AMD FirePro W7000 vs AMD Radeon HD 7970M Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in OpenCL compute workloads?

A: The AMD FirePro W7000 wins the only shared benchmark test, Geekbench OpenCL, with a score of 17808 versus 17019 for the AMD Radeon HD 7970M. That is a 4.6% advantage for the FirePro W7000.

Q: How do these two cards compare in overall benchmark percentile ranking?

A: The FirePro W7000 sits in the 65th percentile of all GPUs, while the Radeon HD 7970M sits in the 60th percentile. The FirePro W7000 also has a higher average benchmark score of 19905, compared to 17019 for the Radeon HD 7970M.

Q: Do the two cards share the same underlying architecture?

A: Yes. Both use GCN 1.0 architecture, are built on TSMC's 28 nm process, and feature identical transistor counts of 2,800 million on a 212 mm² die. The FirePro W7000 uses the Pitcairn chip, while the Radeon HD 7970M uses the Wimbledon chip.

Q: What are the memory differences between these two GPUs?

A: The FirePro W7000 has 4 GB of GDDR5 memory, while the Radeon HD 7970M has 2 GB. Both use a 256-bit memory bus and deliver identical bandwidth of 153.6 GB/s with memory clocked at 1200 MHz (4.8 Gbps effective).

Q: Which card has lower power consumption?

A: The Radeon HD 7970M has a TDP of 100 W, while the FirePro W7000 is rated at 150 W. The Radeon HD 7970M is a mobile MXM module and requires no power connectors, whereas the FirePro W7000 is a single-slot desktop card with one 6-pin connector.

Q: When were these cards released, and what APIs do they support?

A: The Radeon HD 7970M launched on April 23, 2012, and the FirePro W7000 launched on June 12, 2012. Both support DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170.

Architecture Differences

Both GPUs share the same GCN 1.0 architecture, TSMC 28 nm manufacturing process, and identical 2,800 million transistor counts on a 212 mm² die. The core configuration is also identical: 1280 shading units, 80 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. The difference lies in the physical chip implementation and the product category each serves. The FirePro W7000 is built around the Pitcairn chip, while the Radeon HD 7970M uses the Wimbledon chip. Both are members of the same architectural family, but the Pitcairn is a desktop-oriented die and the Wimbledon is a mobile variant.

The memory subsystem is another point of divergence. The FirePro W7000 ships with 4 GB of GDDR5, double the 2 GB found on the Radeon HD 7970M. However, both use a 256-bit bus and run memory at 1200 MHz, resulting in identical bandwidth of 153.6 GB/s. This means the extra capacity on the FirePro W7000 does not provide a bandwidth advantage; it simply allows more data to reside locally, which matters for large datasets.

The FirePro W7000 also carries higher clock-derived rates. Its pixel rate is 30.40 GPixel/s versus 27.20 GPixel/s on the Radeon HD 7970M, and its texture rate is 76.00 GTexel/s versus 68.00 GTexel/s. Its FP32 throughput is 2.432 TFLOPS compared to 2.176 TFLOPS. These differences come from clock speed variations between the desktop and mobile implementations, though the base and boost clocks are not recorded in the database.

Form factor and power delivery separate these cards even further. The FirePro W7000 is a single-slot desktop card measuring 242 mm in length and 111 mm in height, with a 150 W TDP and a single 6-pin power connector. The Radeon HD 7970M is an MXM module with a 100 W TDP and no power connectors, designed for portable systems. The FirePro W7000 offers four DisplayPort 1.2 outputs, while the Radeon HD 7970M's display outputs are listed as "Portable Device Dependent."

Both cards are end-of-life products, but their lineage differs. The FirePro W7000 succeeded the FirePro Terascale generation and was followed by Radeon Pro Polaris. The Radeon HD 7970M succeeded the Vancouver generation and was followed by the Solar System generation.

Where Each One Wins

The FirePro W7000 wins in compute performance and memory capacity. Its Geekbench OpenCL score of 17808 tops the Radeon HD 7970M's 17019 by 4.6%. It also has a higher average benchmark score of 19905 versus 17019, and its 65th percentile ranking beats the Radeon HD 7970M's 60th percentile. In raw throughput metrics, the FirePro W7000 leads in pixel rate (30.40 GPixel/s versus 27.20 GPixel/s), texture rate (76.00 GTexel/s versus 68.00 GTexel/s), and FP32 compute (2.432 TFLOPS versus 2.176 TFLOPS). The 4 GB frame buffer gives it an edge for workloads that exceed 2 GB of working set, such as larger rendering scenes or bigger compute buffers.

The Radeon HD 7970M wins in power efficiency and portability. Its 100 W TDP is one-third lower than the FirePro W7000's 150 W. It also has no power connector requirement and comes in an MXM form factor, making it the only option for laptops and compact mobile workstations. The Radeon HD 7970M also launched earlier, on April 23, 2012, versus June 12, 2012 for the FirePro W7000, though both are now end-of-life.

