GPU Comparison

The benchmark data positions the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 as a significantly stronger performer than the AMD Radeon 780M across every shared test. The RTX 2070, a discrete Turing-based graphics card from 2018, dominates the Radeon 780M, a 2024 integrated graphics processor (IGP) built on RDNA 3.0. While the 780M is a modern, power-efficient solution for thin-and-light systems, the raw performance gap in these benchmarks is substantial and consistent.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 wins all three head-to-head benchmark comparisons, with the most dramatic margin appearing in compute-oriented workloads. In Geekbench OpenCL, the RTX 2070 scores 79,966 points against the Radeon 780M’s 18,602 points, a delta of 329.9%. This result shows that the RTX 2070’s dedicated GPU architecture is far more capable in general-purpose compute tasks, a category where the 780M’s integrated nature and shared memory subsystem create a significant disadvantage.

The gap narrows somewhat in the Vulkan graphics API test, but the RTX 2070 still holds a commanding lead. It scores 82,521 points versus 33,683 points for the 780M, which translates to a 145% advantage. This indicates that while both GPUs support Vulkan 1.4, the RTX 2070’s higher shading unit count and dedicated memory bandwidth allow it to process graphics workloads much more efficiently.

The most modern and demanding test, 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, shows the smallest relative difference but still favors the RTX 2070 heavily. The NVIDIA card scores 1,569 points, while the AMD Radeon 780M manages only 480 points. This is a 226.9% win for the RTX 2070. Notably, this test is the only one where the 780M’s score (480) is not in triple digits, suggesting that the integrated GPU struggles with the latest DirectX 12 Ultimate workloads that both cards nominally support. In aggregate, the RTX 2070’s average benchmark score is 18,789, placing it in the 63rd percentile of all GPUs. The Radeon 780M’s average score is 17,588, which puts it in the 61st percentile. Despite the massive per-test deltas, the overall percentile ranking is close because the 780M has fewer benchmark entries, and its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 (average score 17,639, delta -0.3%) and the AMD Radeon HD 7790 (average score 17,666, delta -0.4%).

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs represent fundamentally different design philosophies and manufacturing eras. The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 uses the TU106 chip based on the Turing architecture, fabricated on a 12 nm process at TSMC. This is a large discrete GPU with a die size of 445 mm² and 10,800 million transistors, yielding a transistor density of 24.3M per mm². In contrast, the AMD Radeon 780M uses the Phoenix chip based on RDNA 3.0, built on a much more advanced 4 nm process, also at TSMC. The 780M’s die is just 178 mm² but contains 25,390 million transistors, resulting in a density of 142.6M per mm², which is nearly six times higher than the RTX 2070.

The core configurations diverge sharply. The RTX 2070 has 2,304 shading units, 144 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 64 render output units (ROPs). It also includes 36 ray tracing cores and 288 tensor cores, which are absent from the Radeon 780M’s specification sheet. The 780M is far leaner, with 768 shading units, 48 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, plus 12 ray tracing cores. However, the 780M compensates with much higher clocks: its boost clock is 2900 MHz compared to the RTX 2070’s 1620 MHz. This clock advantage propels the 780M to 8.909 TFLOPS of FP32 performance, which is higher than the RTX 2070’s 7.465 TFLOPS. Yet the real-world benchmarks show the RTX 2070 winning, indicating that raw FP32 throughput is not the primary factor in these tests.

Memory architecture is another critical difference. The RTX 2070 features 8 GB of dedicated GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The Radeon 780M uses "System Shared" memory, with its bus width and bandwidth listed as "System Dependent." This means the 780M must draw on system RAM, which is a major bottleneck compared to the dedicated high-speed VRAM of the RTX 2070. The process node difference also highlights the generational gap: the RTX 2070 is from 2018 and is end-of-life, while the 780M was released in 2024 and remains active.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher FP32 compute rating, and why does it not win in benchmarks?

A: The AMD Radeon 780M has a higher FP32 rating at 8.909 TFLOPS versus the RTX 2070’s 7.465 TFLOPS. However, the RTX 2070 wins all shared benchmarks because its dedicated 8 GB GDDR6 memory with 448.0 GB/s bandwidth provides far more effective throughput than the 780M’s System Shared memory, which is System Dependent.

Q: How do the two GPUs compare in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 scores 1,569 points, which is 226.9% higher than the AMD Radeon 780M’s 480 points. This is the closest margin in the head-to-head set, but it still represents a decisive victory for the discrete NVIDIA card.

Q: What is the performance gap in the Geekbench Vulkan benchmark?

A: The RTX 2070 achieves 82,521 points compared to the 780M’s 33,683 points, a 145% advantage. Both GPUs support Vulkan 1.4, but the RTX 2070’s larger shader count and dedicated memory make it significantly faster in this API.

Q: Are these GPUs direct competitors based on their average benchmark scores?

