AMD Radeon HD 7970M vs AMD Radeon Pro 560X Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon HD 7970M has a higher average benchmark score of 17,019 compared to the AMD Radeon Pro 560X's 15,082. This places the HD 7970M in the 60th percentile of all GPUs, while the Pro 560X sits in the 57th percentile.

Q: How do the two compare in OpenCL performance?

A: In the Geekbench OpenCL test, the HD 7970M scores 17,019 while the Pro 560X scores 9,663. This gives the HD 7970M a commanding 76.1% lead in that specific benchmark.

Q: What is the memory configuration difference?

A: The HD 7970M has 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, providing 153.6 GB/s of bandwidth. The Pro 560X has 4 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 128-bit bus, delivering 94.08 GB/s of bandwidth.

Q: Which GPU has the higher transistor density?

A: The Pro 560X has a significantly higher transistor density at 24.4 million transistors per square millimeter, compared to the HD 7970M's 13.2 million per square millimeter. This is due to the Pro 560X packing 3,000 million transistors into a 123 mm² die, while the HD 7970M fits 2,800 million into 212 mm².

Q: What are the power consumption ratings?

A: The HD 7970M has a TDP of 100 W, while the Pro 560X has a lower TDP of 75 W. Both use no additional power connectors.

Q: Which GPU supports newer graphics APIs?

A: The Pro 560X supports DirectX 12 (12_0) and Vulkan 1.3, while the HD 7970M supports DirectX 12 (11_1) and Vulkan 1.2.170. Both support OpenGL 4.6.

Architecture Differences

The AMD Radeon HD 7970M and AMD Radeon Pro 560X represent two distinct generations of AMD's Graphics Core Next architecture. The HD 7970M is built on GCN 1.0, using the Wimbledon chip, while the Pro 560X employs GCN 4.0 with the Polaris 21 chip. This architectural gap spans several generations of AMD GPU design.

The manufacturing processes differ substantially. The HD 7970M uses a 28 nm process at TSMC, producing a relatively large 212 mm² die. The Pro 560X is fabricated on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries, resulting in a much smaller 123 mm² die. Despite the smaller physical size, the Pro 560X contains more transistors: 3,000 million versus 2,800 million. This translates to a transistor density of 24.4 million per square millimeter for the Pro 560X, nearly double the HD 7970M's 13.2 million per square millimeter.

The compute unit configurations also differ. The HD 7970M fields 1,280 shading units, 80 texture mapping units, and 32 render output units. The Pro 560X has fewer of each: 1,024 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 16 ROPs. These differences directly affect the theoretical throughput figures. The HD 7970M achieves 27.20 GPixel/s of pixel rate and 68.00 GTexel/s of texture rate, while the Pro 560X manages 16.06 GPixel/s and 64.26 GTexel/s respectively.

Floating-point performance shows a narrower gap. The HD 7970M delivers 2.176 TFLOPS of FP32 compute, while the Pro 560X provides 2.056 TFLOPS. The Pro 560X additionally supports FP16 at a 1:1 ratio, matching its FP32 throughput, whereas the HD 7970M has no listed FP16 capability.

The memory subsystems reflect different design priorities. The HD 7970M uses a 256-bit memory interface with 2 GB of GDDR5 running at 1200 MHz (4.8 Gbps effective), yielding 153.6 GB/s of bandwidth. The Pro 560X uses a narrower 128-bit interface with 4 GB of GDDR5 at 1470 MHz (5.9 Gbps effective), producing 94.08 GB/s. The Pro 560X compensates with double the capacity but loses substantial bandwidth.

The form factors and bus interfaces differ as well. The HD 7970M is an MXM Module with an MXM-B (3.0) interface, while the Pro 560X is an integrated graphics processor using PCIe 3.0 x8. Both are marked as end-of-life products, and both carry "Portable Device Dependent" display outputs.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon HD 7970M demonstrates clear superiority in raw compute throughput benchmarks. Its OpenCL score of 17,019 towers over the Pro 560X's 9,663, a 76.1% advantage. This suggests the HD 7970M is better suited for OpenCL-accelerated workloads, such as general-purpose GPU computing tasks that rely heavily on this API.

The HD 7970M also wins on memory bandwidth with 153.6 GB/s versus 94.08 GB/s, and on pixel fill rate (27.20 GPixel/s versus 16.06 GPixel/s). These factors point to advantages in texture-heavy rendering and memory-intensive operations. Its higher shading unit count (1,280 versus 1,024) and TMU count (80 versus 64) provide additional compute headroom.

The AMD Radeon Pro 560X, however, wins on several specification fronts. It offers double the memory capacity at 4 GB versus 2 GB, which can be decisive for larger datasets or higher-resolution textures. Its 14 nm process and higher transistor density indicate a more modern, power-efficient design. The 75 W TDP versus 100 W gives it a power efficiency edge. The Pro 560X also supports newer API versions: DirectX 12 (12_0) versus 11_1, and Vulkan 1.3 versus 1.2.170. Its FP16 support at 1:1 ratio enables half-precision compute workloads that the HD 7970M cannot handle.

The Pro 560X shows competitive performance in other benchmark categories. It scores 18,763 in Geekbench Metal and 16,819 in Geekbench Vulkan, though the HD 7970M has no recorded scores for these specific tests. On average, the Pro 560X trails the HD 7970M by only 1,937 points across all recorded benchmarks.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs diverge across nearly every major specification category. The process node differs: 28 nm for the HD 7970M versus 14 nm for the Pro 560X. The foundries also differ, with TSMC producing the HD 7970M and GlobalFoundries producing the Pro 560X.

