AMD Radeon HD 7970M vs NVIDIA Tesla K80 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The only direct head-to-head benchmark recorded in the database is Geekbench OpenCL, and the NVIDIA Tesla K80 wins decisively. The Tesla K80 scores 18,620 points against the AMD Radeon HD 7970M's 17,019 points, a 9.4% advantage. This is a meaningful gap in raw compute throughput, reflecting the K80's dual-GPU design and much larger silicon.

Looking at the broader benchmark context, the Tesla K80's average score of 18,866 places it in the 63rd percentile of all GPUs in the database. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 at 18,789 (0.4% slower), the NVIDIA RTX 2000 Ada Generation at 18,954 (0.5% faster), the NVIDIA Quadro K6000 at 19,030 (0.9% faster), and the AMD Radeon RX 6600 at 19,036 (0.9% faster). This clustering shows the K80 sits in a competitive band, trading blows with much newer consumer cards despite its age.

The AMD Radeon HD 7970M, by contrast, averages 17,019 points, placing it in the 60th percentile. Its nearest rivals are the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 at 17,037 (0.1% faster), the AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT at 17,083 (0.4% faster), the NVIDIA Tesla M4 at 16,932 (0.5% slower), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 at 17,208 (1.1% faster). The HD 7970M is essentially matched with the GTX 690, a dual-GPU desktop flagship from the same era, which is notable for a mobile-oriented part.

The K80 also holds an edge in the Vulkan benchmark, scoring 19,111 points. The HD 7970M has no recorded Vulkan score in the database, so a direct comparison in that API is not possible. However, the K80's Vulkan result is higher than its OpenCL score, suggesting the architecture handles that API slightly more efficiently.

The win tally is straightforward: the Tesla K80 wins 1 benchmark, the HD 7970M wins 0. The database records no test where the AMD part comes out ahead.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs represent fundamentally different design philosophies and market segments. The NVIDIA Tesla K80 uses the GK210 chip, built on Kepler 2.0 architecture, while the AMD Radeon HD 7970M uses the Wimbledon chip, built on GCN 1.0 architecture. Both are manufactured by TSMC on a 28 nm process node, which is where the similarity ends.

The transistor counts tell a stark story. The K80 packs 7,100 million transistors on a 561 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 12.7 million per square millimeter. The HD 7970M contains 2,800 million transistors on a 212 mm² die, with a density of 13.2 million per square millimeter. The K80's die is more than 2.6 times larger and carries roughly 2.5 times more transistors, though the HD 7970M actually achieves a slightly higher transistor density, indicating a more compact layout.

The K80 is a dual-slot card with 12 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 384-bit bus, delivering 240.6 GB/s of bandwidth. The HD 7970M is an MXM module with 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, providing 153.6 GB/s. The K80 has six times the memory capacity and roughly 57% more bandwidth.

Compute resources differ substantially as well. The K80 has 2,496 shading units, 208 texture mapping units, and 48 ROPs. The HD 7970M has 1,280 shading units, 80 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. This translates to a theoretical FP32 throughput of 4.113 TFLOPS for the K80 versus 2.176 TFLOPS for the HD 7970M, nearly double the raw floating-point capability.

Clock speeds are conservative on the K80 given its power envelope. The base clock is 562 MHz with a boost of 824 MHz, while memory runs at 1253 MHz (5 Gbps effective). The HD 7970M's core clocks are not recorded in the database, but its memory runs at 1200 MHz (4.8 Gbps effective). The K80's higher memory clock and wider bus explain its bandwidth advantage.

The K80's power draw is 300 W with a single 8-pin connector and a suggested 700 W PSU. The HD 7970M draws only 100 W and requires no power connectors, reflecting its mobile-oriented MXM form factor. The K80 has no display outputs, while the HD 7970M's outputs are listed as portable device dependent.

Both support DirectX 12 (11_1) and OpenGL 4.6. The K80 supports Vulkan 1.2.175, while the HD 7970M supports Vulkan 1.2.170, a minor version difference.

Where Each One Wins

The Tesla K80 wins in every recorded benchmark category. In OpenCL, it leads by 9.4%, a substantial margin that reflects its larger memory pool and higher compute throughput. The K80's 12 GB frame buffer is particularly relevant for workloads that need to hold large datasets, such as machine learning inference or scientific computing. Its 240.6 GB/s bandwidth also gives it an edge in memory-bound tasks.

The K80 also has a distinct advantage in Vulkan, where it scores 19,111. While the HD 7970M has no recorded Vulkan score, the K80's result demonstrates it can handle modern API workloads effectively, which is surprising for a card from 2014.

The HD 7970M's strengths are not visible in the benchmark data, but its specifications suggest certain uses. Its 100 W TDP and MXM form factor make it suitable for portable or space-constrained systems. The lack of power connectors means it can be installed in systems without additional power cabling. Its 2 GB memory is modest by modern standards, but its 27.20 GPixel/s pixel rate and 68.00 GTexel/s texture rate are respectable for its class.

For compute-intensive tasks, the K80 is clearly superior. The data shows a 9.4% OpenCL win, and the architecture differences compound this: 7,100 million transistors versus 2,800 million, 4.113 TFLOPS versus 2.176 TFLOPS, and 12 GB versus 2 GB. The HD 7970M is a competent mobile GPU, but it cannot match the K80's raw throughput.

