CPU
GPU
Radeon HD 7970M
Popular choices:
FirePro W7170M
Popular choices:
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Radeon HD 7970M is positioned at rank 133 and the FirePro W7170M is on rank 22, so the FirePro W7170M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Radeon HD 7970M
Performance Per Dollar FirePro W7170M
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon HD 7970M is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.6% higher G3D Mark score. This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the FirePro W7170M.
| Insight | Radeon HD 7970M | FirePro W7170M |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+1.6%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.6%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / GCN 3.0 (2014−2019)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+0%) |
| Efficiency | Normal Efficiency | Normal Efficiency |
| Case Fit | — | — |
💎 Value Proposition
While current pricing data is unavailable, the Radeon HD 7970M remains the clear technical winner. Check real-time availability to determine if the performance gap justifies the market price.
Performance Check
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 7800X3D 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
League of Legends
Valorant
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Radeon HD 7970M and FirePro W7170M
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.
FirePro W7170M
The FirePro W7170M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in October 2 2015. It features the GCN 3.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 723 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,605 points.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 7970M scores 3,663 and the FirePro W7170M reaches 3,605 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.6% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 7970M is built on GCN 1.0 while the FirePro W7170M uses GCN 3.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,280 (Radeon HD 7970M) vs 2,048 (FirePro W7170M). Raw compute: 2.176 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7970M) vs 2.961 TFLOPS (FirePro W7170M).
| Feature | Radeon HD 7970M | FirePro W7170M |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 3,663+2% | 3,605 |
| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | GCN 3.0 |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 1280 | 2048+60% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 2.176 TFLOPS | 2.961 TFLOPS+36% |
| ROPs | 32 | 32 |
| TMUs | 80 | 128+60% |
| L1 Cache | 320 KB | 512 KB+60% |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB | 512 KB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 7970M | FirePro W7170M |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 1.0 (Software) | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | AMD Anti-Lag | Standard |
Video Memory (VRAM)
Both cards feature 4 GB of video memory. Bus width: System vs 64-bit.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7970M | FirePro W7170M |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 4 GB | 4 GB |
| Memory Type | Shared | GDDR5 |
| Bus Width | System | 64-bit |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB | 512 KB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 (11_1) (Radeon HD 7970M) vs 12 (FirePro W7170M). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 6 vs 3.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7970M | FirePro W7170M |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 (11_1) | 12 |
| Vulkan | 1.2 | 1.2 |
| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Max Displays | 6+100% | 3 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: VCE 1.0 (Radeon HD 7970M) vs VCE 3.1 (FirePro W7170M). Decoder: UVD 3 vs UVD 6.0. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 (Radeon HD 7970M) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,HEVC (FirePro W7170M).
| Feature | Radeon HD 7970M | FirePro W7170M |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | VCE 1.0 | VCE 3.1 |
| Decoder | UVD 3 | UVD 6.0 |
| Codecs | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,HEVC |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 7970M draws 100W versus the FirePro W7170M's 100W — a 0% difference. The FirePro W7170M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon HD 7970M) vs 350W (FirePro W7170M). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 85°C.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7970M | FirePro W7170M |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 100W | 100W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 350W |
| Power Connector | 1x 6-pin | PCIe-powered |
| Length | — | 0mm |
| Height | — | 0mm |
| Slots | 0-100% | 1 |
| Temp (Load) | 85°C | 85°C |
| Perf/Watt | 36.6+2% | 36.0 |
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