AMD Radeon HD 7950 vs AMD Radeon Pro 570 Comparison

# AMD Radeon HD 7950 vs AMD Radeon Pro 570

Benchmark data places these two AMD GPUs in the same overall performance percentile, yet their individual profiles diverge sharply. The AMD Radeon HD 7950, a 2012 Southern Islands part, and the AMD Radeon Pro 570, a 2017 Radeon Pro Mac component, both land at the 78th percentile among all GPUs in the database. The Pro 570 holds a single head-to-head benchmark victory, but the HD 7950 counters with a slightly higher average benchmark score. These are close competitors with fundamentally different architectures, and the data reveals where each one's strengths lie.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct comparison available is Geekbench Metal, where the AMD Radeon Pro 570 scores 39,945 against the HD 7950's 33,951. That represents a 15% advantage for the Pro 570, a substantial margin in a single API test. Metal performance matters most in macOS environments, and the Pro 570's status as a Radeon Pro Mac part suggests it was designed with that workload in mind. The 15% delta is not trivial; it places the Pro 570 clearly ahead in this specific metric.

However, the average benchmark score tells a different story. The HD 7950 averages 33,951 across its benchmark suite, while the Pro 570 averages 33,207. The HD 7950's average is actually 2.2% higher than the Pro 570's, even though the Pro 570 wins the Metal test by 15%. This discrepancy indicates that the Pro 570's other benchmark results—Geekbench OpenCL at 27,702 and Geekbench Vulkan at 31,974—drag its average down. The HD 7950 has only the single Metal score on record, so its average equals that number. The Pro 570's OpenCL score is notably lower than its Metal score, suggesting API-specific optimization rather than raw hardware superiority.

Looking at nearest rivals adds context. The HD 7950's 33,951 sits within 0.6% of the NVIDIA RTX A2000 12 GB (34,154) and within 0.5% of the AMD Radeon RX 560 XT (34,133). The Pro 570's 39,945 Metal score is not directly compared to these rivals, but its average of 33,207 is nearly identical to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Mobile (33,170, 0.1% delta) and the NVIDIA T550 Mobile (33,161, 0.1% delta). Both GPUs cluster with mid-range competitors from different generations, confirming they occupy similar performance tiers despite their architectural differences.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon Pro 570 wins decisively in Geekbench Metal, posting a 15% higher score than the HD 7950. This makes it the clear choice for Metal-accelerated applications, which are standard in macOS ecosystems. Its Vulkan support also extends to version 1.3, compared to the HD 7950's 1.2.170, and its OpenCL score of 27,702 provides a second data point for compute workloads. The Pro 570's boost clock of 1105 MHz and base clock of 1000 MHz are both specified, whereas the HD 7950 has no listed base or boost clocks—only a memory clock of 1250 MHz (5 Gbps effective).

The AMD Radeon HD 7950 counters with a higher average benchmark score of 33,951 versus 33,207, a 2.2% edge. It also offers more memory bandwidth at 240.0 GB/s compared to the Pro 570's 217.0 GB/s, and a wider 384-bit memory bus versus 256-bit. The HD 7950's pixel rate of 25.60 GPixel/s is lower than the Pro 570's 35.36 GPixel/s, but its texture rate of 89.60 GTexel/s is also lower than the Pro 570's 123.8 GTexel/s. The HD 7950 wins on memory bandwidth, while the Pro 570 wins on pixel and texture throughput. For workloads that depend on raw memory bandwidth—high-resolution textures, large frame buffers—the HD 7950's wider bus and higher bandwidth give it an edge. For fill-rate-bound tasks like pixel shading and texture filtering, the Pro 570 is superior.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two GPUs is generational. The HD 7950 uses the Tahiti chip built on GCN 1.0 architecture, part of the Southern Islands generation (HD 7900 series). It is fabricated on a 28 nm process at TSMC, with 4,313 million transistors on a 352 mm² die. The transistor density is 12.3 million per square millimeter. DirectX support is 12 (11_1), and it uses PCIe 3.0 x16.

The Pro 570 uses the Ellesmere chip built on GCN 4.0 architecture, part of the Radeon Pro Mac (500 Series) generation. It is fabricated on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries, with 5,700 million transistors on a 232 mm² die. The transistor density is 24.6 million per square millimeter—exactly double the HD 7950's density. DirectX support is 12 (12_0), a slightly higher feature level. Vulkan support is 1.3 versus 1.2.170. Both support OpenGL 4.6.

The 14 nm process allows the Pro 570 to pack 32% more transistors into a 34% smaller die, resulting in double the transistor density. This is a clear generational leap in manufacturing efficiency. The Pro 570 also supports FP16 compute at 3.960 TFLOPS (1:1 ratio), while the HD 7950 lists no FP16 capability. Both GPUs have identical shading units (1792), texture mapping units (112), and render output units (32), but the Pro 570 achieves higher clock-driven throughput thanks to its smaller, more efficient process node.

