AMD Radeon 680M vs AMD Radeon HD 7770M Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database does not contain any direct head-to-head benchmark results between the AMD Radeon 680M and the AMD Radeon HD 7770M. The recorded data shows no overlapping test entries, with the 680M being measured in 3DMark Steel Nomad (DX12), Geekbench OpenCL, and Geekbench Vulkan, while the HD 7770M has a single recorded Geekbench Metal score. This absence of shared benchmarks means a direct per-test comparison is not possible from the recorded measurements. However, the average benchmark scores provide a useful proxy for overall performance positioning.

The AMD Radeon 680M achieves an average benchmark score of 15270 across its three tests. Its best recorded result is the Geekbench OpenCL score of 23468, followed by a Geekbench Vulkan score of 21965, and a 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 score of 378. The AMD Radeon HD 7770M, by contrast, has an average benchmark score of 13536, based solely on its Geekbench Metal result of 13536. The delta between the two averages is 1734 points, which places the 680M approximately 12.8% ahead of the HD 7770M in overall recorded performance. This is a meaningful gap, though the differing test suites (OpenCL and Vulkan versus Metal) mean the comparison is not perfectly apples-to-apples.

Looking at the nearest rivals in the database, the 680M sits in a peculiar position. Its average score of 15270 is nearly identical to that of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580 (15283, delta of -0.1%), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (15290, delta of -0.1%), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM (15199, delta of 0.5%), and the AMD Radeon RX 7600 (15171, delta of 0.7%). In other words, the 680M is essentially tied with these desktop-class discrete GPUs in average benchmark performance, despite being an integrated graphics processor. The HD 7770M, meanwhile, finds its nearest rivals at a lower tier: the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT (13543, delta of -0.1%), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 (13515, delta of 0.2%), the NVIDIA P106-090 (13470, delta of 0.5%), and the AMD Radeon Pro 555 (13407, delta of 1%). The HD 7770M's average is within 1% of all four of these rivals, indicating it is solidly positioned in its performance band.

The percentile rankings further contextualize these averages. The 680M sits at the 57th percentile against all GPUs in the database, while the HD 7770M sits at the 54th percentile. This three-percentile-point difference is modest, suggesting that while the 680M has a higher average score, both parts occupy a similar middle-tier position in the overall distribution. The percentile data underscores that the performance gap, while real, does not catapult the 680M into a dramatically higher tier relative to the full GPU landscape.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the recorded data, the AMD Radeon 680M is the stronger performer. Its average benchmark score of 15270 exceeds the HD 7770M's 13536 by 12.8%, and its 57th percentile ranking is three points higher than the HD 7770M's 54th. The 680M also demonstrates versatility across multiple modern API tests (DX12, OpenCL, Vulkan), whereas the HD 7770M has only a Metal score recorded. For users prioritizing raw compute and modern API support, the 680M is the clear choice from the data.

However, the HD 7770M is not without its own positioning. Its average score of 13536 places it within 1% of four different rivals, including the RX 9070 XT and GTX 570, which indicates it holds its own in its performance band. The 54th percentile ranking shows it is not a slouch in the broader database context. That said, the 680M's higher average and superior API coverage make it the more capable part for current workloads. The data does not support any scenario where the HD 7770M outperforms the 680M, as there are no recorded benchmark wins for either part in a head-to-head comparison, and the 680M's average is consistently higher.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs are separated by more than a decade of design philosophy. The AMD Radeon 680M is built on the RDNA 2.0 architecture, fabricated on a 6 nm process at TSMC, with a transistor count of 13,100 million spread across a 208 mm² die. This yields a transistor density of 63.0 million per mm². The AMD Radeon HD 7770M, in contrast, uses the GCN 1.0 architecture on a 28 nm process, also at TSMC, with 1,500 million transistors on a 123 mm² die, giving a density of 12.2 million per mm². The 680M's process node advantage is stark: 6 nm versus 28 nm represents a generational leap in manufacturing efficiency, which is reflected in the five-fold higher transistor density.

The compute resources differ substantially. The 680M has 768 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 32 render output units, along with 12 ray tracing cores. The HD 7770M has 512 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs, with no ray tracing cores. The 680M's pixel rate is 70.40 GPixel/s and its texture rate is 105.6 GTexel/s, while the HD 7770M achieves 10.80 GPixel/s and 21.60 GTexel/s respectively. The FP32 performance tells a similar story: 3.379 TFLOPS for the 680M versus 691.2 GFLOPS for the HD 7770M, a nearly five-fold difference. The 680M also supports FP16 at 6.758 TFLOPS (2:1 ratio), a feature the HD 7770M lacks entirely.

Memory architecture is another major divergence. The 680M uses system-shared memory with a bandwidth that is system dependent, meaning its performance scales with the host's RAM configuration. The HD 7770M has dedicated 1024 MB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering a fixed 64.00 GB/s of bandwidth. The 680M's shared memory approach is flexible but variable, while the HD 7770M offers consistent, if limited, dedicated bandwidth. The 680M's clock speeds are listed as 2000 MHz base and 2200 MHz boost, whereas the HD 7770M's core clocks are not recorded in the database; only its memory clock of 1000 MHz (4 Gbps effective) is listed.

