon HD 7700-serie) — the GeForce RTX 3070 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Radeon HD 7700-serie
VRAM Capacity
8 GB+1500%
0.5 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
448 GB/s
Unknown
Bus Width
256-bit+100%
128-bit
L2 Cache
4 MB+433%
0.75 MB
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3070 draws 220W versus the Radeon HD 7700-serie's 250W — a 12.8% difference. The GeForce RTX 3070 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 450W (Radeon HD 7700-serie). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 1x 6-pin.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Radeon HD 7700-serie
TDP
220W-12%
250W
Recommended PSU
650W
450W-31%
Power Connector
8-pin
1x 6-pin
Length
242mm
Height
112mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
75°C
Perf/Watt
100.8+1226%
7.6
💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 3070 launched at $499 MSRP, while the Radeon HD 7700-serie launched at $159. The Radeon HD 7700-serie costs 68.1% less ($340 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 44.4 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 11.9 (Radeon HD 7700-serie) — the GeForce RTX 3070 offers 273.1% better value. The GeForce RTX 3070 is the newer GPU (2020 vs 2012).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Radeon HD 7700-serie
MSRP
$499
$159-68%
Performance per Dollar
44.4+273%
11.9
Codename
GA104
Tahiti
Release
September 1 2020
January 9 2012
Ranking
#63
#431