AMD Radeon HD 7970 vs AMD Radeon RX 460
The Radeon RX 460 has 11% better performance than the Radeon HD 7970 for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark.
The Radeon HD 7970 has 9% of the performance per dollar compared to the leader for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark: AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT.
Summary
About the AMD Radeon HD 7970 GPU
The AMD Radeon HD 7970 is an end-of-life desktop graphics card that released in Q1 2012 with a MSRP of $549. It is built on the GCN 1.0 GPU microarchitecture (codename Tahiti) and is manufactured on a 28 nm process.
Memory
The HD 7970 has 3 GB of GDDR5 memory, with a 1,375 MHz memory clock and a 384 bit interface. This gives it a memory bandwidth of 264 Gb/s, which affects how fast it can transfer data to and from memory. GPU memory stores temporary data that helps the GPU with complex math and graphics operations. More memory is generally better, as not having enough can cause performance bottlenecks.
Cores and Clock Speeds
The HD 7970 includes 2,048 stream processors (SPs), the processing units for handling parallel computing tasks. The GPU operates at a core clock speed of 925 MHz. Complementing the processing units are 128 texture mapping units (TMUs) for efficient texture filtering and 32 render output units (ROPs) for pixel processing.
Compatibility & Power Consumption
The HD 7970 occupies 2 PCIe expansion slots. It supports DVI, HDMI 1.4a, mini-DisplayPort 1.2 display connections. AMD recommends a power supply of at least 600 W to handle the GPU's thermal design power (TDP) of 250 W.
Benchmark Performance & Value
The HD 7970 has the 234th best 3DMark 11 Performance GPU score among the 567 benchmarked GPUs in our database. It achieves 5.99% of the performance of the best benchmarked GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090. Its 7,770 score and $549 launch price (MSRP) gives it a performance per dollar of 14.15. This is the 103rd best in value for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark.
About the AMD Radeon RX 460 GPU
The AMD Radeon RX 460 is a desktop graphics card that launched in Q3 2016. It is built on the GCN 4.0 GPU microarchitecture (codename Baffin) and is manufactured on a 14 nm process.
Memory
The RX 460 has 2 GB of GDDR5 memory, with a 1,750 MHz memory clock and a 128 bit interface. This gives it a memory bandwidth of 112 Gb/s, which affects how fast it can transfer data to and from memory. GPU memory stores temporary data that helps the GPU with complex math and graphics operations. More memory is generally better, as not having enough can cause performance bottlenecks.
Cores and Clock Speeds
The RX 460 includes 896 stream processors (SPs), the processing units for handling parallel computing tasks. The GPU operates at a core clock speed of 1,090 MHz and can dynamically boost its clock speed up to 1,200 MHz. Complementing the processing units are 56 texture mapping units (TMUs) for efficient texture filtering and 16 render output units (ROPs) for pixel processing.
Compatibility & Power Consumption
The RX 460 occupies 2 PCIe expansion slots. It supports DVI, HDMI 2.0b, DisplayPort 1.4a display connections. AMD recommends a power supply of at least 250 W to handle the GPU's thermal design power (TDP) of 75 W.
Benchmark Performance
The RX 460 has the 215th best 3DMark 11 Performance GPU score among the 567 benchmarked GPUs in our database. It achieves 6.62% of the performance of the best benchmarked GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090.
General Info
General overview of the GPU, including details like its manufacturer, release date, launch price, and current production status.
| Info | Radeon HD 7970 | Radeon RX 460 |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | AMD | AMD |
| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | GCN 4.0 |
| Market Segment | Desktop | Desktop |
| Release Date | Q1 2012 | Q3 2016 |
| Launch Price (MSRP) | $549 | -- |
| Production Status | End-of-life | Active |
| Shop | Check Price | Check Price |
Gaming Performance
Select a game to compare FPS metrics
FPS Benchmarks
This table showcases the average frame rate (FPS) achieved both GPUs in at various resolutions. Frame rate is a crucial indicator of how smoothly the GPU can run the game. A higher FPS generally translates to a smoother gameplay experience.