API support also separates the two. The 680M supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The HD 7770M supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The 680M's DX12 Ultimate and newer Vulkan version indicate support for modern rendering features, while the HD 7770M's older API levels limit its compatibility with current titles. The bus interface also differs: PCIe 4.0 x8 for the 680M versus PCIe 2.0 x16 for the HD 7770M, though the latter's wider interface is on an older standard.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon 680M has an average benchmark score of 15270, while the AMD Radeon HD 7770M has an average of 13536. This gives the 680M a 12.8% advantage.

Q: What are the process node differences between the two?

A: The 680M is fabricated on a 6 nm process at TSMC, while the HD 7770M uses a 28 nm process, also at TSMC. The 680M's transistor density is 63.0 million per mm², compared to 12.2 million per mm² for the HD 7770M.

Q: Does the HD 7770M support ray tracing?

A: No. The HD 7770M has no ray tracing cores listed, while the 680M has 12 ray tracing cores.

Q: How do the memory configurations differ?

A: The 680M uses system-shared memory with system-dependent bandwidth, while the HD 7770M has 1024 MB of dedicated GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus with 64.00 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Which GPU has better DirectX support?

A: The 680M supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), while the HD 7770M supports DirectX 12 (11_1). The 680M's newer version enables more advanced rendering features.

Q: What is the production status of each GPU?

A: The 680M is listed as Active, while the HD 7770M is End-of-life. The 680M was released on 2023-01-02, and the HD 7770M on 2012-04-23.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon 680M wins in every measured performance category. Its FP32 throughput of 3.379 TFLOPS is nearly five times the HD 7770M's 691.2 GFLOPS, and its pixel rate of 70.40 GPixel/s is over six times the HD 7770M's 10.80 GPixel/s. The texture rate advantage is similar: 105.6 GTexel/s versus 21.60 GTexel/s. For any workload that depends on raw compute, shader processing, or fill rates, the 680M is the decisive winner. Its support for FP16 at 6.758 TFLOPS and 12 ray tracing cores also gives it capabilities the HD 7770M simply does not have.

The HD 7770M's one advantage is its fixed memory configuration. With dedicated 1024 MB of GDDR5 and a consistent 64.00 GB/s of bandwidth, it offers predictable memory performance that does not depend on the host system's RAM. The 680M's system-shared memory means its bandwidth varies with the system's memory speed and configuration, which could introduce variability in real-world performance. For scenarios where a fixed, dedicated memory pool is preferable, the HD 7770M has an edge in predictability, though not in peak capacity or speed.

In terms of API coverage, the 680M wins on modern standards with DirectX 12 Ultimate and Vulkan 1.4, while the HD 7770M's DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170 are older. The 680M also has a newer bus interface (PCIe 4.0 x8 versus PCIe 2.0 x16), which offers higher bandwidth potential on modern platforms. The HD 7770M is end-of-life, while the 680M is active, meaning the latter is more likely to receive ongoing driver support and be relevant for current software.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every specification field. The 680M uses the Rembrandt+ chip on RDNA 2.0 architecture, while the HD 7770M uses the Chelsea chip on GCN 1.0. The process node is 6 nm for the 680M and 28 nm for the HD 7770M. Transistor counts are 13,100 million versus 1,500 million, and die sizes are 208 mm² versus 123 mm². The 680M has 768 shading units, 48 TMUs, 32 ROPs, and 12 RT cores; the HD 7770M has 512 shading units, 32 TMUs, and 16 ROPs, with no RT cores. Pixel rates are 70.40 GPixel/s versus 10.80 GPixel/s, and texture rates are 105.6 GTexel/s versus 21.60 GTexel/s. FP32 performance is 3.379 TFLOPS versus 691.2 GFLOPS, and FP16 is 6.758 TFLOPS for the 680M with no FP16 listed for the HD 7770M.

The 680M has base and boost clocks of 2000 MHz and 2200 MHz, while the HD 7770M has no core clocks listed; its memory clock is 1000 MHz (4 Gbps effective). The 680M uses system-shared memory with system-dependent bandwidth, while the HD 7770M has 1024 MB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus with 64.00 GB/s bandwidth. TDP values are 50 W for the 680M and 32 W for the HD 7770M, though the 680M is an IGP with no power connectors, while the HD 7770M's slot width and power connectors are not listed. The bus interface is PCIe 4.0 x8 for the 680M and PCIe 2.0 x16 for the HD 7770M. API support differs: DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) versus DirectX 12 (11_1), Vulkan 1.4 versus 1.2.170, with both supporting OpenGL 4.6. The 680M is Active with a release date of 2023-01-02, while the HD 7770M is End-of-life with a release date of 2012-04-23.