Radeon HD 7990 vs GeForce GTX 970M
Radeon HD 7990
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GeForce GTX 970M
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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.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Per Dollar GeForce GTX 970M
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce GTX 970M is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 2.5% higher G3D Mark score. This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon HD 7990.
| Insight | Radeon HD 7990 | GeForce GTX 970M |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-2.5%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+2.5%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / Maxwell 2.0 (2014−2019)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+0%) |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | Standard Size (305mm) | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
While current pricing data is unavailable, the GeForce GTX 970M 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 7990 and GeForce GTX 970M
Radeon HD 7990
The Radeon HD 7990 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 24 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 950 MHz to 1000 MHz. It has 2048 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 375W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,566 points. Launch price was $999.
GeForce GTX 970M
The GeForce GTX 970M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in October 7 2014. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 924 MHz to 1038 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 81W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,705 points. Launch price was $2,560.89.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 7990 scores 5,566 and the GeForce GTX 970M reaches 5,705 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.5% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 7990 is built on GCN 1.0 while the GeForce GTX 970M uses Maxwell 2.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 2,048 (Radeon HD 7990) vs 1,280 (GeForce GTX 970M). Raw compute: 4.096 TFLOPS ×2 (Radeon HD 7990) vs 2.657 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 970M). Boost clocks: 1000 MHz vs 1038 MHz.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7990 | GeForce GTX 970M |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 5,566 | 5,705+2% |
| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | Maxwell 2.0 |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 2048 ×2+60% | 1280 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 4.096 TFLOPS ×2+54% | 2.657 TFLOPS |
| Boost Clock | 1000 MHz | 1038 MHz+4% |
| ROPs | 32 ×2 | 48+50% |
| TMUs | 128 ×2+60% | 80 |
| L1 Cache | 512 KB+7% | 480 KB |
| L2 Cache | 0.75 MB | 1.5 MB+100% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 7990 | GeForce GTX 970M |
|---|---|---|
| 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)
Both cards feature 3 GB of GDDR5. Memory bandwidth: 288 GB/s x2 (Radeon HD 7990) vs 120 GB/s (GeForce GTX 970M) — a 2301.7% advantage for the Radeon HD 7990. Bus width: 384-bit x2 vs 192-bit. L2 Cache: 0.75 MB (Radeon HD 7990) vs 1.5 MB (GeForce GTX 970M) — the GeForce GTX 970M has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7990 | GeForce GTX 970M |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 3 GB | 3 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 288 GB/s x2+140% | 120 GB/s |
| Bus Width | 384-bit x2+100% | 192-bit |
| L2 Cache | 0.75 MB | 1.5 MB+100% |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 (11_1) (Radeon HD 7990) vs 12_1 (GeForce GTX 970M). Maximum simultaneous displays: 5 vs 0.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7990 | GeForce GTX 970M |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 (11_1) | 12_1 |
| Max Displays | 5 | 0 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: VCE 1.0 (Radeon HD 7990) vs NVENC 5th Gen (GeForce GTX 970M). Decoder: UVD 3.2 vs NVDEC 2nd Gen.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7990 | GeForce GTX 970M |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | VCE 1.0 | NVENC 5th Gen |
| Decoder | UVD 3.2 | NVDEC 2nd Gen |
| Codecs | H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 | — |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 7990 draws 375W versus the GeForce GTX 970M's 81W — a 128.9% difference. The GeForce GTX 970M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 750W (Radeon HD 7990) vs 350W (GeForce GTX 970M). Power connectors: 2x 8-pin vs 1x 6-pin. Card length: 305mm vs 1mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7990 | GeForce GTX 970M |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 375W | 81W-78% |
| Recommended PSU | 750W | 350W-53% |
| Power Connector | 2x 8-pin | 1x 6-pin |
| Length | 305mm | 1mm |
| Height | 111mm | — |
| Slots | 2 | 0-100% |
| Temp (Load) | 85 | — |
| Perf/Watt | 14.8 | 70.4+376% |
Value Analysis
The GeForce GTX 970M is the newer GPU (2014 vs 2013).
| Feature | Radeon HD 7990 | GeForce GTX 970M |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $999 | — |
| Avg Price (30d) | $999 | — |
| Codename | Malta | GM204 |
| Release | April 24 2013 | October 7 2014 |
| Ranking | #412 | #408 |
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