NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 vs AMD Radeon HD 7970
The GeForce RTX 4090 has 1,248% better performance than the Radeon HD 7970 for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark.
The GeForce RTX 4090 has 363% better value for the money than the Radeon HD 7970 for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark.
Summary
About the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 GPU
The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 is a desktop graphics card that launched in Q4 2022 with a MSRP of $1,599. It is built on the Ada Lovelace GPU microarchitecture (codename AD102) and is manufactured on a 5 nm process.
Memory
The RTX 4090 has 24 GB of GDDR6X memory, with a 1,313 MHz memory clock and a 384 bit interface. This gives it a memory bandwidth of 1.01 Tb/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 RTX 4090 includes 16,384 CUDA cores, the processing units for handling parallel computing tasks. The GPU operates at a core clock speed of 2,235 MHz and can dynamically boost its clock speed up to 2,520 MHz. Complementing the processing units are 512 texture mapping units (TMUs) for efficient texture filtering and 176 render output units (ROPs) for pixel processing. Additionally, the GPU features 512 tensor cores optimized for AI-accelerated workloads and 128 RT cores dedicated to real-time ray tracing calculations.
Compatibility & Power Consumption
The RTX 4090 is a large graphics card, occupying 3 PCIe 4.0 x16 expansion slots. It supports HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4a display connections. With a thermal design power (TDP) of 450 W and a large, 3-slot size, it is recommended to use a power supply of 850 W and a case with sufficient space to accommodate the card. Compare your card's model and your case's dimensions to verify compatibility.
Benchmark Performance & Value
The RTX 4090 has the best 3DMark 11 Performance GPU score among the 543 benchmarked GPUs in our database. Its 104,737 score and $1,599 launch price (MSRP) gives it a performance per dollar of 65.5. This is the 49th best in value for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark.
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 211th best 3DMark 11 Performance GPU score among the 543 benchmarked GPUs in our database. It achieves 7.42% of the performance of the best benchmarked GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090. Its 7,770 score and $549 launch price (MSRP) gives it a performance per dollar of 14.15. This is the 92nd best in value for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark.
General Info
General overview of the GPU, including details like its manufacturer, release date, launch price, and current production status.
| Info | GeForce RTX 4090 | Radeon HD 7970 |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | NVIDIA | AMD |
| Architecture | Ada Lovelace | GCN 1.0 |
| Market Segment | Desktop | Desktop |
| Release Date | Q4 2022 | Q1 2012 |
| Launch Price (MSRP) | $1,599 | $549 |
| Production Status | Active | End-of-life |
| 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
The First Descendant | GeForce RTX 4090 | Radeon HD 7970 |
|---|---|---|
| Low - 1080p | 347 FPS | -- |
| Medium - 1080p | 254 FPS | -- |
| High - 1080p | 219 FPS | -- |
| Ultra - 1080p | 193 FPS | -- |
| QHD - 1440p | 143 FPS | -- |
| 4K UHD - 2160p | 85 FPS | -- |
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 | |
|---|---|---|
| GeForce RTX 4090 | 84.7 | |
| GeForce RTX 4080 | 62.5 | -26% |
| Radeon RX 7900 XT | 58.7 | -31% |
| GeForce RTX 3090 | 52.1 | -38% |
| GeForce RTX 3070 Ti | 35.9 | -58% |
| GeForce RTX 3060 Ti | 29.4 | -65% |
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 | |
|---|---|---|
| GeForce RTX 3060 Ti | 13.57 | -28% |
| Radeon RX 7900 XT | 15.32 | -19% |
| GeForce RTX 3070 Ti | 16.69 | -12% |
| GeForce RTX 4090 | 18.88 | |
| GeForce RTX 4080 | 19.18 | +2% |
| GeForce RTX 3090 | 28.77 | +52% |
Benchmark Performance
The GeForce RTX 4090 has 1,248% better performance than the Radeon HD 7970 for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark.
The GeForce RTX 4090 is ranked 1st with a score of 104,737, and the Radeon HD 7970 is ranked 211th with a score of 7,770.
The GeForce RTX 4090 has 363% better value for the money than the Radeon HD 7970 for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark.
The GeForce RTX 4090 is ranked 49th with a performance per dollar of 65.5, and the Radeon HD 7970 is ranked 92nd with a performance per dollar of 14.15.
