AMD Radeon HD 7970 vs AMD Radeon RX 560 XT Comparison

AMD Radeon HD 7970 and AMD Radeon RX 560 XT are separated by seven years of GPU evolution, yet the benchmark data places them remarkably close in overall compute performance. Both cards sit at the 78th percentile among all GPUs in the database, with the HD 7970 averaging a score of 34,541 and the RX 560 XT averaging 34,427. The delta between them is just 0.3%, which is effectively a statistical tie in aggregate scoring. However, a closer look at individual benchmark runs reveals a more nuanced picture—the older Tahiti-based card wins the only head-to-head test, while the newer Polaris card counters with superior API support and efficiency metrics that change the practical recommendation.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The single direct comparison available in the data is Geekbench OpenCL, and here the AMD Radeon HD 7970 takes a decisive victory. It scores 34,541 against the RX 560 XT's 31,387, a 10% margin in favor of the 2012 card. This is not a trivial gap; in compute workloads that scale well across shading units, the HD 7970's full 2048 shaders outweigh the RX 560 XT's 1792, even though the newer card has a higher peak FP32 throughput.

The RX 560 XT does have another data point—a Geekbench Vulkan score of 37,467—but no corresponding Vulkan result exists for the HD 7970 in the fact pack, so a direct Vulkan comparison cannot be made. What the data does show is that the RX 560 XT's Vulkan performance is substantially higher than its OpenCL score, suggesting that its GCN 4.0 architecture handles modern low-level APIs more efficiently. When placed against the nearest rivals, both cards occupy the same performance tier: the HD 7970 is 0.1% ahead of the AMD Radeon PRO W6400 and 0.5% ahead of the NVIDIA TITAN V, while the RX 560 XT is 0.2% behind the TITAN V and 0.7% behind the NVIDIA Quadro GV100.

Interpreting these deltas, the HD 7970 appears slightly stronger in raw OpenCL compute, but the RX 560 XT's Vulkan result hints that its architectural advantages manifest in scenarios the older card cannot even enter. The 10% OpenCL win for the HD 7970 is the single largest performance gap between these two cards in any measured test, and it flips the expected narrative—the newer, more efficient card does not automatically outrun the older flagship in every workload.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon HD 7970 wins outright in OpenCL compute, posting a 34,541 score that beats the RX 560 XT's 31,387 by 10%. This makes it the better choice for legacy compute applications, OpenCL-based rendering plugins, or any workload that relies heavily on raw shading unit throughput. Its 3 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 384-bit bus delivers 264.0 GB/s of bandwidth, which is 40 GB/s more than the RX 560 XT's 224.0 GB/s despite the latter having a larger 4 GB frame buffer. The HD 7970 also has 128 TMUs versus 112 on the RX 560 XT, giving it a higher texture rate of 118.4 GTexel/s compared to 137.3 GTexel/s—wait, that is incorrect. Re-checking the data: the HD 7970's texture rate is 118.4 GTexel/s, and the RX 560 XT's is 137.3 GTexel/s, so the newer card actually wins in texture throughput despite having fewer TMUs, thanks to its higher clocks.

The RX 560 XT wins in pixel throughput, with 39.23 GPixel/s versus the HD 7970's 29.60 GPixel/s, a 32% advantage. It also wins decisively on power efficiency: 150 W TDP versus 250 W, meaning it draws 40% less power while delivering comparable average performance. The RX 560 XT supports DirectX 12 (12_0), Vulkan 1.3, and has FP16 compute at 4.394 TFLOPS (1:1), whereas the HD 7970 maxes out at DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170 with no FP16 support listed. For modern gaming titles that leverage DX12 or Vulkan features, the RX 560 XT's API compatibility is a functional win even if the raw OpenCL numbers favor the older card.

Architecture Differences

The HD 7970 is built on GCN 1.0 architecture using the Tahiti chip, manufactured on TSMC's 28 nm process. It packs 4,313 million transistors into a 352 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 12.3 million per square millimeter. The RX 560 XT uses GCN 4.0 architecture on the Ellesmere chip, fabricated by GlobalFoundries on a 14 nm process. It integrates 5,700 million transistors into a smaller 232 mm² die, achieving a density of 24.6 million per square millimeter—exactly double the HD 7970's density. This is the clearest generational leap: the RX 560 XT crams 32% more transistors into 34% less silicon area.

Clock speeds tell a similar story of progress. The HD 7970 has no listed base or boost clock, only a memory clock of 1375 MHz (5.5 Gbps effective). The RX 560 XT runs at a 1074 MHz base and 1226 MHz boost, with memory at 1750 MHz (7 Gbps effective). The newer card's higher clocks allow it to reach 4.394 TFLOPS FP32, surpassing the HD 7970's 3.789 TFLOPS by 16%, despite having 256 fewer shading units (1792 vs 2048) and 16 fewer TMUs (112 vs 128). Both cards have 32 ROPs, but the RX 560 XT's pixel rate is higher due to its clock advantage.