Specification Differences

Several specification fields differ between the two GPUs, and these differences explain much of the performance gap. The Pro 570 has a base clock of 1000 MHz and a boost clock of 1105 MHz; the HD 7950 has no base or boost clocks listed. Memory clocks differ: the HD 7950 runs at 1250 MHz (5 Gbps effective), while the Pro 570 runs at 1695 MHz (6.8 Gbps effective). Despite the higher memory clock, the Pro 570's narrower 256-bit bus yields lower bandwidth (217.0 GB/s) than the HD 7950's 384-bit bus (240.0 GB/s).

Memory capacity favors the Pro 570 at 4 GB versus 3 GB, though both use GDDR5. The Pro 570's pixel rate (35.36 GPixel/s) and texture rate (123.8 GTexel/s) exceed the HD 7950's (25.60 GPixel/s and 89.60 GTexel/s, respectively). FP32 throughput is also higher on the Pro 570: 3.960 TFLOPS versus 2.867 TFLOPS, a 38% advantage. Power consumption is lower on the Pro 570 at 150 W versus 200 W, and the Pro 570 is an integrated GPU (IGP) with no power connectors, whereas the HD 7950 is dual-slot with 2x 6-pin connectors and a 550 W suggested PSU.

Physical dimensions differ significantly. The HD 7950 measures 278 mm in length, 111 mm in height, and 38 mm in width. The Pro 570 has no listed dimensions, consistent with its IGP form factor designed for portable devices. Display outputs differ: the HD 7950 offers 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, and 2x mini-DisplayPort 1.2, while the Pro 570 is "Portable Device Dependent." The HD 7950 has a launch MSRP of 449 USD; the Pro 570 has no launch MSRP listed.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher Geekbench Metal score?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro 570 scores 39,945, which is 15% higher than the HD 7950's 33,951.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The HD 7950 averages 33,951, while the Pro 570 averages 33,207, giving the HD 7950 a 2.2% higher average despite losing the Metal test.

Q: Which GPU has more memory bandwidth?

A: The HD 7950 has 240.0 GB/s bandwidth via a 384-bit bus, while the Pro 570 has 217.0 GB/s via a 256-bit bus.

Q: What are the core clock differences?

A: The Pro 570 lists a base clock of 1000 MHz and boost clock of 1105 MHz, while the HD 7950 has no base or boost clock listed.

Q: Which GPU supports newer API versions?

A: The Pro 570 supports DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.3, while the HD 7950 supports DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170. Both support OpenGL 4.6.

Q: How do their transistor densities compare?

A: The Pro 570 has a transistor density of 24.6 million per mm² on a 14 nm process, exactly double the HD 7950's 12.3 million per mm² on a 28 nm process.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear split based on workload and platform. The AMD Radeon Pro 570 is the better choice for Metal-based applications, where its 15% higher Geekbench score (39,945 versus 33,951) gives it a decisive edge. Its higher FP32 throughput (3.960 TFLOPS versus 2.867 TFLOPS), higher pixel rate (35.36 GPixel/s versus 25.60 GPixel/s), and higher texture rate (123.8 GTexel/s versus 89.60 GTexel/s) make it the stronger compute and fill-rate performer. Its lower TDP (150 W versus 200 W) and IGP form factor suit portable or integrated designs, and its 4 GB memory capacity exceeds the HD 7950's 3 GB. Newer API support (Vulkan 1.3, DirectX 12_0) and FP16 capability further extend its feature set.

The AMD Radeon HD 7950, meanwhile, wins on memory bandwidth (240.0 GB/s versus 217.0 GB/s) and average benchmark score (33,951 versus 33,207). Its wider 384-bit bus is an advantage for bandwidth-sensitive workloads, and its 2.2% higher average score suggests more consistent performance across a broader range of tests. Its dual-slot design, 2x 6-pin power connectors, and 550 W suggested PSU indicate it was built for traditional desktop towers, not portable systems. The launch MSRP of 449 USD applies only to the HD 7950.

Neither GPU is a clean winner. The Pro 570 leads in raw compute and modern API support, while the HD 7950 leads in memory bandwidth and average score. Both sit at the 78th percentile, surrounded by similar mid-range rivals. The Pro 570 suits users prioritizing Metal performance, compute throughput, and power efficiency in an integrated form factor. The HD 7950 suits users needing maximum memory bandwidth and consistent average performance in a discrete desktop card. Benchmark results indicate the Pro 570 is the more modern design, but the HD 7950 remains competitive where bandwidth matters most.