AMD Radeon HD 8970M vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains one direct head-to-head benchmark between these two mobile and desktop graphics solutions: the Geekbench OpenCL compute test. In that measurement, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 records a score of 22,863, while the AMD Radeon HD 8970M posts 21,237. The delta is 7.1% in favor of the NVIDIA part, meaning the GTX 780 outperforms the AMD mobile chip by roughly seven percentage points in raw OpenCL compute throughput.

That single data point tells a clear story about compute performance, but the surrounding context matters. The GTX 780's average benchmark score across all recorded tests is 19,164, which is lower than its OpenCL result because it also runs Metal and Vulkan workloads where it scores 10,114 and 24,514 respectively. The HD 8970M, by contrast, has only one benchmark entry in the database, so its average score of 21,237 is identical to its OpenCL number. This means the AMD part's average is pulled up by having no additional, potentially lower-scoring tests, while the NVIDIA part's average is dragged down by its relatively weak Metal showing.

Looking at the rivals lists, both cards sit in a similar performance tier. The HD 8970M's nearest competitor is the NVIDIA RTX A4000 Mobile, which scores 21,379 and is 0.7% faster. The AMD part is also 0.4% ahead of the AMD Radeon RX Vega M GL (21,153) and 1% ahead of the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 (21,035). On the other side, it trails the NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 by 1.8%, which scores 21,629. These deltas are all within a couple of percentage points, suggesting the HD 8970M sits at a very competitive midpoint in the laptop GPU landscape.

The GTX 780's rival list shows a similar clustering. It is essentially tied with the NVIDIA TITAN Xp, which scores 19,177 and is 0.1% behind. The NVIDIA Tesla K20m scores 19,089, a 0.4% deficit, while the GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile and AMD Radeon RX 6600 are 0.6% and 0.7% behind respectively. The fact that the GTX 780's average score of 19,164 lands within 0.7% of four different rivals indicates that this GPU occupies a well-populated performance band where small architectural differences translate into measurable but not dramatic score gaps.

The percentile rankings add another layer. The HD 8970M sits at the 66th percentile among all GPUs in the database, while the GTX 780 is at the 64th. Despite losing the direct OpenCL head-to-head by 7.1%, the AMD part ranks slightly higher overall because its single benchmark score is more consistent, whereas the NVIDIA part's Metal score of 10,114 is a significant outlier that pulls its average down. This is a curious divergence: the GTX 780 wins the compute test that both cards share, yet the HD 8970M claims a better percentile placement due to the absence of weak scores in other API tests.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU wins the Geekbench OpenCL benchmark?

A: The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 wins with a score of 22,863 compared to the AMD Radeon HD 8970M's 21,237, a difference of 7.1% in NVIDIA's favor.

Q: How does each card compare to its nearest rivals?

A: The HD 8970M is within 1.8% of four rivals: it leads the RX Vega M GL by 0.4% and RTX 5050 by 1%, trails the RTX A4000 Mobile by 0.7%, and trails the Quadro RTX 5000 by 1.8%. The GTX 780 is within 0.7% of four rivals: it leads the Tesla K20m, RTX 4050 Mobile, and RX 6600 by 0.4%, 0.6%, and 0.7%, while the TITAN Xp is 0.1% ahead.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each card?

A: The HD 8970M has an average score of 21,237 from its single OpenCL test. The GTX 780 has an average of 19,164, computed from its OpenCL, Metal, and Vulkan scores of 22,863, 10,114, and 24,514.

Q: Which card ranks higher in the overall GPU percentile?

A: The AMD Radeon HD 8970M ranks at the 66th percentile, while the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 sits at the 64th percentile, despite losing the direct OpenCL comparison.

Q: Does the GTX 780 have any benchmark results outside OpenCL?

A: Yes, the GTX 780 also records a Geekbench Metal score of 10,114 and a Geekbench Vulkan score of 24,514. The HD 8970M only has the OpenCL entry.

Q: Are these cards still in production?

A: Both are marked as end-of-life in the database, with the HD 8970M released on 2013-05-13 and the GTX 780 released on 2013-05-22.

The Verdict

The data presents a nuanced picture. If the priority is raw OpenCL compute performance, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 is the clear choice: it beats the AMD Radeon HD 8970M by 7.1% in the shared benchmark. However, that advantage comes with caveats. The GTX 780's Metal score of 10,114 is drastically lower than its OpenCL and Vulkan results, which suggests that its performance varies significantly depending on the API in use. The HD 8970M, with only an OpenCL score, does not expose such variability.

For users targeting OpenCL-heavy workloads, the GTX 780's higher score is the deciding factor. But for those who care about overall percentile placement, the HD 8970M's 66th percentile versus the GTX 780's 64th indicates that the AMD part is more consistently positioned relative to the broader GPU landscape. The single head-to-head win for NVIDIA does not translate into a higher percentile ranking, which is a notable discrepancy worth investigating further.

