GRID M60-1Q vs Radeon HD 7970M

GRID M60-1Q

2015Core: 557 MHzBoost: 1178 MHz
VS
AMD

Radeon HD 7970M

2012Core: 850 MHz

GRID M60-1Q vs Radeon HD 7970M Performance Spectrum

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.

GRID M60-1Q 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 M60-1Q

2015

Why buy it

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 1.5 vs 0 G3D/$ ($2,500 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2015 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 1.5 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $2,500 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GRID M60-1Q is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 0.9% in PassMark G3D (3,695 vs 3,663), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GRID M60-1Q is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a newer 2015 generation instead of 2012. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GRID M60-1Q makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GRID M60-1Q vs Radeon HD 7970M Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GRID M60-1Q

The GRID M60-1Q is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 30 2015. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 557 MHz to 1178 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 225W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,695 points.

AMD

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 M60-1Q scores 3,695 and the Radeon HD 7970M reaches 3,663 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GRID M60-1Q is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the Radeon HD 7970M uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 2,048 (GRID M60-1Q) vs 1,280 (Radeon HD 7970M). Raw compute: 4.825 TFLOPS (GRID M60-1Q) vs 2.176 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7970M).

FeatureGRID M60-1QRadeon HD 7970M
G3D Mark Score
3,695
3,663
Architecture
Maxwell 2.0
GCN 1.0
Process Node
28 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
2048+60%
1280
Compute (TFLOPS)
4.825 TFLOPS+122%
2.176 TFLOPS
ROPs
64+100%
32
TMUs
128+60%
80
L1 Cache
768 KB+140%
320 KB
L2 Cache
2 MB+300%
0.5 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureGRID M60-1QRadeon 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
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GRID M60-1Q 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 M60-1Q and System on the Radeon HD 7970M. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GRID M60-1Q) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon HD 7970M) — the GRID M60-1Q has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGRID M60-1QRadeon HD 7970M
VRAM Capacity
2 GB
4 GB+100%
Memory Type
GDDR5
Shared
Bus Width
64-bit
System
L2 Cache
2 MB+300%
0.5 MB
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GRID M60-1Q 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 M60-1Q) vs 350W (Radeon HD 7970M). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 1x 6-pin.

FeatureGRID M60-1QRadeon HD 7970M
TDP
225W
100W-56%
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
1x 6-pin
Slots
0
Temp (Load)
85°C
Perf/Watt
16.4
36.6+123%
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GRID M60-1Q (2015 vs 2012).

FeatureGRID M60-1QRadeon HD 7970M
MSRP
$2500
Codename
GM204
Wimbledon
Release
August 30 2015
April 24 2012
Ranking
#525
#531

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