CPU
GPU
Radeon HD 7970M
Popular choices:
Radeon RX 560
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. The Radeon HD 7970M is positioned at rank #133 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Radeon HD 7970M
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon RX 560 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.5% higher G3D Mark score. This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon HD 7970M.
| Insight | Radeon HD 7970M | Radeon RX 560 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.5%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.5%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2017 / GCN 4.0 (2016−2020)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+0%) |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | — | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
While current pricing data is unavailable, the Radeon RX 560 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 Radeon RX 560
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.
Radeon RX 560
The Radeon RX 560 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 18 2017. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1175 MHz to 1275 MHz. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,682 points. Launch price was $99.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 7970M scores 3,663 and the Radeon RX 560 reaches 3,682 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.5% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 7970M is built on GCN 1.0 while the Radeon RX 560 uses GCN 4.0, both on 28 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 1,280 (Radeon HD 7970M) vs 1,024 (Radeon RX 560). Raw compute: 2.176 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7970M) vs 2.611 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 560).
| Feature | Radeon HD 7970M | Radeon RX 560 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 3,663 | 3,682 |
| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | GCN 4.0 |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 14 nm |
| Shading Units | 1280+25% | 1024 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 2.176 TFLOPS | 2.611 TFLOPS+20% |
| ROPs | 32+100% | 16 |
| TMUs | 80+25% | 64 |
| L1 Cache | 320 KB+25% | 256 KB |
| L2 Cache | 0.5 MB | 1 MB+100% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 7970M | Radeon RX 560 |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 1.0 (Software) | FSR 2.1 |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | FSR 3 (Compatible) |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | AMD Anti-Lag | AMD Anti-Lag |
Video Memory (VRAM)
Both cards feature 4 GB of video memory. Bus width: System vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 0.5 MB (Radeon HD 7970M) vs 1 MB (Radeon RX 560) — the Radeon RX 560 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7970M | Radeon RX 560 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 4 GB | 4 GB |
| Memory Type | Shared | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | System | Unknown |
| Bus Width | System | 256-bit |
| L2 Cache | 0.5 MB | 1 MB+100% |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 (11_1) (Radeon HD 7970M) vs 12 (12_0) (Radeon RX 560). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 6 vs 3.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7970M | Radeon RX 560 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 (11_1) | 12 (12_0) |
| Vulkan | 1.2 | 1.3+8% |
| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Max Displays | 6+100% | 3 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: VCE 1.0 (Radeon HD 7970M) vs VCE 3.4 (Radeon RX 560). Decoder: UVD 3 vs UVD 6.3. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 (Radeon HD 7970M) vs HEVC,H.264,VP9,MPEG-4 (Radeon RX 560).
| Feature | Radeon HD 7970M | Radeon RX 560 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | VCE 1.0 | VCE 3.4 |
| Decoder | UVD 3 | UVD 6.3 |
| Codecs | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 | HEVC,H.264,VP9,MPEG-4 |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 7970M draws 100W versus the Radeon RX 560's 75W — a 28.6% difference. The Radeon RX 560 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon HD 7970M) vs 450W (Radeon RX 560). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs None. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 70 C.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7970M | Radeon RX 560 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 100W | 75W-25% |
| Recommended PSU | 350W-22% | 450W |
| Power Connector | 1x 6-pin | None |
| Length | — | 170mm |
| Height | — | 112mm |
| Slots | 0-100% | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | 85°C | 70 C-18% |
| Perf/Watt | 36.6 | 49.1+34% |
Value Analysis
The Radeon RX 560 is the newer GPU (2017 vs 2012).
| Feature | Radeon HD 7970M | Radeon RX 560 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | — | $99 |
| Avg Price (30d) | — | $60 |
| Codename | Wimbledon | Polaris 21 |
| Release | April 24 2012 | April 18 2017 |
| Ranking | #531 | #527 |
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