- Frames Per Second
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty | Radeon HD 7970 | Radeon RX 460 |
|---|---|---|
| Low - 1080p | -- | 18 FPS |
| Medium - 1080p | -- | -- |
| High - 1080p | -- | -- |
| Ultra - 1080p | -- | 10 FPS |
| QHD - 1440p | -- | -- |
| 4K UHD - 2160p | -- | -- |
Compare Frames Per Second (FPS)
The average frame rate (FPS) in can be compared to similar GPUs to assess relative performance. Generally, higher FPS results in a smoother gameplay experience.
| GPU | Frames Per Second | |
|---|---|---|
| Radeon RX 480 | 28.5 | +193% |
| Arc A310 | 23.7 | +144% |
| Radeon RX 460 | 9.72 | |
Compare Cost Per Frame
The average cost per frame in can be compared to similar GPUs to assess relative value. Generally, a lower cost per frame implies better value for your money.
| GPU | Cost Per Frame | |
|---|---|---|
| Our database does not have enough data to compare the FPS per dollar with other GPUs. | ||
Benchmark Performance
The Radeon RX 460 has 11% better performance than the Radeon HD 7970 for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark.
The Radeon HD 7970 is ranked 234th with a score of 7,770, and the Radeon RX 460 is ranked 215th with a score of 8,597.
The Radeon HD 7970 has 22% of the performance per dollar compared to the leader for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090.
Radeon HD 7970's 14.15 performance per dollar ranks it 103rd among the other benchmarked GPUs in our database.
Relative Performance
The average score in the benchmark test can be compared to similar GPUs to assess relative performance. Generally, powerful GPUs tend to have higher scores.
| GPU | Benchmark Performance | |
|---|---|---|
| GeForce GTX 1050 Ti | 9,453 | +22% |
| GeForce GTX 590 | 9,166.5 | +18% |
| Radeon RX 460 | 8,597 | +11% |
| GeForce GTX 1050 | 8,571 | +10% |
| Radeon R7 370 | 8,518.5 | +10% |
| GeForce GTX 950 | 8,351 | +7% |
| GeForce GTX 760 | 7,962 | +2% |
| Radeon HD 7970 | 7,770 | |
| Radeon HD 7870 (GHz Edition) | 6,194 | -20% |
| GeForce GTX 750 Ti | 5,378 | -31% |
Relative Value For Money
The average performance per dollar in the benchmark test can be compared to similar GPUs to assess relative value. A higher score implies a better value for your money.
| GPU | Performance Per Dollar | |
|---|---|---|
| GeForce GTX 780 Ti | 22.34 | +58% |
| GeForce GTX 680 | 20.47 | +45% |
| Radeon HD 7770 (GHz Edition) | 19.48 | +38% |
| Radeon HD 7870 (GHz Edition) | 17.75 | +25% |
| Radeon HD 6870 | 17.65 | +25% |
| Radeon HD 7970 | 14.15 | |
| GeForce GTX 590 | 13.11 | -7% |
| GeForce GTX 470 | 12.44 | -12% |
| Radeon HD 6450 | 11.33 | -20% |
| GeForce GTX 480 | 10.05 | -29% |
Benchmark Scores
This table showcases the average performance scores achieved by both GPUs across industry-standard benchmark tests. These scores provide a valuable insight into overall performance. Powerful GPUs tend to have higher scores.
