AMD Radeon RX 7700S vs AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE Comparison

The AMD Radeon RX 7700S and AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE are both members of the Radeon RX 7000 series, sharing the RDNA 3.0 architecture and the same API support for DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. However, the benchmark data reveals they are positioned at opposite ends of the performance spectrum, with the RX 7900 GRE dominating every single head-to-head comparison. The RX 7700S, a mobile-oriented part, sits at the 78th percentile of all GPUs, while the RX 7900 GRE, a desktop part, holds the 77th percentile, a seemingly paradoxical result given the vast performance gap between them in direct testing, which is explained by the differing benchmark suites available for each.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The data is unambiguous: the AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE wins all three direct comparisons, and it does so by massive margins. In the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, the RX 7900 GRE scores 4814 against the RX 7700S's 2185, a delta of -54.6% for the latter. This means the RX 7900 GRE is more than twice as fast in this modern DirectX 12 workload, a result that underscores the fundamental difference in their compute capabilities.

The Geekbench results paint an even starker picture. In the OpenCL compute test, the RX 7900 GRE achieves 175758 points, while the RX 7700S manages only 62983, a delta of -64.2%. This is a 2.79x advantage for the larger card, indicating a massive lead in raw parallel processing throughput. The Vulkan test tells a similar story: the RX 7900 GRE scores 99850 versus the RX 7700S's 36380, a -63.6% delta. Across all three benchmarks, the RX 7900 GRE leads by an average of roughly 60%, leaving no doubt about its superior performance.

The performance gap is so consistent that it suggests architectural scaling rather than just clock speed differences. While the RX 7700S has a higher boost clock of 2500 MHz compared to the RX 7900 GRE's 2245 MHz, the latter's sheer number of execution resources overwhelms the clock advantage. The RX 7900 GRE's victory in every test is a clear indication that its 5120 shading units and 80 ray tracing cores provide a level of throughput that the RX 7700S's 2048 shading units and 32 ray tracing cores simply cannot match, regardless of frequency.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7700S has a higher average benchmark score of 33849, compared to the RX 7900 GRE's 32456. This is despite the RX 7900 GRE winning every head-to-head test, a discrepancy likely due to the different sets of benchmarks each card was subjected to in the database.

Q: How do the two cards compare in the Geekbench Vulkan test?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE is significantly faster, scoring 99850 against the RX 7700S's 36380, a delta of -63.6% for the RX 7700S. This indicates a substantial lead in Vulkan-based gaming and compute workloads.

Q: What is the transistor density difference between the two chips?

A: The RX 7900 GRE's Navi 31 chip has a transistor density of 109.1M per mm², while the RX 7700S's Navi 33 chip has a density of 65.2M per mm². This reflects the RX 7900 GRE's more advanced 5 nm process node compared to the RX 7700S's 6 nm node.

Q: Which card offers more memory bandwidth?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE offers significantly more memory bandwidth at 576.0 GB/s, compared to the RX 7700S's 288.0 GB/s. This is due to its 256-bit bus width and 16 GB memory configuration versus the RX 7700S's 128-bit bus and 8 GB.

Q: Are there any benchmarks where the RX 7700S wins?

A: No. In the provided head-to-head benchmark data, the RX 7900 GRE wins all three tests: 3DMark Steel Nomad, Geekbench OpenCL, and Geekbench Vulkan. The RX 7700S records zero wins.

Q: What is the difference in their pixel fill rates?

A: The RX 7900 GRE has a pixel rate of 359.2 GPixel/s, which is more than double the RX 7700S's 160.0 GPixel/s. This gives the RX 7900 GRE a substantial advantage in fill-rate-bound scenarios like high-resolution rendering.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs are built on fundamentally different scales, despite sharing the RDNA 3.0 architecture. The RX 7700S uses the Navi 33 chip, manufactured on a 6 nm process at TSMC, while the RX 7900 GRE uses the larger Navi 31 chip on a 5 nm process. This process advantage is evident in the transistor density: the Navi 31 packs 57,700 million transistors into a 529 mm² die, achieving 109.1M transistors per mm², whereas the Navi 33 fits 13,300 million transistors into 204 mm² for a density of 65.2M per mm². The RX 7900 GRE's die is over 2.5 times larger and holds over 4 times more transistors.

The execution resource counts amplify this difference. The RX 7900 GRE has 5120 shading units, 320 texture mapping units, and 160 ROPs, compared to the RX 7700S's 2048 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 64 ROPs. Ray tracing hardware follows the same pattern: 80 RT cores on the RX 7900 GRE versus 32 on the RX 7700S. These are not incremental improvements but rather a doubling or more in every category, explaining the consistent performance dominance.