The GTX 780 also offers additional API support with Vulkan 1.2.175 versus the HD 8970M's Vulkan 1.2.170, and its Vulkan score of 24,514 is the highest recorded result for either card. If Vulkan compute is part of the workload, the NVIDIA part has both a higher version and a stronger measured score. Meanwhile, the HD 8970M's DirectX support is listed as 12 (11_1) versus the GTX 780's 12 (11_0), which could matter for certain legacy applications.

Specification Differences

The two cards diverge substantially in their memory subsystems. The HD 8970M carries 4 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, yielding 153.6 GB/s of bandwidth. The GTX 780 has 3 GB of GDDR5 on a wider 384-bit bus, delivering 288.4 GB/s, nearly double the bandwidth. Memory clocks also differ: the AMD part runs at 1200 MHz (4.8 Gbps effective), while the NVIDIA part runs at 1502 MHz (6 Gbps effective).

Compute resources show a similar gap. The HD 8970M has 1,280 shading units, 80 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. The GTX 780 has 2,304 shading units, 192 TMUs, and 48 ROPs. This translates into a pixel rate of 28.80 GPixel/s for AMD versus 43.30 GPixel/s for NVIDIA, and a texture rate of 72.00 GTexel/s versus 173.2 GTexel/s. The FP32 throughput is 2.304 TFLOPS for the HD 8970M and 4.156 TFLOPS for the GTX 780.

Clock speeds are closer than the compute numbers suggest: the HD 8970M runs at 850 MHz base and 900 MHz boost, while the GTX 780 runs at 863 MHz base and 902 MHz boost. Power consumption differs significantly, with the HD 8970M rated at 100 W and the GTX 780 at 250 W. The GTX 780 also requires a 600 W suggested PSU and uses a dual-slot form factor with 1x 6-pin and 1x 8-pin power connectors, while the HD 8970M uses an MXM module with no listed power connectors. Physical dimensions are only recorded for the GTX 780: 267 mm length, 111 mm height, and 38 mm width.

Architecture Differences

The architectural split is fundamental. The HD 8970M uses the Neptune chip with AMD's GCN 1.0 architecture, while the GTX 780 uses the GK110 chip with NVIDIA's Kepler architecture. Both are built on TSMC's 28 nm process, but the die sizes diverge sharply: the HD 8970M measures 212 mm² with 2,800 million transistors, while the GTX 780 measures 561 mm² with 7,080 million transistors. Transistor density is slightly higher on the AMD part at 13.2M per mm² versus 12.6M per mm² on the NVIDIA part.

The generation names differ: AMD places the HD 8970M in the "Solar System (HD 8900M)" generation, while NVIDIA places the GTX 780 in the "GeForce 700" generation. The predecessors and successors also differ: the HD 8970M's predecessor is "London" and its successor is "Gem System," while the GTX 780's predecessor is "GeForce 600" and its successor is "GeForce 900."

API support shows minor differences. Both support DirectX 12 and OpenGL 4.6, but the HD 8970M lists DirectX 12 (11_1) versus the GTX 780's 12 (11_0). Vulkan versions are close: 1.2.170 for AMD and 1.2.175 for NVIDIA. Display outputs are portable-device dependent on the HD 8970M, while the GTX 780 provides 2x DVI, 1x HDMI 1.4a, and 1x DisplayPort 1.2. The GTX 780 has a launch MSRP of 649 USD, which can be stated once as recorded.

Where Each One Wins

The GTX 780 wins in raw compute throughput across multiple metrics. Its OpenCL score is 7.1% higher, its FP32 output is 4.156 TFLOPS versus 2.304 TFLOPS, and its texture and pixel rates are more than double the AMD part's. The wider 384-bit memory bus and higher bandwidth of 288.4 GB/s versus 153.6 GB/s give it a clear advantage in bandwidth-bound workloads. Its Vulkan score of 24,514 is also the highest single benchmark result recorded for either card.

The HD 8970M wins in efficiency and portability. Its 100 W TDP is less than half of the GTX 780's 250 W, and its MXM module form factor makes it suitable for laptops, whereas the GTX 780 is a dual-slot desktop card. The AMD part also has a higher percentile ranking at 66 versus 64, despite losing the direct comparison. Its larger 4 GB memory capacity could be an advantage in capacity-sensitive tasks, even though the bandwidth is lower.

For OpenCL-specific applications, the GTX 780 is the stronger choice. For Vulkan workloads, the GTX 780 again leads based on its measured score. For users constrained by power or physical space, the HD 8970M is the only viable option given its mobile form factor. The data also shows the HD 8970M has a slightly higher DirectX feature level (11_1 versus 11_0), which could matter for certain older APIs. Ultimately, the GTX 780 dominates in performance metrics, while the HD 8970M offers a more balanced profile with better percentile placement and far lower power draw.