The chip designs are unrelated: Wimbledon for the HD 7970M and Polaris 21 for the Pro 560X. The architectures span two generations, GCN 1.0 versus GCN 4.0. The HD 7970M belongs to the London (HD 7900M) generation, while the Pro 560X is part of the Radeon Pro Mac (500X Series).

Transistor counts and die sizes show an interesting inversion. The Pro 560X has more transistors (3,000 million versus 2,800 million) but a smaller die (123 mm² versus 212 mm²). This results in a transistor density of 24.4 million per square millimeter for the Pro 560X, versus 13.2 million for the HD 7970M.

The memory clocks differ: the HD 7970M runs at 1200 MHz (4.8 Gbps effective), while the Pro 560X runs at 1470 MHz (5.9 Gbps effective). Memory size and bus width also differ: 2 GB on 256-bit versus 4 GB on 128-bit. Bandwidth favors the HD 7970M at 153.6 GB/s versus 94.08 GB/s.

Compute unit counts are lower on the Pro 560X: 1,024 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 16 ROPs, compared to 1,280, 80, and 32 on the HD 7970M. Pixel rate is 27.20 GPixel/s versus 16.06 GPixel/s, and texture rate is 68.00 GTexel/s versus 64.26 GTexel/s. FP32 performance is close, at 2.176 versus 2.056 TFLOPS, but only the Pro 560X lists FP16 at 2.056 TFLOPS.

The TDP differs by 25 W, with the HD 7970M at 100 W and the Pro 560X at 75 W. The slot width differs: MXM Module for the HD 7970M versus IGP for the Pro 560X. The bus interface is MXM-B (3.0) versus PCIe 3.0 x8. DirectX support differs (12 (11_1) versus 12 (12_0)), as does Vulkan support (1.2.170 versus 1.3). The release dates are separated by over six years: April 2012 for the HD 7970M and July 2018 for the Pro 560X.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head comparison contains a single recorded benchmark: Geekbench OpenCL. In this test, the AMD Radeon HD 7970M scores 17,019 against the AMD Radeon Pro 560X's 9,663. The delta percentage of 76.1% represents a decisive victory for the older GPU. This is the only direct benchmark where both cards have recorded scores.

To contextualize the HD 7970M's OpenCL result, the nearest rivals in the database include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 at 17,037 (0.1% behind), the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT at 17,083 (0.4% behind), the NVIDIA Tesla M4 at 16,932 (0.5% ahead), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 at 17,208 (1.1% behind). The HD 7970M sits comfortably within this competitive cluster, despite its 2012 release date.

For the Pro 560X, the nearest rivals in terms of average score are the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660 Ti at 15,063 (0.1% ahead), the AMD Radeon RX 7600 at 15,171 (0.6% ahead), the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 OEM at 15,199 (0.8% ahead), and the AMD Radeon 680M at 15,270 (1.2% ahead). The Pro 560X's average score of 15,082 places it just below these contemporaries.

The Pro 560X does have additional benchmark records beyond OpenCL. Its Geekbench Metal score is 18,763, and its Geekbench Vulkan score is 16,819. These results show the Pro 560X performing well in Apple's Metal API and in Vulkan workloads, though no comparable data exists for the HD 7970M in those tests. The HD 7970M's single OpenCL result stands as its only recorded benchmark.

The wins tally reflects this data: the HD 7970M wins 1 head-to-head benchmark, while the Pro 560X wins 0. The margin in the decisive OpenCL test is substantial, reinforcing the HD 7970M's dominance in that specific workload.

The Verdict

The recorded data presents a clear picture for specific use cases. The AMD Radeon HD 7970M is the superior choice for OpenCL compute workloads. Its 76.1% lead over the Pro 560X in the Geekbench OpenCL test is the single largest performance gap in this comparison. Users running OpenCL-accelerated applications should favor the HD 7970M without hesitation.

The HD 7970M also holds advantages in memory bandwidth (153.6 GB/s versus 94.08 GB/s), pixel fill rate (27.20 GPixel/s versus 16.06 GPixel/s), and shading unit count (1,280 versus 1,024). These factors contribute to its higher average benchmark score of 17,019 versus 15,082, and its higher percentile ranking of 60 versus 57.

The AMD Radeon Pro 560X, however, wins on architectural modernity and efficiency. Its 14 nm process, 75 W TDP, and 4 GB memory capacity make it the more balanced option for systems where power consumption and memory capacity matter. Its support for DirectX 12 (12_0), Vulkan 1.3, and FP16 compute opens doors to newer software stacks that the HD 7970M cannot access. The Pro 560X also demonstrates strong Metal performance with a score of 18,763, which may be relevant for macOS environments.

For users prioritizing raw compute throughput and memory bandwidth, the HD 7970M is the data-backed choice. For those needing lower power draw, greater memory capacity, or newer API support, the Pro 560X offers meaningful advantages. The choice ultimately depends on whether the workload favors the HD 7970M's brute-force compute design or the Pro 560X's modern, efficient architecture. The benchmark data shows one decisive winner in OpenCL, but the specification differences tell a more nuanced story across other dimensions.