AMD Radeon HD 7970 vs AMD Radeon Pro 575 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only directly comparable data point between these two cards is the Geekbench OpenCL test. The AMD Radeon Pro 575 scores 34,596, while the AMD Radeon HD 7970 scores 34,541. This gives the Pro 575 a narrow 0.2% advantage, a result that is essentially a tie within measurement variance. For practical purposes, these two GPUs deliver nearly identical raw compute throughput in OpenCL workloads.

The bigger story is how each card positions against its own generation of rivals. The Pro 575 posts an average benchmark score of 39,555 across Metal, OpenCL, and Vulkan tests. That places it at the 82nd percentile of all GPUs in the database. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile, averages 39,568, a delta of 0%. The AMD Radeon Pro 575X comes in at 39,116, which is 1.1% behind. The AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 scores 40,063, putting it 1.3% ahead of the Pro 575. The AMD Radeon Pro 580 sits 1.9% ahead at 40,318.

The HD 7970, by contrast, has an average benchmark score of 34,541, derived solely from its OpenCL result. It sits at the 79th percentile. Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA T1000 8 GB, scores 34,561, a 0.1% edge. The NVIDIA A2 scores 34,690, 0.4% ahead. The NVIDIA TITAN V scores 34,355, which is 0.5% behind. The NVIDIA RTX A1000 scores 34,207, 1% behind.

The Pro 575's average score of 39,555 is meaningfully higher than the HD 7970's 34,541, a gap of roughly 14.5% when comparing the average benchmark scores. However, the head-to-head OpenCL result shows only a 0.2% difference, indicating that the Pro 575's advantage comes primarily from its stronger Metal and Vulkan performance rather than OpenCL compute.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two cards is substantial. The AMD Radeon Pro 575 uses the Ellesmere chip built on GCN 4.0 architecture, fabricated on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. The AMD Radeon HD 7970 uses the Tahiti chip on the older GCN 1.0 architecture, built on a 28nm process at TSMC. This node difference is the single largest architectural divider, enabling the Pro 575 to pack 5,700 million transistors into a 232 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 24.6 million per square millimeter. The HD 7970 has 4,313 million transistors on a much larger 352 mm² die, yielding only 12.3 million per square millimeter.

Both cards have identical core counts: 2,048 shading units, 128 texture mapping units, and 32 render output units. The architectural gap shows in clock behavior and throughput. The Pro 575 reaches a pixel rate of 35.07 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 140.3 GTexel/s. The HD 7970 manages 29.60 GPixel/s and 118.4 GTexel/s respectively. In FP32 compute, the Pro 575 delivers 4.489 TFLOPS, while the HD 7970 delivers 3.789 TFLOPS.

API support differs notably. The Pro 575 supports DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3. The HD 7970 is rated for DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The Pro 575 also lists FP16 compute at 4.489 TFLOPS (1:1 ratio), while the HD 7970 has no FP16 specification recorded.

Memory architecture is another clear divergence. The Pro 575 uses 4GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus with memory clocked at 1695 MHz (6.8 Gbps effective), producing 217.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The HD 7970 uses 3GB of GDDR5 on a wider 384-bit bus at 1375 MHz (5.5 Gbps effective), producing a higher 264.0 GB/s bandwidth. The HD 7970's wider bus gives it a bandwidth advantage despite the lower clock speed.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon Pro 575 wins on overall average benchmark score, with 39,555 versus 34,541 for the HD 7970. It also wins the single head-to-head OpenCL test, albeit by a tiny 0.2% margin. The Pro 575's strength lies in its modern architecture: higher pixel and texture throughput, faster FP32 compute, and support for Vulkan 1.3 and FP16 processing. For tasks that leverage newer API features or Metal on Apple platforms, the Pro 575 is the clear choice.

The AMD Radeon HD 7970 wins on memory bandwidth. Its 264.0 GB/s eclipses the Pro 575's 217.0 GB/s by over 21%. For workloads that are bandwidth-limited, such as certain large-texture or multi-sample rendering scenarios, the older card holds an edge. It also has a longer physical footprint at 275 mm (10.8 inches) versus the Pro 575's MXM module form factor, which is not a performance win but a form-factor difference.

