AMD Radeon 780M vs AMD Radeon RX 7700 Comparison

The AMD Radeon 780M and AMD Radeon RX 7700 represent two very different approaches to graphics hardware, one designed for efficiency within a processor and the other for dedicated performance in a desktop chassis. The benchmark data confirms this split clearly, with the RX 7700 dominating the shared tests. In the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, the RX 7700 scores 2865 against the 780M's 480, a delta of -83.2% for the integrated part. This means the dedicated card is roughly six times faster in this modern DirectX 12 workload, highlighting the massive gap in raw rendering throughput. The OpenCL compute test tells a similar story, with the RX 7700 posting 106028 points versus 18602 for the 780M, a difference of -82.5%. These are not close contests; the RX 7700 is in a completely different performance class.

Looking at the broader database averages, the picture becomes more nuanced. The 780M has an average benchmark score of 17588, which actually places it higher than the RX 7700's average of 15852. This is a curious inversion that results from the different sets of tests recorded for each product. The 780M's percentile rank of 61 is also slightly above the RX 7700's 58. These figures suggest that while the RX 7700 wins the head-to-head tests by a wide margin, the 780M benefits from a more favorable collection of benchmark results in the database, likely reflecting its role in systems with varying memory configurations. The RX 7700's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, which sits 1.7% ahead, and the AMD Radeon RX 9060, which is 1% ahead, showing it competes in a crowded mid-range field. The 780M's nearest rivals, such as the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 at -0.3% and the AMD Radeon Pro 560 at 0.2%, show it is a strong performer for an integrated solution, punching well above its weight class.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only two tests where both products have recorded data are the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 benchmark and the Geekbench OpenCL test. In both, the AMD Radeon RX 7700 is the clear winner. The most significant margin is in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, where the RX 7700's score of 2865 dwarfs the 780M's 480. The delta of -83.2% indicates the 780M delivers less than a fifth of the performance of the RX 7700 in this DirectX 12 gaming workload. This is the kind of result that defines the difference between a dedicated GPU and an integrated one, as the former has dedicated memory bandwidth and a much larger execution engine to call upon.

The Geekbench OpenCL test shows a similar, though slightly less extreme, gap. The RX 7700 scores 106028, while the 780M manages 18602, resulting in a delta of -82.5%. OpenCL is a general-purpose compute workload, and the RX 7700's 2560 shading units versus the 780M's 768 help explain the massive difference in throughput. The RX 7700 also has a significant advantage in memory bandwidth, which is critical for compute tasks that repeatedly access large datasets. The 780M relies on system shared memory, making its bandwidth dependent on the host system's configuration, whereas the RX 7700 has its own dedicated 624.1 GB/s of bandwidth. For any user considering these two products, the head-to-head data leaves no room for ambiguity: the RX 7700 is the overwhelmingly faster part in these specific tests.

Architecture Differences

Both the AMD Radeon 780M and the AMD Radeon RX 7700 are built on the RDNA 3.0 architecture, but they are fundamentally different implementations. The 780M is an integrated graphics processor (IGP) using the Phoenix chip, fabricated on a 4 nm process at TSMC. The RX 7700 is a discrete graphics card using the Navi 32 chip, fabricated on a larger 5 nm process, also at TSMC. This process difference is notable, as the 780M packs 25,390 million transistors into a 178 mm² die, resulting in a transistor density of 142.6M per mm². The RX 7700, with 28,100 million transistors on a 346 mm² die, has a much lower density of 81.2M per mm². This reflects the different design goals: the 780M is optimized for power efficiency within a constrained power envelope, while the RX 7700 is designed for maximum performance with fewer constraints.

The memory architecture is another major dividing line. The 780M uses system shared memory, meaning its frame buffer size, type, and bus width are all dependent on the host system's RAM. This is a fundamental limitation for an integrated GPU, as it must share bandwidth with the CPU and other system components. The RX 7700, in contrast, features 16 GB of dedicated GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, offering 624.1 GB/s of bandwidth. This dedicated memory is a critical advantage for gaming at higher resolutions and for compute workloads that require frequent memory access. The difference in memory bandwidth is likely the single largest factor in the performance gap seen in the head-to-head benchmarks.

The compute resources also differ significantly. The 780M has 768 shading units, 48 texture mapping units (TMUs), 32 raster operations pipelines (ROPs), and 12 ray tracing cores. The RX 7700 more than triples these numbers, with 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, 96 ROPs, and 40 ray tracing cores. This results in a theoretical FP32 performance of 8.909 TFLOPS for the 780M and 25.18 TFLOPS for the RX 7700. The RX 7700 also has a much higher pixel rate at 236.1 GPixel/s and texture rate at 393.4 GTexel/s, compared to 92.80 GPixel/s and 139.2 GTexel/s for the 780M. The RX 7700's game clock is listed at 2041 MHz, with a boost of 2459 MHz, while the 780M has a base clock of 800 MHz and a boost of 2900 MHz. The 780M's higher boost clock cannot compensate for its far smaller execution engine.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in the recorded 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7700 is significantly faster, scoring 2865 compared to the AMD Radeon 780M's 480. The delta is -83.2%, indicating the RX 7700 is the clear winner in this DirectX 12 workload.