- Popular
| Benchmark | Radeon HD 7970 | Radeon RX 460 |
|---|---|---|
| 3DMark Time Spy Graphics | -- | 1,731 |
| 3DMark Time Spy Score | -- | 1,916 |
| 3DMark Cloud Gate Graphics | 43,795 (+25.52%) | 34,892 |
| 3DMark Fire Strike Standard Graphics | 6,862 (+20.36%) | 5,701 |
| 3DMark 11 Performance Score | 7,323 | 8,868 (+21.1%) |
| PassMark G3D Mark | 5,248 (+28.13%) | 4,096 |
| PassMark G2D Mark | 729 (+25.04%) | 583 |
| Unigine Heaven 3.0 DirectX 11 | 77.8 | -- |
Technical Specs
Graphics Processor
General information about the graphics processing unit like their architecture, manufacturing process size, and transistor count. Newer GPU architectures generally bring efficiency improvements and may introduce technologies that enhance graphical capabilities.
| Spec | Radeon HD 7970 | Radeon RX 460 |
|---|---|---|
| Codename | Tahiti | Baffin |
| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | GCN 4.0 |
| Process Size | 28 nm | 14 nm |
| Transistors | 4,313 million | 3,000 million |
Memory Details
Memory specifications like their capacity, bandwidth, and clock speeds. GPU memory stores graphics data like frames, textures, and shadows which helps display rendered images. These specs are crucial for graphics-intense applications like gaming and 3D modeling.
| Spec | Radeon HD 7970 | Radeon RX 460 |
|---|---|---|
| Memory Size | 3 GB | 2 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 264 Gb/s | 112 Gb/s |
| Memory Clock | 1,375 MHz | 1,750 MHz |
| Memory Interface | 384 bit | 128 bit |
| L1 Cache | 16 KB | 16 KB |
| L2 Cache | 768 KB | 1,024 KB |
Board Compatibility
Compatibility information like their slot size, bus interface, power consumption, and display support. These specs are useful for verifying compatibility with your motherboard, power supply, and monitor.
| Spec | Radeon HD 7970 | Radeon RX 460 |
|---|---|---|
| Slots | 2 slots | 2 slots |
| Bus Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 3.0 x8 |
| Thermal Design Power (TDP) | 250 W | 75 W |
| Suggested PSU | 600 W | 250 W |
| Power Connectors | 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin | -- |
| Outputs | DVI, HDMI 1.4a, mini-DisplayPort 1.2 | DVI, HDMI 2.0b, DisplayPort 1.4a |
Cores & Clock Speeds
Processing power information like its cores and clock speed. These specs impact how fast they can process graphics. Each type of core or component serves a specific computational purpose.
| Spec | Radeon HD 7970 | Radeon RX 460 |
|---|---|---|
| Stream Processors (SP) | 2,048 | 896 |
| Compute Units (CU) | 32 | 14 |
| Texture Mapping Units (TMU) | 128 | 56 |
| Render Output Units (ROP) | 32 | 16 |
| Core Clock Speed | 925 MHz | 1,090 MHz |
| Core Clock Speed (Boost) | -- | 1,200 MHz |
Theoretical Performance
Theoretical performance numbers derived from the raw specifications of the different components like core count and clock speeds. While these provide a glimpse into peak processing power, they do not represent real-world performance.
| Spec | Radeon HD 7970 | Radeon RX 460 |
|---|---|---|
| Pixel Fill Rate | 29.6 GPixel/s | 19.2 GPixel/s |
| Texture Fill Rate | 118.4 GTexel/s | 67.2 GTexel/s |
| FP32 Performance | 3.79 TFLOPS | 2.15 TFLOPS |
| FP64 Performance | 947.2 GFLOPS | 134.4 GFLOPS |
API Support
Graphics API versions supported by these graphics cards. APIs evolve over time, introducing new features and functionalities. Older GPUs may not support recent versions.
| Spec | Radeon HD 7970 | Radeon RX 460 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 (11_1) | 12 (12_0) |
| OpenCL | 2.1 (1.2) | 2.1 |
| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Shader Model | 6.5 (5.1) | 6.7 |
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* Performance rating, performance per dollar, and rankings are based on the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark and MSRP.