A: No. The RTX 2070 has an average benchmark score of 18,789, while the 780M sits at 17,588. However, this 6.8% difference is misleading because the 780M’s closest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 (average score 17,639) and the AMD Radeon HD 7790 (average score 17,666), showing it is a different performance class.

Q: Which GPU has more ray tracing cores?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 has 36 ray tracing cores, while the AMD Radeon 780M has 12. Both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), but the RTX 2070 has three times the ray tracing core count.

Q: What is the transistor density difference between the two chips?

A: The AMD Radeon 780M’s Phoenix chip has a transistor density of 142.6M per mm², which is significantly higher than the RTX 2070’s TU106 at 24.3M per mm². This reflects the 780M’s use of a 4 nm process versus the 12 nm process used for the RTX 2070.

Specification Differences

The specifications that differ between the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 and the AMD Radeon 780M are numerous and define their distinct roles:

• Process Node: The RTX 2070 uses a 12 nm process, while the 780M is built on a 4 nm process.
• Transistors: The RTX 2070 has 10,800 million transistors, but the 780M houses 25,390 million.
• Die Size: The RTX 2070’s die is 445 mm², whereas the 780M’s is just 178 mm².
• Base Clock: The RTX 2070 has a base clock of 1410 MHz, while the 780M has a base clock of 800 MHz.
• Boost Clock: The RTX 2070 boosts to 1620 MHz, but the 780M boosts to 2900 MHz.
• Memory: The RTX 2070 has 8 GB of GDDR6 with a 256-bit bus and 448.0 GB/s bandwidth. The 780M uses System Shared memory with System Dependent bandwidth.
• Shading Units: The RTX 2070 has 2,304, compared to the 780M’s 768.
• TMUs: The RTX 2070 has 144, while the 780M has 48.
• ROPs: The RTX 2070 has 64, versus the 780M’s 32.
• Ray Tracing Cores: The RTX 2070 has 36, and the 780M has 12.
• Tensor Cores: The RTX 2070 has 288, while the 780M has none (null).
• Pixel Rate: The RTX 2070 is 103.7 GPixel/s, and the 780M is 92.80 GPixel/s.
• Texture Rate: The RTX 2070 is 233.3 GTexel/s, and the 780M is 139.2 GTexel/s.
• FP32 Performance: The RTX 2070 is 7.465 TFLOPS, while the 780M is 8.909 TFLOPS.
• FP16 Performance: The RTX 2070 is 14.93 TFLOPS (2:1), but the 780M is 8.909 TFLOPS (1:1).
• TDP: The RTX 2070 is rated at 175 W, while the 780M is just 15 W.
• Slot Width: The RTX 2070 is dual-slot, whereas the 780M is an IGP.
• Power Connectors: The RTX 2070 needs one 8-pin connector; the 780M requires none.
• Suggested PSU: The RTX 2070 recommends a 450 W PSU; the 780M lists none.
• Bus Interface: The RTX 2070 uses PCIe 3.0 x16, and the 780M uses PCIe 4.0 x8.
• Display Outputs: The RTX 2070 has 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0, 2x DisplayPort 1.4a, and 1x USB Type-C. The 780M’s outputs are Motherboard Dependent.
• Dimensions: The RTX 2070 is 229 mm long, 113 mm high, and 35 mm wide. The 780M has no listed dimensions.
• Release Date: The RTX 2070 launched in 2018, while the 780M launched in 2024.
• Production Status: The RTX 2070 is end-of-life, and the 780M is active.
• Launch MSRP: The RTX 2070 had a launch MSRP of 499 USD. The 780M has no launch MSRP.

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 wins in every benchmark category where the two are compared. It is the clear choice for any application that demands raw graphics performance, including high-resolution gaming, content creation, and GPU-accelerated compute tasks. Its 3-0 head-to-head record, highlighted by a 329.9% win in Geekbench OpenCL and a 226.9% win in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, demonstrates that its dedicated memory and higher core counts provide a massive practical advantage. The RTX 2070 is also the only option with tensor cores, making it suitable for AI workloads and DLSS, though this is a qualitative advantage as no benchmark data covers that feature.

The AMD Radeon 780M wins in the categories of efficiency and physical footprint. Its 15 W TDP is drastically lower than the RTX 2070’s 175 W, and its IGP form factor requires no power connectors or a dedicated slot, making it ideal for compact laptops and low-power systems. While its FP32 rating of 8.909 TFLOPS is technically higher, this does not translate to benchmark wins due to its System Shared memory limitation. The 780M’s 4 nm process and 142.6M per mm² transistor density represent a modern, integrated solution, but the data shows that for absolute performance, the older, power-hungry RTX 2070 remains superior. The 780M’s closest rival is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, not the RTX 2070, indicating it competes in a lower performance tier despite its newer architecture.