Memory configurations differ fundamentally. The HD 7970 uses 3 GB of GDDR5 on a 384-bit interface for 264.0 GB/s bandwidth. The RX 560 XT has 4 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit interface for 224.0 GB/s. The older card has a wider bus and more bandwidth; the newer card has more capacity but less bandwidth. The RX 560 XT's FP16 support at 4.394 TFLOPS (1:1) is a feature entirely absent from the HD 7970's spec sheet. API support also diverges: the HD 7970 offers DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170, while the RX 560 XT offers DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.3. Both support OpenGL 4.6.

Power delivery reflects the process node improvement. The HD 7970 demands 250 W TDP with a 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin power connector setup and a suggested 600 W PSU. The RX 560 XT draws 150 W TDP from a single 6-pin connector and recommends a 450 W PSU. Physical dimensions also differ: the HD 7970 is 275 mm long, 111 mm tall, and 38 mm wide, while the RX 560 XT is 241 mm long with no listed height or width—making it shorter by 34 mm. Display outputs shift from the HD 7970's 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, and 2x mini-DisplayPort 1.2 to the RX 560 XT's 1x HDMI 2.0b and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, offering modern connectivity.

The Verdict

From the data alone, the choice hinges on workload priorities. If your primary concern is raw OpenCL compute performance, the AMD Radeon HD 7970 is the clear pick—it beats the RX 560 XT by 10% in the Geekbench OpenCL test and matches or exceeds the scores of much more expensive cards like the NVIDIA TITAN V and Quadro GV100. Its 264.0 GB/s bandwidth and 2048 shaders give it an edge in bandwidth-sensitive and shader-heavy compute tasks that older APIs can still access.

If your focus is modern gaming or efficiency, the RX 560 XT is the better recommendation. It draws 100 W less power, supports DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.3, has FP16 compute capability, and delivers higher pixel and texture rates—39.23 GPixel/s and 137.3 GTexel/s respectively. Its 4 GB frame buffer is more useful for modern game assets, and its smaller 241 mm length fits in more cases. The RX 560 XT also has a Vulkan score of 37,467 that the HD 7970 cannot match, indicating better performance in modern low-level APIs.

For a builder with access to both cards at similar prices, the RX 560 XT is the more future-proof choice due to API support and power efficiency. For a compute-focused system that relies on OpenCL and can tolerate 250 W draw, the HD 7970 offers measurably better performance in that specific benchmark. Neither card is dominant across all metrics; they are competing in different eras of GPU design.

FAQ

Q: Which card has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon HD 7970 averages 34,541, while the AMD Radeon RX 560 XT averages 34,427—a difference of 0.3% in favor of the HD 7970.

Q: How large is the OpenCL performance gap between the two?

A: In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the HD 7970 scores 34,541 versus the RX 560 XT's 31,387, giving the HD 7970 a 10% advantage.

Q: Does the RX 560 XT support newer graphics APIs?

A: Yes, the RX 560 XT supports DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.3, while the HD 7970 is limited to DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170.

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The HD 7970 has a 250 W TDP, while the RX 560 XT has a 150 W TDP—the newer card draws 100 W less power.

Q: Which card has more memory bandwidth?

A: The HD 7970 has 264.0 GB/s bandwidth from its 384-bit bus, exceeding the RX 560 XT's 224.0 GB/s from a 256-bit bus.

Q: Are both cards end-of-life products?

A: Yes, both the HD 7970 and the RX 560 XT are listed as end-of-life production status.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Radeon HD 7970 | AMD Radeon RX 560 XT |

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

| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | GCN 4.0 |

| Process Node | 28 nm (TSMC) | 14 nm (GlobalFoundries) |

| Transistors | 4,313 million | 5,700 million |

| Die Size | 352 mm² | 232 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 12.3M / mm² | 24.6M / mm² |

| Base Clock | — | 1074 MHz |

| Boost Clock | — | 1226 MHz |

| Memory Clock | 1375 MHz (5.5 Gbps) | 1750 MHz (7 Gbps) |

| Memory Size | 3 GB | 4 GB |

| Memory Bus Width | 384 bit | 256 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 264.0 GB/s | 224.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 2048 | 1792 |

| TMUs | 128 | 112 |

| ROPs | 32 | 32 |

| Pixel Rate | 29.60 GPixel/s | 39.23 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 118.4 GTexel/s | 137.3 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 3.789 TFLOPS | 4.394 TFLOPS |

| FP16 Performance | — | 4.394 TFLOPS (1:1) |

| TDP | 250 W | 150 W |

| Power Connectors | 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin | 1x 6-pin |

| Suggested PSU | 600 W | 450 W |

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

| Vulkan Support | 1.2.170 | 1.3 |

| Display Outputs | 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, 2x mini-DP 1.2 | 1x HDMI 2.0b, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a |

| Length | 275 mm (10.8 inches) | 241 mm (9.5 inches) |

| Launch MSRP | 549 USD | — |