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 4060

2023

Why buy it

✅+433.7% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 65.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($299 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌15% higher power demand at 115W vs 100W.

Radeon HD 7970M

2012

Why buy it

✅Draws 100W instead of 115W, a 15W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (3,663 vs 19,548).
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2012-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 65.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $299 MSRP).

GeForce RTX 4060

2023

Radeon HD 7970M

2012

Why buy it

✅+433.7% higher PassMark G3D performance.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 65.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($299 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 4 GB).
✅More future proof: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Why buy it

✅Draws 100W instead of 115W, a 15W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌15% higher power demand at 115W vs 100W.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark G3D performance (3,663 vs 19,548).
❌Less VRAM, with 4 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2012-era hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 65.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $299 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 4060 better than Radeon HD 7970M?

Yes. GeForce RTX 4060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. You are also looking at 19,548 vs 3,663 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 4060 is a 2023 card with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation, while Radeon HD 7970M 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 4060 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2023 generation instead of 2012, 433.7% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 8 GB instead of 4 GB, and better frame-generation support with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023) 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 4060 is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 4060 is priced in an unclear MSRP range at $299 MSRP versus an unclear MSRP, and you are getting 433.7% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 100+%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

Is Radeon HD 7970M still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. Radeon HD 7970M is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around an unclear MSRP, even if GeForce RTX 4060 is still the cleaner recommendation on overall value today.

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.

GeForce RTX 4060 Benchmark Check

Radeon HD 7970M Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 4060	Radeon HD 7970M
1080p
low	167 FPS	81 FPS
medium	152 FPS	69 FPS
high	134 FPS	56 FPS
ultra	115 FPS	36 FPS
1440p
low	137 FPS	71 FPS
medium	114 FPS	61 FPS
high	99 FPS	44 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	28 FPS
4K
low	86 FPS	25 FPS
medium	74 FPS	24 FPS
high	62 FPS	16 FPS
ultra	55 FPS	14 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4060 Open Radeon HD 7970M

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 4060	Radeon HD 7970M
1080p
low	392 FPS	142 FPS
medium	334 FPS	106 FPS
high	268 FPS	76 FPS
ultra	211 FPS	50 FPS
1440p
low	240 FPS	97 FPS
medium	209 FPS	68 FPS
high	169 FPS	51 FPS
ultra	137 FPS	36 FPS
4K
low	119 FPS	49 FPS
medium	98 FPS	36 FPS
high	82 FPS	28 FPS
ultra	63 FPS	19 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4060 Open Radeon HD 7970M

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 4060	Radeon HD 7970M
1080p
low	812 FPS	165 FPS
medium	642 FPS	132 FPS
high	551 FPS	110 FPS
ultra	440 FPS	82 FPS
1440p
low	535 FPS	124 FPS
medium	443 FPS	99 FPS
high	379 FPS	82 FPS
ultra	329 FPS	62 FPS
4K
low	365 FPS	82 FPS
medium	297 FPS	66 FPS
high	234 FPS	55 FPS
ultra	186 FPS	41 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4060 Open Radeon HD 7970M

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 4060	Radeon HD 7970M
1080p
low	746 FPS	144 FPS
medium	613 FPS	114 FPS
high	536 FPS	97 FPS
ultra	440 FPS	80 FPS
1440p
low	594 FPS	104 FPS
medium	486 FPS	85 FPS
high	421 FPS	73 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	56 FPS
4K
low	358 FPS	61 FPS
medium	308 FPS	46 FPS
high	285 FPS	36 FPS
ultra	220 FPS	25 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4060 Open Radeon HD 7970M

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 4060 and Radeon HD 7970M

GeForce RTX 4060

The GeForce RTX 4060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 18 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 1830 MHz to 2460 MHz. It has 3072 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 115W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 24 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 19,548 points. Launch price was $299.

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.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 4060 scores 19,548 versus the Radeon HD 7970M's 3,663 — the GeForce RTX 4060 leads by 433.7%. The GeForce RTX 4060 is built on Ada Lovelace while the Radeon HD 7970M uses GCN 1.0, both on 5 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 3,072 (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 1,280 (Radeon HD 7970M). Raw compute: 15.11 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 2.176 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7970M).

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060	Radeon HD 7970M
G3D Mark Score	19,548+434%	3,663
Architecture	Ada Lovelace	GCN 1.0
Process Node	5 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	3072+140%	1280
Compute (TFLOPS)	15.11 TFLOPS+594%	2.176 TFLOPS
ROPs	48+50%	32
TMUs	96+20%	80
L1 Cache	3 MB+868%	0.31 MB
L2 Cache	24 MB+4700%	0.5 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the GeForce RTX 4060 is support for DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation. This allows it to generate entire frames using AI/Algorithms, essentially doubling the frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios or heavy ray-tracing titles. The Radeon HD 7970M lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.The GeForce RTX 4060 gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Radeon HD 7970M relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060	Radeon HD 7970M
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	Yes (DLSS 3.5)	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 4060 comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 7970M has 4 GB. The GeForce RTX 4060 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs System. L2 Cache: 24 MB (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon HD 7970M) — the GeForce RTX 4060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060	Radeon HD 7970M
VRAM Capacity	8 GB+100%	4 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	Shared
Memory Bandwidth	272 GB/s	System
Bus Width	128-bit	System
L2 Cache	24 MB+4700%	0.5 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 12 (11_1) (Radeon HD 7970M). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 6.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060	Radeon HD 7970M
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12 (11_1)
Vulkan	1.3+8%	1.2
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	4	6+50%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 8th gen (GeForce RTX 4060) vs VCE 1.0 (Radeon HD 7970M). Decoder: NVDEC 5th gen vs UVD 3. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1 (GeForce RTX 4060) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 (Radeon HD 7970M).

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060	Radeon HD 7970M
Encoder	NVENC 8th gen	VCE 1.0
Decoder	NVDEC 5th gen	UVD 3
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 4060 draws 115W versus the Radeon HD 7970M's 100W — a 14% difference. The Radeon HD 7970M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 350W (Radeon HD 7970M). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 1x 6-pin. Typical load temperature: 73°C vs 85°C.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060	Radeon HD 7970M
TDP	115W	100W-13%
Recommended PSU	550W	350W-36%
Power Connector	8-pin	1x 6-pin
Length	240mm	—
Height	111mm	—
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	73°C-14%	85°C
Perf/Watt	170.0+364%	36.6