AMD Radeon 780M vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded head-to-head data pits these two very different designs against each other in only two shared test categories, and the results are strikingly split. In Geekbench OpenCL, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 scores 22,863 against the AMD Radeon 780M's 18,602. That is a 22.9% advantage for the older discrete card. The GTX 780, with its dedicated memory and wide bus, clearly dominates in this compute-oriented workload. Its 4.156 TFLOPS of FP32 throughput and 288.4 GB/s of bandwidth are put to good use here, and the data reflects that.

However, the tables turn completely in Geekbench Vulkan. There, the AMD Radeon 780M posts a commanding 33,683, while the GTX 780 manages only 24,514. The delta is 27.2% in favor of the integrated part. This is not a marginal difference; it is a decisive reversal. The 780M's modern RDNA 3.0 architecture, with its 12 ray-tracing cores and support for DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), clearly benefits from the Vulkan API's low-level overhead and the newer hardware's feature set. The GTX 780, despite its raw compute power, is limited by its older Kepler design and DirectX 12 (11_0) support.

What is particularly interesting is that the two GPUs each win exactly one benchmark, resulting in a 1-1 split. The OpenCL test favors the older, bandwidth-rich discrete GPU, while the Vulkan test favors the newer, feature-rich integrated GPU. This suggests that the choice between them depends heavily on the workload and API. In raw compute with OpenCL, the GTX 780 is the clear winner. In modern graphics APIs like Vulkan, the 780M pulls ahead significantly. The data does not indicate a single overall victor; it indicates two different tools for two different jobs.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score across all recorded tests?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 has an average benchmark score of 19,164, while the AMD Radeon 780M sits at 17,588. The GTX 780 is also in the 64th percentile of all GPUs, compared to the 780M's 61st percentile.

Q: How does the GTX 780 compare to its nearest rival, the NVIDIA TITAN Xp?

A: The GTX 780's average score of 19,164 is just 0.1% below the TITAN Xp's 19,177. This places the GTX 780 essentially on par with that much newer flagship, according to the database's measurements.

Q: What is the performance delta between the GTX 780 and the AMD Radeon RX 6600?

A: The GTX 780 is 0.7% ahead of the RX 6600, which has an average score of 19,036. This is a very tight margin, indicating that the older GTX 780 still trades blows with a modern mid-range discrete GPU.

Q: How does the Radeon 780M fare against the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 in average score?

A: The 780M's average score of 17,588 is 0.3% below the RTX 4060's 17,639. The 780M is also 0.2% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro 560 and 0.5% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro 460, showing it sits in a competitive cluster.

Q: In which benchmark does the Radeon 780M achieve its highest recorded score?

A: The 780M's highest recorded score is 33,683 in Geekbench Vulkan. This is significantly higher than its Geekbench OpenCL score of 18,602, and it is the test where it decisively beats the GTX 780.

Q: What is the best recorded score for the GTX 780, and in which test?

A: The GTX 780's best recorded score is 24,514 in Geekbench Vulkan. Its Geekbench OpenCL score is 22,863, and its Geekbench Metal score is 10,114, which is notably lower than its other results.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two parts is vast, reflecting a decade of GPU evolution. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 is built on the GK110 chip using the Kepler architecture, manufactured on a 28 nm process at TSMC. It packs 7,080 million transistors onto a large 561 mm² die, resulting in a transistor density of 12.6 million transistors per mm². This is a classic high-power discrete design, with a 250 W TDP, dual-slot cooling, and power connectors requiring a 1x 6-pin plus 1x 8-pin setup.

In contrast, the AMD Radeon 780M is a completely different beast. It uses the Phoenix chip with the RDNA 3.0 architecture, built on a advanced 4 nm process, also at TSMC. It contains a staggering 25,390 million transistors on a much smaller 178 mm² die, achieving a transistor density of 142.6 million per mm². This is an integrated GPU (IGP) with a 15 W TDP, no dedicated power connectors, and no slot width, as it is designed to be part of an APU package.

The memory setups differ fundamentally. The GTX 780 has 3 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 384-bit bus, delivering 288.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The 780M uses System Shared memory, meaning its bandwidth is "System Dependent" and its bus width is also "System Shared." This is a crucial distinction: the GTX 780 has dedicated, high-speed VRAM, while the 780M relies on the system's main memory, which can bottleneck performance in bandwidth-heavy tasks.

Compute resources also diverge. The GTX 780 has 2,304 shading units, 192 TMUs, and 48 ROPs. The 780M has only 768 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. Yet, the 780M's pixel rate is 92.80 GPixel/s, which is more than double the GTX 780's 43.30 GPixel/s. This is due to the much higher boost clock of 2900 MHz on the 780M, compared to the GTX 780's 902 MHz boost. The 780M also features 12 ray-tracing cores, which the GTX 780 lacks entirely.