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 RTX 4090 | 104,737 | |
| GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER | 87,055 | -17% |
| GeForce RTX 4080 | 86,267 | -18% |
| Radeon RX 7900 XTX | 83,322 | -20% |
| Radeon RX 7900 XT | 75,896 | -28% |
| GeForce GTX 950 | 8,351 | -92% |
| GeForce GTX 760 | 7,962 | -92% |
| Radeon HD 7970 | 7,770 | -93% |
| Radeon HD 7870 (GHz Edition) | 6,194 | -94% |
| GeForce GTX 750 Ti | 5,378 | -95% |
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 RTX 3080 (12 GB) | 70.88 | +8% |
| Radeon RX 6950 XT | 65.72 | +0% |
| GeForce RTX 4090 | 65.5 | |
| Radeon RX 6900 XT | 59.18 | -10% |
| GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER | 58.6 | -11% |
| Radeon HD 7870 (GHz Edition) | 17.75 | -73% |
| Radeon HD 6870 | 17.65 | -73% |
| Radeon HD 7970 | 14.15 | -78% |
| GeForce GTX 590 | 13.11 | -80% |
| GeForce GTX 470 | 12.44 | -81% |
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 | GeForce RTX 4090 | Radeon HD 7970 |
|---|---|---|
| 3DMark Time Spy Graphics | 36,896 | -- |
| 3DMark Time Spy Score | 31,144 | -- |
| 3DMark Cloud Gate Graphics | 255,512 (+483.43%) | 43,795 |
| 3DMark Fire Strike Standard Graphics | 75,335.5 (+997.87%) | 6,862 |
| 3DMark Night Raid Graphics | 209,630 | -- |
| 3DMark 11 Performance Score | 64,251.5 (+777.39%) | 7,323 |
| Cinebench R15 OpenGL 64 Bit | 326.7 | -- |
| PassMark G3D Mark | 38,587 (+635.27%) | 5,248 |
| PassMark G2D Mark | 1,280 (+72.97%) | 740 |
| 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 | GeForce RTX 4090 | Radeon HD 7970 |
|---|---|---|
| Codename | AD102 | Tahiti |
| Architecture | Ada Lovelace | GCN 1.0 |
| Process Size | 5 nm | 28 nm |
| Transistors | 76,300 million | 4,313 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 | GeForce RTX 4090 | Radeon HD 7970 |
|---|---|---|
| Memory Size | 24 GB | 3 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR6X | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 1.01 Tb/s | 264 Gb/s |
| Memory Clock | 1,313 MHz | 1,375 MHz |
| Memory Interface | 384 bit | 384 bit |
| L1 Cache | 128 KB | 16 KB |
| L2 Cache | 72 MB | 768 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 | GeForce RTX 4090 | Radeon HD 7970 |
|---|---|---|
| Slots | 3 slots | 2 slots |
| Bus Interface | PCIe 4.0 x16 | PCIe 3.0 x16 |
| Thermal Design Power (TDP) | 450 W | 250 W |
| Suggested PSU | 850 W | 600 W |
| Power Connectors | 1x 16-pin | 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin |
| Outputs | HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4a | DVI, HDMI 1.4a, mini-DisplayPort 1.2 |
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 | GeForce RTX 4090 | Radeon HD 7970 |
|---|---|---|
| Stream Processors (SP) | -- | 2,048 |
| CUDA Cores | 16,384 | -- |
| Compute Units (CU) | -- | 32 |
| Stream Multiprocessors (SM) | 128 | -- |
| Texture Mapping Units (TMU) | 512 | 128 |
| Render Output Units (ROP) | 176 | 32 |
| Tensor Cores | 512 | -- |
| Ray Tracing Cores | 128 | -- |
| Core Clock Speed | 2,235 MHz | 925 MHz |
| Core Clock Speed (Boost) | 2,520 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 | GeForce RTX 4090 | Radeon HD 7970 |
|---|---|---|
| Pixel Fill Rate | 443.5 GPixel/s | 29.6 GPixel/s |
| Texture Fill Rate | 1,290 GTexel/s | 118.4 GTexel/s |
| FP32 Performance | 82.58 TFLOPS | 3.79 TFLOPS |
| FP64 Performance | 1,290 GFLOPS | 947.2 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 | GeForce RTX 4090 | Radeon HD 7970 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 Ultimate (12_2) | 12 (11_1) |
| OpenCL | 3.0 | 2.1 (1.2) |
| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Shader Model | 6.8 | 6.5 (5.1) |
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* Performance rating, performance per dollar, and rankings are based on the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark and MSRP.