AMD Radeon HD 7770M vs AMD Radeon RX 580 Comparison

AMD Radeon HD 7770M vs AMD Radeon RX 580: The data compares a mobile GPU from 2012 against a desktop GPU from 2017, and the results are as lopsided as the release dates suggest. The RX 580 wins the only shared benchmark decisively, but the HD 7770M’s efficiency and portability profile make it a distinct product for different workloads. Below is a breakdown of the benchmark data, architectural differences, and practical use cases, all drawn strictly from the provided facts.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only benchmark shared between the two cards is Geekbench Metal, and the RX 580 dominates with a score of 45,235 versus the HD 7770M’s 13,536. That is a 70.1% lead for the RX 580, which places it far ahead in raw compute performance. To put the HD 7770M’s result in context, its score sits just 0.1% below the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT (score 13,543) and 0.2% above the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 (score 13,515). Meanwhile, the RX 580’s average benchmark score of 12,928 positions it 0.1% behind the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile (score 12,940) and 0.4% behind the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER (score 12,986). The delta is stark: the RX 580 delivers over triple the Metal performance of the HD 7770M, with no single test where the older mobile chip comes out ahead (winsA: 0, winsB: 1).

Beyond the shared test, the RX 580’s other benchmark results reinforce its strength. In Geekbench OpenCL it scores 37,453, and in Geekbench Vulkan it reaches 45,173. Its Passmark G3D score is 8,813, with a Passmark GPU Compute score of 3,488. The HD 7770M has no comparable data in these tests, so the comparison rests on the single Metal result—but that result alone shows a performance gap that defines the two cards’ respective tiers.

Architecture Differences

The chips are generations apart. The HD 7770M uses the Chelsea chip on GCN 1.0 architecture, built on a 28 nm process at TSMC. The RX 580 uses the Polaris 20 chip on GCN 4.0 architecture, built on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. The transistor counts tell the story of scale: the HD 7770M packs 1,500 million transistors on a 123 mm² die, while the RX 580 uses 5,700 million transistors on a 232 mm² die. Transistor density nearly doubles from 12.2M / mm² to 24.6M / mm², reflecting the newer node’s efficiency.

Compute resources differ massively. The HD 7770M has 512 shading units, 32 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 16 raster output units (ROPs). The RX 580 has 2,304 shading units, 144 TMUs, and 32 ROPs—roughly 4.5x the shaders and TMUs, and double the ROPs. Pixel rate jumps from 10.80 GPixel/s to 42.88 GPixel/s, and texture rate from 21.60 GTexel/s to 193.0 GTexel/s. FP32 compute goes from 691.2 GFLOPS to 6.175 TFLOPS; the RX 580 also supports FP16 at 6.175 TFLOPS (1:1), while the HD 7770M has no FP16 data. Neither card has ray tracing or tensor cores, so both rely on traditional rasterization.

Memory architecture is another generational leap. The HD 7770M uses 1024 MB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, yielding 64.00 GB/s bandwidth. The RX 580 uses 8 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, yielding 256.0 GB/s bandwidth—four times the capacity and bandwidth. Memory clocks also differ: the HD 7770M runs at 1000 MHz (4 Gbps effective), while the RX 580 runs at 2000 MHz (8 Gbps effective). The HD 7770M’s PCIe 2.0 x16 interface is a generation older than the RX 580’s PCIe 3.0 x16.

Feature support diverges on APIs. The HD 7770M supports DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170; the RX 580 supports DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.3. Both list OpenGL 4.6. The RX 580 also adds display outputs (1x HDMI 2.0b, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a), while the HD 7770M’s outputs are listed as "Portable Device Dependent."

Where Each One Wins

The RX 580 wins every compute-heavy scenario based on the data. Its 6.175 TFLOPS FP32 performance and 256.0 GB/s bandwidth make it suited for gaming, 3D rendering, and GPU compute tasks—anything that stresses raw throughput. The Passmark scores back this up: 8,813 in G3D and 3,488 in GPU compute indicate strong rasterization and general compute. The 8 GB frame buffer also gives it headroom for modern textures and larger datasets.

The HD 7770M wins on power and portability. Its TDP is 32 W versus the RX 580’s 185 W, a difference of 153 W. That makes the HD 7770M viable for thin-and-light laptops or low-power builds, where the RX 580 would require a 450 W suggested PSU and a dual-slot cooler with a 1x 8-pin connector. The HD 7770M’s PCIe 2.0 x16 interface and portable-device-dependent outputs also indicate it is designed for mobile systems, not desktop towers. Its 1,024 MB memory is small by modern standards, but for legacy applications or light workloads, the power draw is a clear advantage.

