GRID T4-2Q 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 T4-2Q 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 T4-2Q 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 T4-2Q

2015

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 4.3 vs 0 G3D/$ ($845 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 4.3 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $845 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GRID T4-2Q is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 0.1% in PassMark G3D (3,668 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 T4-2Q 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 T4-2Q makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GRID T4-2Q vs Radeon HD 7970M Technical Specifications

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

GRID T4-2Q

The GRID T4-2Q 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: 3,668 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 GRID T4-2Q scores 3,668 and the Radeon HD 7970M reaches 3,663 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GRID T4-2Q 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 T4-2Q) vs 1,280 (Radeon HD 7970M). Raw compute: 4.825 TFLOPS (GRID T4-2Q) vs 2.176 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7970M).

Feature	GRID T4-2Q	Radeon HD 7970M
G3D Mark Score	3,668	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)

Feature	GRID T4-2Q	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 T4-2Q 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 T4-2Q and System on the Radeon HD 7970M. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GRID T4-2Q) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon HD 7970M) — the GRID T4-2Q has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GRID T4-2Q	Radeon 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

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GRID T4-2Q) vs 12 (11_1) (Radeon HD 7970M). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 0 vs 6.

Feature	GRID T4-2Q	Radeon HD 7970M
DirectX	12 Ultimate	12 (11_1)
Vulkan	1.3+8%	1.2
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	0	6

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 6th Gen (GRID T4-2Q) vs VCE 1.0 (Radeon HD 7970M). Decoder: NVDEC 4th Gen vs UVD 3. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265,VP9 (GRID T4-2Q) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 (Radeon HD 7970M).

Feature	GRID T4-2Q	Radeon HD 7970M
Encoder	NVENC 6th Gen	VCE 1.0
Decoder	NVDEC 4th Gen	UVD 3
Codecs	H.264,H.265,VP9	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GRID T4-2Q 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 T4-2Q) vs 350W (Radeon HD 7970M). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 1x 6-pin. Typical load temperature: 70 vs 85°C.

Feature	GRID T4-2Q	Radeon HD 7970M
TDP	225W	100W-56%
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	1x 6-pin
Length	168mm	—
Height	69mm	—
Slots	1	0-100%
Temp (Load)	70-18%	85°C
Perf/Watt	16.3	36.6+125%

💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GRID T4-2Q (2015 vs 2012).

Feature	GRID T4-2Q	Radeon HD 7970M
MSRP	$845	—
Codename	GM204	Wimbledon
Release	August 30 2015	April 24 2012
Ranking	#433	#531

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