FP32 performance tells another story: the 780M outputs 8.909 TFLOPS, more than double the GTX 780's 4.156 TFLOPS. The 780M also supports FP16 at a 1:1 ratio (8.909 TFLOPS), while the GTX 780 has no recorded FP16 capability. API support is a clear generational leap: the 780M supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2) and Vulkan 1.4, while the GTX 780 is limited to DirectX 12 (11_0) and Vulkan 1.2.175.

The Verdict

The data paints a clear picture of two GPUs optimized for different scenarios. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780, despite being end-of-life and released in 2013, remains a formidable compute card. Its average benchmark score of 19,164 is 8.2% higher than the 780M's 17,588. It also sits in the 64th percentile versus the 780M's 61st. For users prioritizing raw OpenCL compute performance, the GTX 780 is the stronger choice, as evidenced by its 22.9% lead in that specific test.

However, the AMD Radeon 780M is the modern part, and it shows in Vulkan performance. Its 33,683 score in that test is 27.2% ahead of the GTX 780. It also offers features the GTX 780 cannot match: ray tracing cores, DirectX 12 Ultimate support, and a much higher clock speed. For anyone building a system with modern APIs and power efficiency in mind, the 780M is the logical pick. Its 15 W TDP versus the GTX 780's 250 W TDP is a massive difference, making it ideal for compact or mobile systems.

The GTX 780 has a launch MSRP of 649 USD, while the 780M has no recorded launch MSRP, reflecting its integrated nature. The GTX 780 requires a 600 W suggested PSU and dual-slot space, while the 780M needs none of that. If the workload is legacy compute or OpenCL-based, the GTX 780 wins. If the workload is modern gaming or Vulkan-based rendering, the 780M is the clear winner. The database does not declare an overall champion; it identifies two specialists.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ in nearly every measurable specification. The GTX 780 uses a 28 nm process, while the 780M uses 4 nm. The GTX 780 has 7,080 million transistors on a 561 mm² die; the 780M has 25,390 million on 178 mm². Transistor density is 12.6M per mm² for the GTX 780 and 142.6M per mm² for the 780M. The GTX 780's base clock is 863 MHz with a boost of 902 MHz; the 780M's base is 800 MHz but boosts to 2900 MHz. Memory is 3 GB GDDR5 on a 384-bit bus for the GTX 780, while the 780M uses System Shared memory with System Dependent bandwidth.

Shading units are 2,304 for the GTX 780 versus 768 for the 780M. TMUs are 192 versus 48, and ROPs are 48 versus 32. The GTX 780 has no ray-tracing cores; the 780M has 12. Pixel rate is 43.30 GPixel/s for the GTX 780 and 92.80 GPixel/s for the 780M. Texture rate is 173.2 GTexel/s for the GTX 780 and 139.2 GTexel/s for the 780M. FP32 is 4.156 TFLOPS for the GTX 780 and 8.909 TFLOPS for the 780M. FP16 is null for the GTX 780 and 8.909 TFLOPS for the 780M. TDP is 250 W versus 15 W. Slot width is dual-slot versus IGP. Power connectors are 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin versus None. Suggested PSU is 600 W versus null. Bus interface is PCIe 3.0 x16 versus PCIe 4.0 x8. Display outputs are 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, 1x DisplayPort 1.2 versus Motherboard Dependent. DirectX support is 12 (11_0) versus 12 Ultimate (12_2). Vulkan is 1.2.175 versus 1.4.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 wins in scenarios that demand high memory bandwidth and raw compute throughput. Its 288.4 GB/s bandwidth and 4.156 TFLOPS of FP32 make it strong for OpenCL workloads, as shown by its 22.9% lead in Geekbench OpenCL. It is also the better choice for users with existing PCIe 3.0 systems that can accommodate a dual-slot, 250 W card with a 600 W PSU. Its average benchmark score of 19,164 and 64th percentile ranking indicate it still holds its own against modern discrete GPUs like the RX 6600, which it edges by 0.7%.

The AMD Radeon 780M wins in modern graphics API performance and efficiency. Its 27.2% lead in Geekbench Vulkan is decisive, and its 33,683 score there is its standout result. It is the obvious pick for Vulkan-based games or applications. Its 12 ray-tracing cores and DirectX 12 Ultimate support make it future-proof for current-generation titles. Its 15 W TDP and IGP form factor mean it requires no extra power connectors or cooling, making it ideal for thin-and-light laptops or small-form-factor builds. Its 8.909 TFLOPS of FP32 and FP16 also give it a compute advantage in workloads that can leverage those capabilities, despite its lower average benchmark score overall.

The GTX 780 is the winner for legacy compute and OpenCL tasks. The 780M is the winner for modern Vulkan rendering, ray tracing, and power-sensitive environments. The split is clean: one win each in the head-to-head, and the choice comes down to the user's specific priorities.