The benchmark comparison shows the FirePro W7000 as the stronger performer in every measured metric. The Radeon HD 7970M is the better choice when system power constraints or physical space are the limiting factors, but it gives up compute throughput and memory capacity to achieve that.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD FirePro W7000 | AMD Radeon HD 7970M |

|---|---|---|

| Chip | Pitcairn | Wimbledon |

| Generation | FirePro GCN (Wx000) | London (HD 7900M) |

| Memory Size | 4 GB | 2 GB |

| Pixel Rate | 30.40 GPixel/s | 27.20 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 76.00 GTexel/s | 68.00 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 2.432 TFLOPS | 2.176 TFLOPS |

| TDP | 150 W | 100 W |

| Slot Width | Single-slot | MXM Module |

| Power Connectors | 1x 6-pin | None |

| Suggested PSU | 450 W | Not listed |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | MXM-B (3.0) |

| Display Outputs | 4x DisplayPort 1.2 | Portable Device Dependent |

| Dimensions | 242 mm x 111 mm | Not listed |

| Release Date | June 12, 2012 | April 23, 2012 |

| Predecessor | FirePro Terascale | Vancouver |

| Successor | Radeon Pro Polaris | Solar System |

| Launch MSRP | 899 USD | Not listed |

Identical specifications include the 28 nm process, TSMC foundry, 2,800 million transistors, 212 mm² die size, 13.2M / mm² transistor density, 1280 shading units, 80 TMUs, 32 ROPs, GDDR5 memory type, 256-bit bus width, 153.6 GB/s bandwidth, memory clock of 1200 MHz (4.8 Gbps effective), DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, Vulkan 1.2.170, and end-of-life production status.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains one direct head-to-head benchmark between these two cards: Geekbench OpenCL. The FirePro W7000 scores 17808, and the Radeon HD 7970M scores 17019, giving the FirePro W7000 a 4.6% win. This is a modest but consistent margin across the compute workload.

To contextualize that result, compare each card to its nearest rivals. The FirePro W7000's average score of 19905 places it just 0.1% above the NVIDIA Tesla K40m (19885), 0.7% above the AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT (19765), 1.4% above the AMD FirePro D300 (19637), and 1.5% above the NVIDIA Quadro K5200 (19602). That clustering shows the FirePro W7000 is competitive with much newer hardware in compute tasks, despite being a 2012 product.

The Radeon HD 7970M's average score of 17019 sits 0.1% below the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 (17037), 0.4% below the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT (17083), and 1.1% below the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 (17208). It is 0.5% above the NVIDIA Tesla M4 (16932). The Radeon HD 7970M is therefore positioned at the lower end of its rival cluster, while the FirePro W7000 sits near the top of its own cluster.

The delta between the two cards matters in real terms. A 4.6% gap in OpenCL compute is noticeable in long-running workloads, though not dramatic. The FirePro W7000's extra 2 GB of memory also contributes to its higher average benchmark score of 19905, which is 16.9% above the Radeon HD 7970M's 17019. That larger gap suggests the OpenCL test understates the overall performance difference, since the average score includes the memory capacity advantage.

The FirePro W7000 also leads in derived throughput metrics. Its 30.40 GPixel/s pixel rate is 11.8% higher than the Radeon HD 7970M's 27.20 GPixel/s. Its 76.00 GTexel/s texture rate is 11.8% higher than 68.00 GTexel/s. Its FP32 figure of 2.432 TFLOPS is 11.8% above 2.176 TFLOPS. The consistent 11.8% margin in all three derived metrics, versus 4.6% in actual compute benchmarks, indicates the clock advantage does not translate fully into compute performance due to workload efficiency differences.

The Verdict

The data clearly favors the AMD FirePro W7000 for desktop compute workloads. It wins the only shared benchmark, beats the Radeon HD 7970M by 4.6% in OpenCL, and leads by 16.9% in average benchmark score. Its 4 GB memory capacity doubles the Radeon HD 7970M's 2 GB, and its throughput metrics (pixel rate, texture rate, FP32) all run about 11.8% higher. For anyone building a desktop workstation with room for a single-slot card and a 450 W suggested PSU, the FirePro W7000 is the stronger pick from the recorded data.

The AMD Radeon HD 7970M is the pick only for constrained systems. Its 100 W TDP suits portable systems where power and space dominate the decision. It needs no power connectors and comes in MXM-B form factor. It also launched earlier, on April 23, 2012, but it gives up compute performance and memory capacity. The 60th percentile ranking reflects that tradeoff, and the 4.6% OpenCL deficit to the FirePro W7000 is the measured cost of that mobility.

There is no case from the data where the Radeon HD 7970M outperforms the FirePro W7000 in raw speed, memory capacity, or benchmark scores. The choice reduces to form factor and power draw. If the system accepts desktop hardware, pick the FirePro W7000. If the system requires MXM, the Radeon HD 7970M remains a capable option at 100 W. The FirePro W7000's 65th percentile and 19905 average score mark it as the superior GCN 1.0 compute card, with performance comparable to newer rivals like the NVIDIA Tesla K40m and RX 6650 XT.