GRID K520 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.

GRID K520 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.

GRID K520 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.

GRID K520

2013

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 1.0 vs 0 G3D/$ ($3,599 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2013 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌125% higher power demand at 225W vs 100W.

Radeon HD 7970M

2012

Why buy it

✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 2 GB).
✅Draws 100W instead of 225W, a 125W reduction.

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 1.0 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $3,599 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon HD 7970M is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 4.2% in PassMark G3D (3,663 vs 3,516), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.

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

GRID K520 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a newer 2013 generation instead of 2012. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GRID K520 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.

GRID K520 vs Radeon HD 7970M Technical Specifications

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

GRID K520

The GRID K520 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in July 23 2013. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock speed is 745 MHz. It has 1536 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 225W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,516 points. Launch price was $3,599.

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

The GRID K520 scores 3,516 and the Radeon HD 7970M reaches 3,663 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 4.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GRID K520 is built on Kepler while the Radeon HD 7970M uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,536 (GRID K520) vs 1,280 (Radeon HD 7970M). Raw compute: 2.289 TFLOPS ×2 (GRID K520) vs 2.176 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7970M).

Feature	GRID K520	Radeon HD 7970M
G3D Mark Score	3,516	3,663+4%
Architecture	Kepler	GCN 1.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	1536 ×2+20%	1280
Compute (TFLOPS)	2.289 TFLOPS ×2+5%	2.176 TFLOPS
ROPs	32 ×2	32
TMUs	128 ×2+60%	80
L1 Cache	128 KB	320 KB+150%
L2 Cache	512 KB	512 KB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GRID K520	Radeon HD 7970M
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	Standard	AMD Anti-Lag

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GRID K520 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 GRID K520 and System on the Radeon HD 7970M.

Feature	GRID K520	Radeon HD 7970M
VRAM Capacity	2 GB	4 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	Shared
Bus Width	64-bit	System
L2 Cache	512 KB	512 KB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GRID K520) vs 12 (11_1) (Radeon HD 7970M). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 0 vs 6.

Feature	GRID K520	Radeon HD 7970M
DirectX	12 (11_0)	12 (11_1)
Vulkan	1.2	1.2
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	0	6

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 1 (GRID K520) vs VCE 1.0 (Radeon HD 7970M). Decoder: NVDEC 1 vs UVD 3. Supported codecs: H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GRID K520) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 (Radeon HD 7970M).

Feature	GRID K520	Radeon HD 7970M
Encoder	NVENC 1	VCE 1.0
Decoder	NVDEC 1	UVD 3
Codecs	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GRID K520 draws 225W versus the Radeon HD 7970M's 100W — a 76.9% difference. The Radeon HD 7970M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GRID K520) vs 350W (Radeon HD 7970M). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 1x 6-pin. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 85°C.

Feature	GRID K520	Radeon HD 7970M
TDP	225W	100W-56%
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	1x 6-pin
Length	267mm	—
Height	111mm	—
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	75°C-12%	85°C
Perf/Watt	15.6	36.6+135%

💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GRID K520 (2013 vs 2012).

Feature	GRID K520	Radeon HD 7970M
MSRP	$3599	—
Codename	GK104	Wimbledon
Release	July 23 2013	April 24 2012
Ranking	#540	#531

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