The percentile rankings are close despite the performance gap: the HD 7770M sits at the 54th percentile among all GPUs, while the RX 580 sits at the 53rd percentile. This suggests the HD 7770M’s efficiency and the RX 580’s raw power land them in similar tiers relative to the entire GPU landscape, but for different reasons—one is a low-power mobile part, the other a mid-range desktop card.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Radeon HD 7770M | AMD Radeon RX 580 |

|---|---|---|

| Chip | Chelsea | Polaris 20 |

| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | GCN 4.0 |

| Process Node | 28 nm | 14 nm |

| Foundry | TSMC | GlobalFoundries |

| Transistors | 1,500 million | 5,700 million |

| Die Size | 123 mm² | 232 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 12.2M / mm² | 24.6M / mm² |

| Memory Size | 1024 MB | 8 GB |

| Memory Bus Width | 128 bit | 256 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 64.00 GB/s | 256.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 512 | 2304 |

| TMUs | 32 | 144 |

| ROPs | 16 | 32 |

| Pixel Rate | 10.80 GPixel/s | 42.88 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 21.60 GTexel/s | 193.0 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 691.2 GFLOPS | 6.175 TFLOPS |

| FP16 | None listed | 6.175 TFLOPS (1:1) |

| TDP | 32 W | 185 W |

| Slot Width | None listed | Dual-slot |

| Power Connectors | None listed | 1x 8-pin |

| Suggested PSU | None listed | 450 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 2.0 x16 | PCIe 3.0 x16 |

| Display Outputs | Portable Device Dependent | 1x HDMI 2.0b, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a |

| DirectX | 12 (11_1) | 12 (12_0) |

| Vulkan | 1.2.170 | 1.3 |

| Release Date | 2012-04-23 | 2017-04-17 |

| Production Status | End-of-life | End-of-life |

The RX 580 also has a 241 mm length (9.5 inches) and a launch MSRP of 229 USD (stated once here for reference). The HD 7770M has no listed dimensions, power connectors, or launch MSRP.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in Geekbench Metal?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 580 scores 45,235 versus the HD 7770M’s 13,536, a 70.1% lead for the RX 580.

Q: How does the HD 7770M compare to the RX 580 in power consumption?

A: The HD 7770M has a TDP of 32 W, while the RX 580 draws 185 W—a difference of 153 W in favor of the mobile chip.

Q: What is the memory capacity difference?

A: The HD 7770M has 1024 MB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, while the RX 580 has 8 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, with bandwidth of 64.00 GB/s versus 256.0 GB/s.

Q: Do both cards support ray tracing?

A: No. Neither card lists RT cores or tensor cores in the data.

Q: Which card has better API support?

A: The RX 580 supports DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.3, while the HD 7770M supports DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170. Both support OpenGL 4.6.

Q: What are the nearest rivals for each card?

A: The HD 7770M sits 0.1% below the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT (score 13,543) and 0.2% above the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 (score 13,515). The RX 580 sits 0.1% below the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti Mobile (score 12,940) and 0.4% below the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 SUPER (score 12,986).

The Verdict

The choice between these two GPUs is not about which is "better" in absolute terms—the RX 580 is clearly that—but about which fits the use case. Benchmark results show the RX 580 crushes the HD 7770M in compute: 6.175 TFLOPS FP32 versus 691.2 GFLOPS, 256.0 GB/s bandwidth versus 64.00 GB/s, and a 70.1% win in the only shared test. If you need to run modern games, render 3D scenes, or process large datasets, the RX 580 is the only viable choice from this data. Its 8 GB memory and Vulkan 1.3 support also future-proof it for more demanding software.

The HD 7770M is not without merit. Its 32 W TDP makes it a candidate for low-power or mobile systems where the RX 580’s 185 W requirement and 450 W suggested PSU are non-starters. Its 54th percentile ranking, just above the RX 580’s 53rd, suggests that in the broader GPU landscape, efficiency can offset raw speed. For legacy applications, light 2D work, or portable devices, the HD 7770M’s smaller footprint and lower power draw are practical advantages.

Pick the RX 580 for performance-oriented builds—gaming, content creation, or compute workloads. Pick the HD 7770M if power constraints are the priority and you only need modest graphical output. The data does not support using the HD 7770M for anything beyond basic tasks, but it does support its role as a low-power alternative. Both are end-of-life products, so availability and driver support may vary, but the performance gap is unambiguous: the RX 580 is the superior GPU by every measured metric except power draw.