AMD Radeon HD 7970M vs AMD Radeon Vega 11 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The recorded data splits these two AMD parts cleanly by workload type and platform role. The AMD Radeon HD 7970M wins the only shared benchmark, Geekbench OpenCL, by a decisive 27.1% margin. That result places the discrete mobile GPU at 17019 points, while the AMD Radeon Vega 11 integrated graphics scores 13392 in the same test. The HD 7970M also holds a higher percentile ranking among all GPUs in the database, sitting at the 60th percentile versus the Vega 11's 56th percentile.

However, the Vega 11 has a broader benchmark footprint in the database. It records three separate scores: 17392 in Geekbench Metal, 13392 in Geekbench OpenCL, and 12273 in Geekbench Vulkan. The HD 7970M only has a single recorded OpenCL result. This means the Vega 11 can claim the highest single score of the two parts, its Metal result at 17392, which exceeds the HD 7970M's best by roughly 2.2%. But that Metal score comes from a different API test, not a direct head-to-head comparison.

The use-case split is therefore: the HD 7970M wins raw compute throughput in OpenCL, while the Vega 11 offers API versatility and a much lower power envelope. The Vega 11's 15 W TDP versus the HD 7970M's 100 W TDP makes it the clear choice for power-constrained systems, even though it loses the compute showdown.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two is generational and structural. The HD 7970M uses GCN 1.0 architecture on a 28 nm TSMC process, while the Vega 11 uses GCN 5.0 on a 12 nm GlobalFoundries process. The process shrink from 28 nm to 12 nm allows the Vega 11 to pack 4,940 million transistors into a 210 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 23.5M per mm². The HD 7970M has 2,800 million transistors on a 212 mm² die, giving it a density of 13.2M per mm².

The compute configuration differs sharply. The HD 7970M carries 1280 shading units, 80 texture mapping units, and 32 raster operation units. The Vega 11 has 704 shading units, 44 TMUs, and only 8 ROPs. This explains the pixel rate gap: the HD 7970M delivers 27.20 GPixel/s versus the Vega 11's 11.20 GPixel/s. Texture rate is closer, with the HD 7970M at 68.00 GTexel/s and the Vega 11 at 61.60 GTexel/s.

Memory architecture is the biggest functional difference. The HD 7970M has dedicated 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, delivering 153.6 GB/s of bandwidth. The Vega 11 uses system shared memory with system dependent bandwidth, a fundamental constraint for integrated graphics. The HD 7970M's FP32 throughput is 2.176 TFLOPS, slightly ahead of the Vega 11's 1.971 TFLOPS. The Vega 11 does have an FP16 capability at 3.942 TFLOPS with a 2:1 ratio, a feature the HD 7970M lacks entirely.

The Vega 11 also supports newer API versions: DirectX 12 (12_1) versus the HD 7970M's DirectX 12 (11_1), and Vulkan 1.3 versus 1.2.170. Both support OpenGL 4.6. Platform integration differs completely, with the HD 7970M using an MXM-B (3.0) interface and the Vega 11 being an IGP on the motherboard.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear verdict based on workload and platform. For compute performance in OpenCL, the HD 7970M is the winner. Its 17019 score versus 13392 for the Vega 11 represents a 27.1% advantage, a substantial lead in the only direct comparison available. The HD 7970M also has higher pixel rate, higher texture rate, higher FP32 throughput, and dedicated memory bandwidth. Any application that stresses raw rasterization or memory bandwidth will favor the discrete part.

For integrated graphics in a low-power system, the Vega 11 is the logical choice. Its 15 W TDP is a fraction of the HD 7970M's 100 W, and it supports newer API versions including Vulkan 1.3 and DirectX 12 (12_1). The Vega 11's Metal score of 17392 in the database actually exceeds the HD 7970M's OpenCL score, though these are different APIs and not directly comparable.

The HD 7970M's nearest rivals in the database include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 at 17037 (0.1% ahead), the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT at 17083 (0.4% ahead), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 at 17208 (1.1% ahead). The Vega 11's nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN at 14373 (0.1% ahead), the AMD Radeon RX Vega 11 at 14385 (0.2% ahead), and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 965M at 14404 (0.4% ahead). This places the HD 7970M in a higher performance tier overall.

Users who need a mobile GPU for gaming or compute should favor the HD 7970M. Users who need a low-power IGP for general tasks, media, and light gaming should choose the Vega 11.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU wins the direct benchmark comparison?

A: The AMD Radeon HD 7970M wins the only shared test, Geekbench OpenCL, with a score of 17019 versus 13392 for the AMD Radeon Vega 11, a 27.1% advantage.

