AMD Radeon 780M vs AMD Radeon R9 370X Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data splits this comparison cleanly along API lines. The AMD Radeon 780M takes the Vulkan test decisively, while the AMD Radeon R9 370X wins the OpenCL workload by a substantial margin. In the recorded head-to-head results, each card claims exactly one victory, making this a genuine toss-up depending on the application.

The 780M is the choice for modern API workloads, particularly Vulkan-based titles and future-oriented rendering paths. Its 273.5% lead in Geekbench Vulkan over the R9 370X represents the single largest performance gap in this comparison. The R9 370X, by contrast, remains competitive in OpenCL compute tasks, where it outperforms the 780M by 28.2%. For users prioritizing legacy compute acceleration, the older card retains an edge. The data suggests the 780M is better suited for current-generation gaming and emerging software, while the R9 370X holds value for specific OpenCL-dependent workflows. The 780M also shows a higher overall percentile rank (61st versus 58th for the R9 370X), indicating slightly better standing across the full GPU landscape.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from entirely different design eras and philosophies. The 780M uses the Phoenix chip built on RDNA 3.0 architecture, fabricated on TSMC's 4 nm process. This is a modern integrated graphics processor belonging to the Navi III IGP generation, with a transistor count of 25,390 million across a 178 mm² die, yielding a density of 142.6 million transistors per square millimeter. The R9 370X, in contrast, relies on the Trinidad chip with GCN 1.0 architecture, manufactured on the much older 28 nm process. It packs 2,800 million transistors into a 212 mm² die, resulting in a far lower density of 13.2 million transistors per square millimeter.

The 780M is a system-integrated GPU (IGP) with system-shared memory, meaning its memory size, type, and bus width are all dependent on the host system's configuration. Its clock speeds reach a boost of 2900 MHz from an 800 MHz base. The R9 370X is a discrete dual-slot card with dedicated 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 179.2 GB/s of bandwidth. Its base clock sits at 980 MHz with a boost of 1030 MHz, and its memory runs at an effective 5.6 Gbps.

Feature support differs substantially. The 780M supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), Vulkan 1.4, and OpenGL 4.6. The R9 370X peaks at DirectX 12 (11_1), Vulkan 1.2.170, and OpenGL 4.6. The 780M also includes 12 ray tracing cores, a feature entirely absent from the R9 370X, which has no RT cores listed. The 780M's FP16 throughput matches its FP32 at 8.909 TFLOPS, while the R9 370X lists no FP16 capability at all. Shader configuration also diverges: the 780M uses 768 shading units, 48 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs, while the R9 370X employs 1280 shading units, 80 TMUs, and 32 ROPs.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Geekbench Vulkan test produces the most dramatic divergence between these two cards. The 780M scores 33,683, while the R9 370X manages only 9,018. That is a 273.5% advantage for the 780M, a gap so wide that it defines the entire comparison. The R9 370X's Vulkan score is less than a third of the 780M's result, which aligns with the older card's limited Vulkan API version support (1.2.170 versus 1.4). Software written for modern Vulkan features will run substantially better on the 780M.

The Geekbench OpenCL test flips the result. Here, the R9 370X scores 25,893 against the 780M's 18,602, giving the older card a 28.2% lead. This is a notable reversal, as the R9 370X's raw compute resources, 1280 shading units and 80 TMUs, appear to translate into better performance in this specific OpenCL workload. The 780M's 768 shading units and 48 TMUs cannot compensate despite significantly higher clock speeds and a much newer architecture. The R9 370X also records a Geekbench Metal score of 12,676, though no comparable Metal result exists for the 780M in the database, so that metric cannot be directly compared.

Looking at the broader benchmark averages, the 780M achieves 17,588 across all recorded tests, while the R9 370X averages 15,862. The 780M's nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon Pro 560 (17,551, 0.2% behind) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 (17,639, 0.3% ahead), placing it in solid mid-range company. The R9 370X, with rivals like the AMD Radeon RX 7700 (15,852, 0.1% behind) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti (16,129, 1.7% ahead), sits in a similar performance tier despite its age.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has better Vulkan performance?

A: The AMD Radeon 780M dominates in Geekbench Vulkan with a score of 33,683, which is 273.5% higher than the R9 370X's 9,018. This is the largest performance gap in the head-to-head data.

Q: Is the AMD Radeon R9 370X faster in any test?

A: Yes, the R9 370X wins the Geekbench OpenCL test with 25,893 points, surpassing the 780M's 18,602 by 28.2%. It also has a Geekbench Metal score of 12,676, though no comparable Metal result exists for the 780M.

