AMD Radeon HD 7970M vs AMD Radeon R9 370X Comparison

AMD Radeon HD 7970M vs. AMD Radeon R9 370X: The benchmark data delivers a clear, decisive split. The R9 370X is the unequivocal performance champion in the only direct head-to-head test available, but the HD 7970M is a specialized mobile solution with its own distinct identity. The data shows a 34.3% performance gap in favor of the R9 370X in the Geekbench OpenCL test, a delta that defines the entire comparison. While both cards share a common architectural foundation, their different physical forms and target platforms make them suitable for entirely different use cases, making this less of a competition and more of a study in platform-specific optimization.

Where Each One Wins

The R9 370X wins on raw compute performance, and it does so decisively. In the single head-to-head benchmark available (Geekbench OpenCL), the R9 370X scores 25,893 points against the HD 7970M's 17,019 points. This is a 34.3% advantage for the newer, desktop-oriented card. This is not a marginal win; it is a substantial performance leap that places the R9 370X in a different performance tier despite both cards having identical core counts and memory bus widths. The R9 370X is the obvious choice for any workload that leverages OpenCL acceleration, where its higher clock speeds and memory bandwidth translate directly into more completed work per second.

The HD 7970M's win is not about performance but about platform. Its specifications are tailored for a mobile, power-constrained environment. With a TDP of 100 W and a slot width of "MXM Module," it is designed for laptops and portable workstations. It has no power connectors and uses the MXM-B (3.0) bus interface, making it a drop-in component for specific mobile platforms. The R9 370X, by contrast, is a 180 W dual-slot desktop card requiring two 6-pin power connectors and a 450 W suggested power supply. The HD 7970M wins in the "portability" and "integration" categories, where it has no competition from the R9 370X, which simply cannot exist in that form factor. The data also shows the HD 7970M has a higher percentile ranking (60th) vs. the R9 370X's 58th, indicating that despite losing the head-to-head, it sits favorably against the entire GPU database.

Architecture Differences

Both GPUs are built on AMD's GCN 1.0 architecture, manufactured on the same 28 nm process at TSMC. The die size is identical at 212 mm², and both pack the same 2,800 million transistors, resulting in the same transistor density of 13.2M per mm². The fundamental compute resources are also identical: 1280 shading units, 80 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 32 raster operation pipelines (ROPs). This means the architectural blueprint is the same; the differences arise from implementation.

The key differentiators are clock speeds and memory configuration. The HD 7970M, with its "Wimbledon" chip, does not have listed base or boost clock speeds in the data, but its memory runs at 1200 MHz (4.8 Gbps effective). The R9 370X, using the "Trinidad" chip, has a base clock of 980 MHz and a boost clock of 1030 MHz, with memory running at 1400 MHz (5.6 Gbps effective). This higher memory clock on the R9 370X directly contributes to its bandwidth advantage. The R9 370X also has a higher pixel rate (32.96 GPixel/s vs. 27.20 GPixel/s), texture rate (82.40 GTexel/s vs. 68.00 GTexel/s), and FP32 performance (2.637 TFLOPS vs. 2.176 TFLOPS). These are all direct consequences of the higher operating clocks, not architectural changes.

The physical and interface differences are stark. The HD 7970M is an MXM module (MXM-B 3.0) with no power connectors, while the R9 370X is a dual-slot PCIe 3.0 x16 card with two 6-pin connectors. The R9 370X has a defined length of 221 mm (8.7 inches) and height of 111 mm (4.4 inches), while the HD 7970M's dimensions are listed as "Portable Device Dependent." Their display outputs also differ, with the R9 370X offering 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, and 1x DisplayPort 1.2, while the HD 7970M's outputs are dependent on the host laptop. Both support the same API levels: DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct benchmark comparison is Geekbench OpenCL, and it tells a one-sided story. The AMD Radeon R9 370X scores 25,893, while the AMD Radeon HD 7970M scores 17,019. The delta percentage of -34.3% is calculated from the perspective of the HD 7970M, meaning the HD 7970M is 34.3% slower than the R9 370X. This is a massive gap that cannot be overlooked.

To contextualize this, the HD 7970M's score of 17,019 places it in the 60th percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rivals in the database are the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 (17,037, a 0.1% difference), the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT (17,083, a 0.4% difference), and the NVIDIA Tesla M4 (16,932, a 0.5% difference). This shows the HD 7970M is a competent performer in the absolute sense, sitting right next to a dual-GPU flagship from NVIDIA and a modern mid-range card.

