Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire vs Radeon HD 7990

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 8970M Crossfire is positioned at rank #264 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire

#254

Radeon RX 550X (móvel)

MSRP: $35|Avg: $35

592%

#256

GeForce GTX 1070 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $150

537%

#257

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $100

536%

#261

GeForce GTX 1050 (Mobile)

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

487%

#262

Radeon RX 6300

MSRP: $60|Avg: $40

484%

#264

Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire

MSRP: $300|Avg: $75

100%

#265

Graphics 4-Core iGPU (Arrow Lake)

MSRP: $300|Avg: $100

100%

#270

GeForce GTX 960A

MSRP: $199|Avg: $60

95%

#271

Radeon HD 8770

MSRP: $150|Avg: $150

95%

#273

Radeon R9 M295X

MSRP: $300|Avg: $150

94%

#274

GeForce GT 325M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $20

93%

#275

GeForce GTS 160M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $30

93%

#276

GeForce GTX 470M SLI

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $60

92%

#277

Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 3 3200G

MSRP: $99|Avg: $70

92%

#279

Radeon RX Vega 9

MSRP: $99|Avg: $50

92%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

The Radeon HD 7990 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.2% higher G3D Mark score. However, the Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.

Insight	Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire	Radeon HD 7990
Performance	❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.2%)	✅Leading raw performance (+1.2%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / GCN (2012−2015))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	✅ More VRAM (+33.3%)	❌ Less VRAM capacity
Efficiency	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt	⚡ Higher Power Consumption
Case Fit	—	Standard Size (305mm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire holds the technical lead. Priced at $75 (vs $999), it costs 92% less, resulting in a 1216.2% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire	Radeon HD 7990
Cost Efficiency	✅Better overall value (+1216.2%)	❌Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅More affordable ($75)	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($999)

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.

Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire Benchmark Check

Radeon HD 7990 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire and Radeon HD 7990

Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire

The Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire is manufactured by AMD. It was released in May 1 2012. It features the GCN architecture. The core clock ranges from 850 MHz to 900 MHz. It has 2560 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,500 points.

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.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire scores 5,500 and the Radeon HD 7990 reaches 5,566 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire is built on GCN while the Radeon HD 7990 uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 2,560 (Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire) vs 2,048 (Radeon HD 7990). Boost clocks: 900 MHz vs 1000 MHz.

Feature	Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire	Radeon HD 7990
G3D Mark Score	5,500	5,566+1%
Architecture	GCN	GCN 1.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	2560+25%	2048 ×2
Boost Clock	900 MHz	1000 MHz+11%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire	Radeon HD 7990
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	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 7990 has 3 GB. The Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire offers 33.3% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 153.6 GB/s x2 (Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire) vs 288 GB/s x2 (Radeon HD 7990) — a 1776.1% advantage for the Radeon HD 7990. Bus width: 256-bit x2 vs 384-bit x2.

Feature	Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire	Radeon HD 7990
VRAM Capacity	4 GB+33%	3 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	153.6 GB/s x2	288 GB/s x2+88%
Bus Width	256-bit x2	384-bit x2+50%

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire draws 200W versus the Radeon HD 7990's 375W — a 60.9% difference. The Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire) vs 750W (Radeon HD 7990). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 2x 8-pin.

Feature	Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire	Radeon HD 7990
TDP	200W-47%	375W
Recommended PSU	350W-53%	750W
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	2x 8-pin
Length	—	305mm
Height	—	111mm
Slots	—	2
Temp (Load)	—	85
Perf/Watt	27.5+86%	14.8

💰

Value Analysis

The Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire launched at $300 MSRP and currently averages $75, while the Radeon HD 7990 launched at $999 and now averages $999. The Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire costs 92.5% less ($924 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 73.3 (Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire) vs 5.6 (Radeon HD 7990) — the Radeon HD 8970M Crossfire offers 1208.9% better value. The Radeon HD 7990 is the newer GPU (2013 vs 2012).