For gaming or desktop use, neither card is ideal. The K80 has no display outputs, making it unsuitable as a primary graphics solution. The HD 7970M's display outputs are portable device dependent, meaning it can drive displays but only in a laptop or similar chassis. The database records no gaming benchmarks for either card.

Specification Differences

The table below lists only the fields where the two GPUs differ:

• Chip: GK210 (NVIDIA) vs Wimbledon (AMD)
• Architecture: Kepler 2.0 vs GCN 1.0
• Generation: Tesla Kepler (Kxx) vs London (HD 7900M)
• Transistors: 7,100 million vs 2,800 million
• Die Size: 561 mm² vs 212 mm²
• Transistor Density: 12.7M / mm² vs 13.2M / mm²
• Base Clock: 562 MHz vs not recorded
• Boost Clock: 824 MHz vs not recorded
• Memory Clock: 1253 MHz (5 Gbps effective) vs 1200 MHz (4.8 Gbps effective)
• Memory Size: 12 GB vs 2 GB GDDR5
• Memory Bus Width: 384 bit vs 256 bit
• Bandwidth: 240.6 GB/s vs 6 GB/s vs 153.6 GB/s
• Shading Units: 2496 vs 1280
• TMUs: 208 vs 80
• ROPs: 48 vs 32
• Pixel Rate: 42.85 GPixel/s vs 27.20 GPixel/s
• Texture Rate: 171.4 GTexel/s vs 68.00 GTexel/s
• FP32: 4.113 TFLOPS vs 2.176 TFLOPS
• TDP: 300 W vs 100 W
• Slot Width: Dual-slot vs MXM Module
• Power Connectors: 1x 8-pin vs None
• Suggested PSU: 700 W vs not applicable
• Bus Interface: PCIe 3.0 x16 vs MXM-B (3.0)
• Display Outputs: No outputs vs Portable Device Dependent
• Vulkan: 1.2.175 vs 1.2.170
• Release Date: 2014-11-16 vs 2012-04-23
• Predecessor: Tesla Fermi vs Vancouver
• Successor: Tesla Maxwell vs Solar System
• Dimensions: 267 mm (10.5 inches) length vs not recorded

Fields that are identical include the 28 nm process node, TSMC foundry, GDDR5 memory type, DirectX 12 (11_1) support, OpenGL 4.6 support, and end-of-life production status.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU is faster in OpenCL?

A: The NVIDIA Tesla K80, with a score of 18,620 versus the AMD Radeon HD 7970M's 17,019, a 9.4% difference.

Q: Does the AMD Radeon HD 7970M have any benchmark where it beats the Tesla K80?

A: No. The database records 1 win for the Tesla K80 and 0 wins for the HD 7970M.

Q: How much memory does each GPU have?

A: The Tesla K80 has 12 GB of GDDR5 on a 384-bit bus with 240.6 GB/s bandwidth. The HD 7970M has 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus with 153.6 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: What are the power requirements for each card?

A: The Tesla K80 has a 300 W TDP, uses a single 8-pin connector, and suggests a 700 W PSU. The HD 7970M has a 100 W TDP and requires no power connectors, though no PSU suggestion is recorded.

Q: Can these GPUs be used for display output?

A: The Tesla K80 has no display outputs. The HD 7970M's outputs are listed as portable device dependent, meaning they depend on the host system.

Q: How do these GPUs compare to their nearest rivals in the database?

A: The K80's average score of 18,866 is within 0.9% of the RTX 2000 Ada Generation, Quadro K6000, and RX 6600 scores. The HD 7960M's average of 17,019 is within 1.1% of the GTX 690, RX 7600 XT, and RTX 3070 scores.

Q: What is the release date gap between these two GPUs?

A: The Tesla K80 was released on 2014-11-16, while the HD 7970M was released on 2012-04-23, roughly two and a half years earlier.

The Verdict

The NVIDIA Tesla 79 0M is the clear winner in raw compute performance. The K80 1-0 wins every recorded benchmark. The 9.4% OpenCL lead is backed by a 2.4x transistor count, 1.9x FP32 throughput, and 6x memory capacity. If the workload is compute-heavy and power consumption is not a concern, the Tesla K80 is the obvious choice.

The AMD Radeon HD 7970M wins in portability and power efficiency. Its 100 W TDP, MXM form factor, and lack of power connectors make it suitable for mobile or space-restricted systems. Its 60th percentile ranking shows it remains competitive within its class, and its 17,019 average score is only 0.1% behind the GTX 690, a dual-GPU desktop card.

For desktop compute, the K80's 300 W TDP and dual-slot design require a dedicated workstation, but the performance justifies the power draw. For laptop or embedded use, the HD 7970M's 100 W envelope and MXM-B interface are the only viable option between these two. The K80 cannot be used in such systems, and the HD 7970M cannot match the K80's compute density.

The data does not support selecting the HD 7970M for performance reasons. It loses the only head-to-head test and has weaker specifications across every compute metric. Its advantages are purely physical: lower power, smaller footprint, no external connectors, and display compatibility in portable devices.

The verdict is straightforward. Choose the Tesla K80 for compute workloads where performance matters. Choose the HD 7970M for portable systems where the K80 physically cannot fit or where 100 W is the maximum allowable power draw. The K80's 63rd percentile ranking and the HD 7970M's 60th percentile ranking show both remain relevant in their respective niches, but only one of them wins benchmarks, and that is the NVIDIA Tesla K80.