Q: What are the architectural differences between the two cards?

A: The 780M uses RDNA 3.0 architecture on a 4 nm process with 25,390 million transistors, while the R9 370X uses GCN 1.0 on a 28 nm process with 2,800 million transistors. The 780M is an IGP with system-shared memory, whereas the R9 370X is a discrete card with 2 GB of GDDR5.

Q: Which card supports newer graphics APIs?

A: The 780M supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4, while the R9 370X supports DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170. Both support OpenGL 4.6.

Q: Does the R9 370X support ray tracing?

A: No, the R9 370X has no ray tracing cores listed. The 780M includes 12 RT cores, but the database does not record a specific ray tracing benchmark for either card.

Q: How do the average benchmark scores compare?

A: The 780M averages 17,588 across all recorded tests, while the R9 370X averages 15,862. The 780M ranks in the 61st percentile of all GPUs, compared to the R9 370X's 58th percentile.

Where Each One Wins

The 780M is the clear winner for Vulkan-based applications. Its 273.5% lead in the Geekbench Vulkan test suggests it handles modern graphics APIs with far greater efficiency, likely due to its newer RDNA 3.0 architecture and support for Vulkan 1.4. This makes it the better option for contemporary games and software that leverage the latest rendering features. The presence of 12 ray tracing cores further positions it for future titles that incorporate hardware-accelerated ray tracing. Its DirectX 12 Ultimate support also aligns with the current generation of console ports and PC releases. As an IGP with a 15 W TDP, it presents a low-power solution for systems where a discrete GPU may not be feasible.

The R9 370X wins in OpenCL compute workloads, where its 28.2% advantage in Geekbench OpenCL demonstrates that raw shader count (1280 units) and memory bandwidth (179.2 GB/s) still matter for certain tasks. Its dedicated 2 GB of GDDR5 memory and 256-bit bus provide consistent performance without depending on system RAM. This card is better suited for legacy compute applications, OpenCL-based rendering, or older game engines that do not utilize modern API features. Its 180 W TDP and dual-slot design indicate a traditional discrete GPU intended for desktop systems with adequate power delivery. The R9 370X also offers a Geekbench Metal score of 12,676, which may be relevant for macOS or Metal-based workloads, though the 780M lacks a comparable result in the database.

Specification Differences

The process node separates these cards by multiple generations: the 780M uses 4 nm TSMC fabrication, while the R9 370X uses 28 nm. Transistor counts differ dramatically, 25,390 million versus 2,800 million, as does die size, 178 mm² versus 212 mm². The transistor density is 142.6 million per mm² for the 780M and 13.2 million per mm² for the R9 370X. Clock speeds favor the 780M with an 800 MHz base and 2900 MHz boost, against the R9 370X's 980 MHz base and 1030 MHz boost. The R9 370X has a fixed memory clock of 1400 MHz (5.6 Gbps effective), while the 780M uses system-shared memory with system-dependent bandwidth.

Memory configurations are fundamentally different: the 780M shares system memory with no dedicated size, type, or bus width, while the R9 370X comes with 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus providing 179.2 GB/s. Shader resources favor the R9 370X with 1280 shading units and 80 TMUs, compared to the 780M's 768 shading units and 48 TMUs. Both have 32 ROPs. The 780M includes 12 RT cores, which the R9 370X lacks entirely. Pixel rate is higher on the 780M at 92.80 GPixel/s versus 32.96 GPixel/s, and texture rate also favors the 780M at 139.2 GTexel/s against 82.40 GTexel/s. FP32 throughput is 8.909 TFLOPS for the 780M and 2.637 TFLOPS for the R9 370X; the 780M also lists FP16 at 8.909 TFLOPS, while the R9 370X has no FP16 figure.

Power and physical specifications differ sharply: the 780M is an IGP with a 15 W TDP and no power connectors, while the R9 370X is a dual-slot card with a 180 W TDP, 2x 6-pin power connectors, and a suggested PSU of 450 W. The 780M uses PCIe 4.0 x8, while the R9 370X uses PCIe 3.0 x16. Display outputs are motherboard-dependent for the 780M, whereas the R9 370X provides 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, and 1x DisplayPort 1.2. The R9 370X measures 221 mm in length and 111 mm in height; the 780M has no listed dimensions. Production status also differs: the 780M is active, released in 2024, while the R9 370X is end-of-life, released in 2015. The R9 370X has a recorded launch MSRP of 199 USD.