AMD Radeon HD 7770M vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only shared benchmark in the database is Geekbench Metal, and the results are decisive. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 scores 23,824 points, while the AMD Radeon HD 7770M scores 13,536 points. This gives the GTX 1080 a 43.2% lead, a substantial margin that reflects the generational gap between the two products.

Examining the delta percentages clarifies the scale of the performance difference. The GTX 1080 finishes 43.2% ahead of the HD 7770M in this test. To put that into context, the HD 7770M's nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT, which scores 13,543 and is only 0.1% faster, and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 at 13,515, which is 0.2% slower. The GTX 1080's nearest rivals, by contrast, include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960A at 11,998 (0.3% slower) and the AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT at 11,842 (1% slower). The GTX 1080 sits in a completely different performance tier, one where its closest competitors are desktop-class cards, while the HD 7770M competes with older or lower-end parts.

The data shows a single benchmark win for the GTX 1080 and zero for the HD 7770M. That is the entire head-to-head record. It is not a close contest. The 43.2% delta is larger than any delta between the HD 7770M and its nearest rivals, meaning the performance gap here exceeds the typical spread seen within the HD 7770M's own peer group.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two GPUs is fundamental. The AMD Radeon HD 7770M uses the Chelsea chip built on GCN 1.0 architecture, fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC. It packs 1,500 million transistors into a 123 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 12.2 million per square millimeter. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 uses the GP104 chip on the Pascal architecture, also built by TSMC, but on a 16 nm process. It contains 7,200 million transistors across a 314 mm² die, achieving a density of 22.9 million per square millimeter.

The compute resources differ dramatically. The HD 7770M has 512 shading units, 32 texture mapping units, and 16 raster output units. The GTX 1080 has 2,560 shading units, 160 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. That is a 5x increase in shading units, a 5x increase in TMUs, and a 4x increase in ROPs. These raw counts translate directly into throughput figures. The HD 7770M delivers 691.2 GFLOPS of FP32 compute, while the GTX 1080 delivers 8.873 TFLOPS, roughly 12.8 times more. Pixel rate goes from 10.80 GPixel/s on the AMD part to 110.9 GPixel/s on the NVIDIA part. Texture rate jumps from 21.60 GTexel/s to 277.3 GTexel/s.

Memory architecture is equally divergent. The HD 7770M has 1,024 MB of GDDR5 on a 128-bit bus, yielding 64.00 GB/s of bandwidth. Its memory clock is 1000 MHz, which translates to 4 Gbps effective. The GTX 1080 ships with 8 GB of GDDR5X on a 256-bit bus, delivering 320.3 GB/s of bandwidth. Its memory clock is 1251 MHz, or 10 Gbps effective. That is 5x the bandwidth and 8x the capacity.

Process node advantages are visible in the numbers. The GTX 1080's 16 nm process allows for a much higher transistor count in a die that is only 2.5 times larger. The density increase, from 12.2M to 22.9M per mm², is a direct consequence of the process shrink. The GTX 1080 also supports newer API versions, including DirectX 12 (12_1) versus the HD 7770M's DirectX 12 (11_1), and Vulkan 1.4 versus Vulkan 1.2.170. Both cards support OpenGL 4.6. The GTX 1080 has a PCIe 3.0 x16 interface, while the HD 7770M uses PCIe 2.0 x16.

Power and physical specifications highlight the intended use case. The HD 7770M is a 32 W mobile part with no slot width, power connector, or suggested PSU listed. The GTX 1080 is a dual-slot desktop card drawing 180 W, requiring a single 8-pin power connector and a 450 W suggested PSU. It measures 267 mm in length, 112 mm in height, and 40 mm in width. The HD 7770M's display outputs are listed as "Portable Device Dependent," while the GTX 1080 provides 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0, and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in the shared Geekbench Metal test?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 scores 23,824 points, which is 43.2% higher than the AMD Radeon HD 7770M's 13,536 points.

Q: How does the HD 7770M compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The HD 7770M scores 13,536, which is 0.1% behind the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT (13,543), 0.2% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 (13,515), and 1% ahead of the AMD Radeon Pro 555 (13,407).

