CPU
GPU
Radeon HD 7970M
Popular choices:
GeForce GTX 680M SLI
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 GeForce GTX 680M SLI is on rank 141, so the Radeon HD 7970M 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 GeForce GTX 680M SLI
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon HD 7970M is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 2.6% higher G3D Mark score and 100% more VRAM (4 GB vs 2 GB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the GeForce GTX 680M SLI.
| Insight | Radeon HD 7970M | GeForce GTX 680M SLI |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+2.6%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-2.6%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / Kepler (2012−2018)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) | ❌ Less VRAM capacity |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| 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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Radeon HD 7970M and GeForce GTX 680M SLI
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.
GeForce GTX 680M SLI
The GeForce GTX 680M SLI is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in June 4 2012. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock speed is 720 MHz. It has 2688 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,569 points.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 7970M scores 3,663 and the GeForce GTX 680M SLI reaches 3,569 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.6% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 7970M is built on GCN 1.0 while the GeForce GTX 680M SLI uses Kepler, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,280 (Radeon HD 7970M) vs 2,688 (GeForce GTX 680M SLI).
| Feature | Radeon HD 7970M | GeForce GTX 680M SLI |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 3,663+3% | 3,569 |
| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | Kepler |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 1280 | 2688+110% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 7970M | GeForce GTX 680M SLI |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 1.0 (Software) | FSR 2.1 (Compatible) |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | FSR 3 (Compatible) |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | AMD Anti-Lag | Standard |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The Radeon HD 7970M comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 680M SLI has 2 GB. The Radeon HD 7970M offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: System vs 256-bit.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7970M | GeForce GTX 680M SLI |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 4 GB+100% | 2 GB |
| Memory Type | Shared | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | System | Unknown |
| Bus Width | System | 256-bit |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 (11_1) (Radeon HD 7970M) vs 12 (11_0) (GeForce GTX 680M SLI). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 6 vs 4.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7970M | GeForce GTX 680M SLI |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 (11_1) | 12 (11_0) |
| Vulkan | 1.2 | 1.2 |
| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Max Displays | 6+50% | 4 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: VCE 1.0 (Radeon HD 7970M) vs NVENC (1st Gen) (GeForce GTX 680M SLI). Decoder: UVD 3 vs VP5. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 (Radeon HD 7970M) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 (GeForce GTX 680M SLI).
| Feature | Radeon HD 7970M | GeForce GTX 680M SLI |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | VCE 1.0 | NVENC (1st Gen) |
| Decoder | UVD 3 | VP5 |
| Codecs | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 7970M draws 100W versus the GeForce GTX 680M SLI's 75W — a 28.6% difference. The GeForce GTX 680M SLI is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon HD 7970M) vs 350W (GeForce GTX 680M SLI). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 1x 6-pin. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 80°C.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7970M | GeForce GTX 680M SLI |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 100W | 75W-25% |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 350W |
| Power Connector | 1x 6-pin | 1x 6-pin |
| Slots | 0 | — |
| Temp (Load) | 85°C | 80°C-6% |
| Perf/Watt | 36.6 | 47.6+30% |
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The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
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