Memory architecture also diverges sharply. The RX 7900 GRE features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering 576.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The RX 7700S is limited to 8 GB on a 128-bit bus, yielding 288.0 GB/s. This halving of bus width and memory capacity directly impacts high-resolution texture loading and bandwidth-heavy compute tasks. Clock speeds tell a nuanced story: the RX 7700S has a higher base clock (1500 MHz vs 1287 MHz), boost clock (2500 MHz vs 2245 MHz), and game clock (2200 MHz vs 1880 MHz), yet the RX 7900 GRE still wins decisively, proving that resource count trumps raw frequency in these benchmarks.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear verdict: the AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE is the overwhelmingly faster GPU for any workload represented in the head-to-head benchmarks. Its 54.6% lead in 3DMark Steel Nomad and 64.2% lead in Geekbench OpenCL make it the obvious choice for users prioritizing maximum frame rates and compute performance. The RX 7700S, despite its higher clock speeds, cannot overcome the RX 7900 GRE's superior resource allocation and memory bandwidth.

However, the RX 7700S is not without merit. Its 100 W TDP and IGP slot width indicate a design focus on efficiency and compactness, making it suitable for thin-and-light gaming laptops where power draw is a concern. The RX 7900 GRE, with its 260 W TDP, dual-slot cooler, and 2x 8-pin power connectors, is a desktop part that requires a 600 W power supply and substantial chassis space. There is no scenario in the benchmark data where the RX 7700S wins, so the choice comes down to platform: mobile efficiency versus desktop performance. The RX 7900 GRE is the pick for desktop users with no power constraints; the RX 7700S is the only option for a mobile form factor.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Radeon RX 7700S | AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE |

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

| Chip | Navi 33 | Navi 31 |

| Process Node | 6 nm | 5 nm |

| Transistors | 13,300 million | 57,700 million |

| Die Size | 204 mm² | 529 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 65.2M / mm² | 109.1M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 1500 MHz | 1287 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 2500 MHz | 2245 MHz |

| Game Clock | 2200 MHz | 1880 MHz |

| Memory Size | 8 GB | 16 GB |

| Memory Bus Width | 128 bit | 256 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 288.0 GB/s | 576.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 2048 | 5120 |

| TMUs | 128 | 320 |

| ROPs | 64 | 160 |

| RT Cores | 32 | 80 |

| Pixel Rate | 160.0 GPixel/s | 359.2 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 320.0 GTexel/s | 718.4 GTexel/s |

| FP32 | 20.48 TFLOPS | 45.98 TFLOPS |

| FP16 | 40.96 TFLOPS (2:1) | 91.96 TFLOPS (2:1) |

| TDP | 100 W | 260 W |

| Slot Width | IGP | Dual-slot |

| Power Connectors | None | 2x 8-pin |

| Suggested PSU | None | 600 W |

| Display Outputs | Portable Device Dependent | 1x HDMI 2.1a, 2x DisplayPort 2.1, 1x USB Type-C |

| Dimensions | None | 276 mm, 110 mm, 51 mm |

| Release Date | 2023-01-03 | 2023-07-26 |

| Generation | Navi Mobile (RX 7000M) | Navi III (RX 7000) |

| Codename | Hotpink Bonefish | Plum Bonito |

| Predecessor | Polaris Mobile | Navi II |

| Successor | None | Navi IV |

| Launch MSRP | None | 549 USD |

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE wins in every benchmark category where both cards were tested. In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, a modern gaming workload, it leads by 54.6%. In Geekbench OpenCL, it leads by 64.2%, demonstrating a massive advantage in general-purpose compute that benefits tasks like rendering and physics simulation. In Geekbench Vulkan, the lead is 63.6%, confirming its dominance across different graphics APIs. The RX 7900 GRE's 359.2 GPixel/s pixel rate and 718.4 GTexel/s texture rate make it more capable of handling high-resolution gaming and texture-heavy scenes without bottlenecking.

The AMD Radeon RX 7700S, conversely, has no benchmark wins to claim. Its only advantages are in power efficiency (100 W TDP vs 260 W) and physical footprint (IGP vs dual-slot), which are not performance metrics but platform characteristics. Its higher clock speeds (2500 MHz boost vs 2245 MHz) suggest it could potentially excel in lightly-threaded, clock-sensitive workloads, but no data supports this. In practical terms, the RX 7700S is the only choice for a portable, integrated form factor, while the RX 7900 GRE is the unequivocal winner for any desktop build where performance is the sole criterion. The 16 GB memory on the RX 7900 GRE also provides a clear edge for future titles with larger texture pools, a factor that cannot be overlooked.