Q: Does the Vega 11 have any performance advantage?

A: The Vega 11 records a higher single benchmark score in Geekbench Metal at 17392, which exceeds the HD 7970M's OpenCL score of 17019, but these are different API tests and not directly comparable.

Q: What is the TDP difference?

A: The HD 7970M has a 100 W TDP, while the Vega 11 has a 15 W TDP, making the Vega 11 far more power-efficient for integrated use.

Q: Which GPU supports newer API versions?

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

Q: How does memory configuration differ?

A: The HD 7970M has 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus with 153.6 GB/s bandwidth. The Vega 11 uses system shared memory with system dependent bandwidth.

Q: Which GPU has more shading units?

A: The HD 7970M has 1280 shading units, compared to 704 for the Vega 11. The HD 7970M also has 80 TMUs versus 44, and 32 ROPs versus 8.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct head-to-head benchmark in the database is Geekbench OpenCL. The AMD Radeon HD 7970M scores 17019, while the AMD Radeon Vega 11 scores 13392. The delta is 27.1% in favor of the HD 7970M. This is a substantial margin that reflects the fundamental architectural differences: the HD 7970M has 1280 shading units versus 704, 80 TMUs versus 44, 32 ROPs versus 8, and dedicated GDDR5 memory at 153.6 GB/s versus shared system memory.

The HD 7970M's FP32 throughput of 2.176 TFLOPS exceeds the Vega 11's 1.971 TFLOPS by roughly 10.4%. Its pixel rate of 27.20 GPixel/s is more than double the Vega 11's 11.20 GPixel/s, a 142.9% advantage. Texture rate is closer: 68.00 GTexel/s versus 61.60 GTexel/s, a 10.4% lead for the HD 7970M.

The Vega 11 does have a higher transistor count at 4,940 million versus 2,800 million, and a smaller die at 210 mm² versus 212 mm². But those transistors are spread across a CPU and IGP complex, not dedicated solely to graphics. The HD 7970M's dedicated memory subsystem gives it a decisive bandwidth advantage in compute workloads.

Looking at the nearest rivals for context, the HD 7970M's 17019 score sits between the NVIDIA Tesla M4 at 16932 (0.5% behind) and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 at 17037 (0.1% ahead). The Vega 11's 13392 OpenCL score sits below its own average of 14352, which is pulled up by its stronger Metal and Vulkan results. The Vega 11's average of 14352 is close to the NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN at 14373 and the Intel Iris Xe MAX Graphics at 14315.

The benchmark data indicates that in raw OpenCL compute, the older discrete GPU remains competitive with much newer hardware, while the integrated Vega 11 trails significantly in that specific test.

Specification Differences

The two GPUs differ across nearly every specification field in the database.

Process and Foundry: The HD 7970M uses a 28 nm process from TSMC. The Vega 11 uses a 12 nm process from GlobalFoundries.

Transistors and Die: The HD 7970M has 2,800 million transistors on a 212 mm² die, with a density of 13.2M per mm². The Vega 11 has 4,940 million transistors on a 210 mm² die, with a density of 23.5M per mm².

Clocks: The HD 7970M has no recorded base or boost clock, but its memory runs at 1200 MHz with 4.8 Gbps effective. The Vega 11 has a base clock of 300 MHz and a boost clock of 1400 MHz, with system shared memory.

Memory: The HD 7970M has 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus with 153.6 GB/s bandwidth. The Vega 11 has system shared memory, type, bus width, and bandwidth.

Compute Units: The HD 7970M has 1280 shading units, 80 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. The Vega 11 has 704 shading units, 44 TMUs, and 8 ROPs.

Rates: The HD 7970M delivers 27.20 GPixel/s pixel rate and 68.00 GTexel/s texture rate. The Vega 11 delivers 11.20 GPixel/s and 61.60 GTexel/s.

FP32 and FP16: The HD 7970M has 2.176 TFLOPS FP32 and no FP16. The Vega 11 has 1.971 TFLOPS FP32 and 3.942 TFLOPS FP16 (2:1).

Power: The HD 7970M has a 100 W TDP. The Vega 11 has a 15 W TDP.

Slot and Interface: The HD 7970M is an MXM Module with an MXM-B (3.0) interface. The Vega 11 is an IGP with an IGP interface.

API Support: The HD 7970M supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The Vega 11 supports DirectX 12 (12_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.3.

Release Dates: The HD 7970M was released on 2012-04-23. The Vega 11 was released on 2019-09-29. Both are end-of-life production status.