The R9 370X's score of 25,893 is in the 58th percentile. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon RX 7700 (15,852, a 0.1% difference) and the AMD Radeon RX 9060 (16,014, a 1% difference). This is a curious data point: despite a much higher raw score, its percentile is lower, suggesting the database contains many higher-performing cards that the HD 7970M's score happens to beat. The R9 370X's average benchmark score is 15,862, which is lower than its single OpenCL score due to the inclusion of its Metal (12,676) and Vulkan (9,018) scores in the average. The HD 7970M only has the one OpenCL benchmark, so its average is the same as its score. The data indicates that the R9 370X is significantly faster in OpenCL, but its performance in other APIs is less impressive, pulling its average down.

The Verdict

The verdict is straightforward based on the benchmark data. If the workload is OpenCL compute and the platform is a desktop, the AMD Radeon R9 370X is the definitive choice. It is 34.3% faster than the HD 7970M in the only head-to-head test, with higher fill rates, higher texture rates, and higher FP32 throughput. This card is for users who need maximum compute performance from a GCN 1.0 architecture and have the power delivery and physical space for a 180 W dual-slot card.

The AMD Radeon HD 7970M is for a specific, niche audience: users of MXM-based laptops or workstations. It offers respectable compute performance (60th percentile) that rivals desktop cards like the GTX 690 and RX 7600 XT, but its primary value is its form factor. It is a 100 W module that requires no external power connectors and is designed to fit into a portable device. If a user has a laptop with an MXM-B slot, this is a viable upgrade path. If portability is not a requirement, there is no reason to choose the HD 7970M over the R9 370X, as the latter dominates in every measurable performance metric. The data does not support the HD 7970M as a competitive desktop alternative; it supports it as a capable mobile solution that loses decisively to its desktop sibling.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in the Geekbench OpenCL test?

A: The AMD Radeon R9 370X is significantly faster, scoring 25,893 compared to the HD 7970M's 17,019, a 34.3% advantage.

Q: Do both GPUs have the same core configuration?

A: Yes, both have 1280 shading units, 80 TMUs, and 32 ROPs, and both are built on the GCN 1.0 architecture with 2,800 million transistors on a 212 mm² die.

Q: What is the main difference in their power requirements?

A: The R9 370X has a TDP of 180 W and requires two 6-pin power connectors, while the HD 7970M has a TDP of 100 W and requires no power connectors.

Q: What are the memory bandwidths of the two cards?

A: The R9 370X has a memory bandwidth of 179.2 GB/s, while the HD 7970M has a lower bandwidth of 153.6 GB/s, due to the R9 370X's higher 5.6 Gbps effective memory speed.

Q: Which card has a higher percentile ranking among all GPUs?

A: The HD 7970M ranks in the 60th percentile, while the R9 370X ranks in the 58th percentile, despite the R9 370X having a higher OpenCL score.

Q: What is the form factor of each card?

A: The HD 7970M is an MXM Module (MXM-B 3.0) for portable devices, while the R9 370X is a dual-slot desktop card with a PCIe 3.0 x16 interface.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Radeon HD 7970M | AMD Radeon R9 370X |

| :--- | :--- | :--- |

| Chip | Wimbledon | Trinidad |

| Generation | London (HD 7900M) | Pirate Islands (R9 300) |

| Base Clock | Not specified | 980 MHz |

| Boost Clock | Not specified | 1030 MHz |

| Memory Clock | 1200 MHz (4.8 Gbps effective) | 1400 MHz (5.6 Gbps effective) |

| Memory Bandwidth | 153.6 GB/s | 179.2 GB/s |

| Pixel Rate | 27.20 GPixel/s | 32.96 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 68.00 GTexel/s | 82.40 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 2.176 TFLOPS | 2.637 TFLOPS |

| TDP | 100 W | 180 W |

| Slot Width | MXM Module | Dual-slot |

| Power Connectors | None | 2x 6-pin |

| Suggested PSU | Not specified | 450 W |

| Bus Interface | MXM-B (3.0) | PCIe 3.0 x16 |

| Display Outputs | Portable Device Dependent | 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, 1x DisplayPort 1.2 |

| Dimensions (LxH) | Portable Device Dependent | 221 mm x 111 mm |

| Release Date | 2012-04-23 | 2015-08-26 |

| Geekbench OpenCL Score | 17,019 | 25,893 |