Q: What are the memory capacity and bandwidth differences?

A: The HD 7770M has 1,024 MB of GDDR5 with 64.00 GB/s bandwidth on a 128-bit bus. The GTX 1080 has 8 GB of GDDR5X with 320.3 GB/s bandwidth on a 256-bit bus.

Q: How do the shading unit counts compare?

A: The HD 7770M has 512 shading units, while the GTX 1080 has 2,560 shading units, a 5x difference.

Q: What is the transistor density difference?

A: The HD 7770M has 12.2 million transistors per mm² on a 28 nm process, while the GTX 1080 achieves 22.9 million per mm² on a 16 nm process.

Q: Which card has better API support?

A: The GTX 1080 supports DirectX 12 (12_1) and Vulkan 1.4, while the HD 7770M supports DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170. Both support OpenGL 4.6.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear conclusion. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 wins the only shared benchmark with a 43.2% margin, and its architectural specifications are overwhelmingly superior. It has 5x the shading units, 5x the TMUs, 4x the ROPs, 5x the memory bandwidth, and 8x the memory capacity. Its FP32 throughput is 12.8 times higher. There is no benchmark result where the HD 7770M comes out ahead.

That said, these are not competing products in the same market segment. The HD 7770M is a 32 W mobile chip from 2012, designed for laptops. The GTX 1080 is a 180 W desktop card from 2016, designed for high-end gaming. The GTX 1080's launch MSRP was 599 USD. The HD 7770M has no launch MSRP recorded. Any buyer comparing these two is not deciding between similar options; they are deciding between a legacy mobile part and a flagship desktop part from a different era.

For pure performance, the GTX 1080 is the obvious choice based on every measurement in the database. For a portable device, the HD 7770M's low power draw and mobile form factor are its only advantages, but the benchmark data shows it cannot compete on speed. The verdict is unambiguous: the GTX 1080 dominates.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Radeon HD 7770M | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 |

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

| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | Pascal |

| Process Node | 28 nm | 16 nm |

| Transistors | 1,500 million | 7,200 million |

| Die Size | 123 mm² | 314 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 12.2M / mm² | 22.9M / mm² |

| Memory Size | 1024 MB | 8 GB |

| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5X |

| Memory Bus Width | 128 bit | 256 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 64.00 GB/s | 320.3 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 512 | 2560 |

| TMUs | 32 | 160 |

| ROPs | 16 | 64 |

| Pixel Rate | 10.80 GPixel/s | 110.9 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 21.60 GTexel/s | 277.3 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 691.2 GFLOPS | 8.873 TFLOPS |

| TDP | 32 W | 180 W |

| Slot Width | Not listed | Dual-slot |

| Power Connectors | Not listed | 1x 8-pin |

| Suggested PSU | Not listed | 450 W |

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

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

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

| Vulkan | 1.2.170 | 1.4 |

| Release Date | 2012-04-23 | 2016-05-26 |

Where Each One Wins

The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 wins in every measurable performance category. It is 43.2% faster in Geekbench Metal, has higher pixel and texture rates, higher FP32 compute, more memory, and higher bandwidth. Its nearest rivals are desktop-class cards like the GTX 960A and RX 6500 XT, which puts it in a performance tier where it competes with modern entry-level and mid-range desktop GPUs. The GTX 1080 is the clear winner for any workload that demands raw graphics throughput, from high-resolution gaming to GPU compute tasks.

The AMD Radeon HD 7770M wins only in power efficiency and portability. At 32 W versus 180 W, it draws a fraction of the power. It has no slot width or power connector requirements, making it suitable for thin and light mobile designs. Its display outputs are device-dependent, meaning it can be configured for various laptop form factors. For a system where power draw is the primary constraint, the HD 7770M has a role. But in terms of benchmark scores, it has zero wins against the GTX 1080.

The use-case split is stark. The GTX 1080 is for desktop systems where performance is the priority. The HD 7770M is for mobile devices where power consumption and physical size matter more than speed. Based on the recorded data, there is no scenario where the HD 7770M offers a performance advantage. Its only advantages are qualitative, related to its mobile design, and those do not appear in any benchmark result.