The HD 7970 also benefits from a lower transistor density requirement, which is simply a reflection of older process technology, not a practical advantage. In terms of power efficiency, the Pro 575 uses 150W TDP versus the HD 7970's 250W TDP, making the Pro 575 significantly more power-efficient.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ across nearly every core specification. The process node shifts from 28nm (TSMC) to 14nm (GlobalFoundries). Transistor count rises from 4,313 million to 5,700 million. Die size shrinks from 352 mm² to 232 mm². Transistor density more than doubles from 12.3M/mm² to 24.6M/mm².

Memory configuration: the Pro 575 has 4GB, the HD 7970 has 3GB. Both use GDDR5, but bus widths are 256-bit versus 384-bit. Memory clocks are 1695 MHz (6.8 Gbps effective) versus 1375 MHz (5.5 Gbps effective). Bandwidth is 217.0 GB/s versus 264.0 GB/s.

Pixel rate: 35.07 GPixel/s versus 29.60 GPixel/s. Texture rate: 140.3 GTexel/s versus 118.4 GTexel/s. FP32: 4.489 TFLOPS versus 3.789 TFLOPS. FP16: 4.489 TFLOPS (1:1) versus not specified. TDP: 150W versus 250W. Power connectors: none versus 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin. Suggested PSU: not specified for Pro 575, 600W for HD 7970.

Form factor: MXM Module versus Dual-slot. Display outputs: Portable Device Dependent versus 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, 2x mini-DisplayPort 1.2. API levels: DirectX 12 (12_0) versus 12 (11_1), Vulkan 1.3 versus 1.2.170. Release dates: June 4, 2017 versus January 8, 2012. The HD 7970 has a launch MSRP of 549 USD, stated once per database policy.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon Pro 575 has an average benchmark score of 39,555, which is 14.5% higher than the AMD Radeon HD 7970's average of 34,541.

Q: How do the two cards compare in OpenCL performance?

A: In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the Pro 575 scores 34,596 versus the HD 7970's 34,541, a 0.2% difference. They are effectively tied in OpenCL compute.

Q: Which card has more memory bandwidth?

A: The AMD Radeon HD 7970 has more memory bandwidth at 264.0 GB/s, compared to the Pro 575's 217.0 GB/s.

Q: Which card supports FP16 computation?

A: Only the AMD Radeon Pro 575 lists FP16 performance, rated at 4.489 TFLOPS (1:1 ratio). The HD 7970 has no FP16 specification in the database.

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The Pro 575 has a TDP of 150W, while the HD 7970 has a TDP of 250W. The Pro 575 also requires no external power connectors, whereas the HD 7970 needs a 6-pin and an 8-pin connector.

Q: Which card has better API support?

A: The Pro 575 supports DirectX 12 (12_0), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3. The HD 7970 supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The Pro 575 has superior API versions.

Q: How does the Pro 575 compare to its own nearest rivals?

A:** Its nearest rival, the NVIDIA RTX A500 Mobile, averages 39,568, essentially identical (0% delta). The AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100 averages 40,063, 1.3% ahead, and the AMD Radeon Pro 580 averages 40,318, 1.9% ahead. The Pro 575X averages 39,116, 1.1% behind.

Q: How does the HD 7970 compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The NVIDIA T1000 8GB averages 34,561 (0.1% ahead), the NVIDIA A2 averages 34,690 (0.4% ahead), the NVIDIA TITAN V averages 34,355 (0.5% behind), and the NVIDIA RTX A1000 averages 34,207 (1% behind). The HD 7970 sits in a tight cluster of performance.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the recorded data, the AMD Radeon Pro 575 is the stronger card overall. Its 14.5% higher average score across modern APIs, superior pixel and texture rates, faster FP32 compute, and lower power draw make it the better choice for current workloads. The 82nd percentile placement versus the 79th percentile reinforces this.

However, the HD 7970 retains a niche advantage: memory bandwidth. For applications that saturate a 384-bit bus, the 264.0 GB/s throughput exceeds the Pro 575's 217.0 GB/s. If a workload is bandwidth-bound, the HD 7970 could outrun its younger sibling.

The choice comes down to workload. For modern rendering, compute, or any task using Vulkan 1.3 or Metal, the Pro 575 is the clear pick. For legacy applications that thrash memory bandwidth or for those with a 600W PSU already in place, the HD 7970 remains a functional, if power-hungry, option. The single head-to-head OpenCL result shows near parity, but the Pro 575's broader API coverage and architectural efficiency tip the balance for general use.

The HD 7970's launch MSRP was 549 USD, but that is historical. The data favors the Pro 575.