Q: How do the average benchmark scores compare between the two?

A: The 780M has a higher average benchmark score of 17588, while the RX 7700 has an average of 15852. This is despite the RX 7700 winning the head-to-head tests, which shows the average scores are influenced by the different sets of benchmarks recorded for each product.

Q: What is the difference in memory bandwidth?

A: The RX 7700 has a dedicated 624.1 GB/s of bandwidth from its 16 GB GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus. The 780M uses system shared memory, so its bandwidth is system dependent and not specified as a fixed number.

Q: Do both GPUs support the same DirectX version?

A: Yes, both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, according to the recorded API support data.

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The 780M has a TDP of 15 W, while the RX 7700 has a TDP of 200 W. The RX 7700 requires two 8-pin power connectors and a suggested 550 W power supply, whereas the 780M is an IGP with no power connectors.

Q: Which GPU has a higher percentile ranking among all GPUs?

A: The 780M has a percentile rank of 61, which is slightly higher than the RX 7700's percentile rank of 58.

Specification Differences

The core specifications differ substantially between the two products. The 780M is an integrated part with a TDP of 15 W, while the RX 7700 is a dual-slot discrete card with a TDP of 200 W. The RX 7700 requires a 550 W suggested power supply and two 8-pin power connectors, while the 780M has no power connectors and is listed as an IGP. The process node differs, with the 780M using 4 nm and the RX 7700 using 5 nm. The 780M has a base clock of 800 MHz and a boost of 2900 MHz, while the RX 7700 has a base of 1900 MHz, a game clock of 2041 MHz, and a boost of 2459 MHz.

Memory is a major differentiator: the 780M uses system shared memory with system dependent bandwidth, while the RX 7700 has 16 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus with 624.1 GB/s of bandwidth. The compute resources are vastly different, with the 780M having 768 shading units, 48 TMUs, 32 ROPs, and 12 RT cores, versus the RX 7700's 2560 shading units, 160 TMUs, 96 ROPs, and 40 RT cores. The theoretical performance figures reflect this, with the 780M offering 8.909 TFLOPS FP32, 92.80 GPixel/s pixel rate, and 139.2 GTexel/s texture rate, while the RX 7700 offers 25.18 TFLOPS FP32, 236.1 GPixel/s pixel rate, and 393.4 GTexel/s texture rate. The bus interface also differs, with the 780M using PCIe 4.0 x8 and the RX 7700 using PCIe 4.0 x16. The RX 7700 has physical dimensions of 267 mm in length, 135 mm in height, and 50 mm in width, while the 780M has no recorded physical dimensions as it is integrated. The RX 7700 also has a defined display output configuration with 1x HDMI 2.1, 2x DisplayPort 2.1, and 1x USB Type-C, while the 780M's outputs are motherboard dependent.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear choice based on use case. The AMD Radeon RX 7700 is the superior product for any task that requires sustained, high-performance rendering or compute. Its decisive wins in both head-to-head benchmarks, with an 83.2% margin in 3DMark Steel Nomad and an 82.5% margin in Geekbench OpenCL, make it the only reasonable option for demanding gaming or professional workloads. The dedicated 16 GB of GDDR6 memory with 624.1 GB/s of bandwidth is a critical asset that the 780M simply cannot match, as it relies on system shared memory. The RX 7700's 2560 shading units and 40 RT cores provide a level of raw compute capability that is in a different league from the 780M's 768 shading units and 12 RT cores.

The AMD Radeon 780M, however, is not without merit. Its 15 W TDP and integrated nature make it suitable for compact, power-efficient systems where a dedicated GPU is not an option. Its average benchmark score of 17588 and percentile rank of 61, both higher than the RX 7700's corresponding figures, suggest that in the specific tests recorded for it, it performs well relative to the broader GPU landscape. For users who need basic graphics acceleration in a laptop or a small form factor PC without the space or power budget for a discrete card, the 780M is a capable solution. The choice is not about which is better in absolute terms, but which fits the system's constraints and performance requirements.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon RX 7700 wins decisively in all recorded head-to-head benchmarks. It is the clear choice for gamers and content creators who need high frame rates and fast compute performance, as evidenced by its 2865 score in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 and 106028 in Geekbench OpenCL. Its 40 RT cores and 96 ROPs make it suitable for ray-traced gaming and high-resolution rendering. The 16 GB of GDDR6 memory provides ample capacity for modern game textures and large datasets, and the 624.1 GB/s bandwidth ensures the GPU is not starved for data. The RX 7700 is also the only one of the two with a dedicated power delivery system, requiring a 550 W PSU, which is typical for a performance-oriented desktop build.

The AMD Radeon 780M wins in the context of system integration and power efficiency. With a 15 W TDP and no power connectors, it can be placed into any motherboard with a compatible socket, making it ideal for ultra-portable laptops or compact desktops. Its higher average benchmark score of 17588 and percentile rank of 61 suggest that within its class, it is a strong performer. The 780M's 2900 MHz boost clock is also higher than the RX 7700's 2459 MHz boost, indicating it can reach high frequencies when thermals and power allow. For users who do not need the extreme performance of a discrete GPU, the 780M offers a practical, low-power solution that handles everyday graphics tasks and lighter gaming without the need for additional hardware.