Radeon HD 7870 XT vs GeForce GTX 980M SLI
Aggregate performance score
We've compared GeForce GTX 980M SLI with Radeon HD 7870 XT, including specs and performance data.
980M SLI outperforms HD 7870 XT by a whopping 124% based on our aggregate benchmark results.
Contents
Primary details
GPU architecture, market segment, value for money and other general parameters compared.
| Place in the ranking | 264 | 469 |
| Place by popularity | not in top-100 | not in top-100 |
| Cost-effectiveness evaluation | no data | 3.17 |
| Power efficiency | 9.19 | 4.44 |
| Architecture | Maxwell (2014−2017) | GCN 1.0 (2012−2020) |
| GPU code name | no data | Tahiti |
| Market segment | Laptop | Desktop |
| Release date | 7 October 2014 (11 years ago) | 19 November 2012 (13 years ago) |
| Launch price (MSRP) | no data | $270 |
Cost-effectiveness evaluation
The higher the ratio, the better. We use the manufacturer's recommended prices.
Performance to price scatter graph
Detailed specifications
General parameters such as number of shaders, GPU core base clock and boost clock speeds, manufacturing process, texturing and calculation speed. Note that power consumption of some graphics cards can well exceed their nominal TDP, especially when overclocked.
| Pipelines / CUDA cores | 3072 | 1536 |
| Core clock speed | 1038 MHz | 925 MHz |
| Boost clock speed | 1127 MHz | 975 MHz |
| Number of transistors | 2x 5200 Million | 4,313 million |
| Manufacturing process technology | 28 nm | 28 nm |
| Power consumption (TDP) | 200 Watt | 185 Watt |
| Texture fill rate | no data | 93.60 |
| Floating-point processing power | no data | 2.995 TFLOPS |
| ROPs | no data | 32 |
| TMUs | no data | 96 |
| L1 Cache | no data | 384 KB |
| L2 Cache | no data | 512 KB |
Form factor & compatibility
Information on compatibility with other computer components. Useful when choosing a future computer configuration or upgrading an existing one. For desktop graphics cards it's interface and bus (motherboard compatibility), additional power connectors (power supply compatibility).
| Laptop size | large | no data |
| Interface | no data | PCIe 3.0 x16 |
| Length | no data | 267 mm |
| Width | no data | 2-slot |
| Supplementary power connectors | no data | 2x 6-pin |
| SLI options | + | - |
VRAM capacity and type
Parameters of VRAM installed: its type, size, bus, clock and resulting bandwidth. Integrated GPUs have no dedicated video RAM and use a shared part of system RAM.
| Memory type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Maximum RAM amount | 2x 8 GB | 2 GB |
| Memory bus width | 2x 256 Bit | 256 Bit |
| Memory clock speed | 5000 MHz | 1500 MHz |
| Memory bandwidth | no data | 192.0 GB/s |
| Shared memory | - | - |
Connectivity and outputs
This section shows the types and number of video connectors on each GPU. The data applies specifically to desktop reference models (for example, NVIDIA’s Founders Edition). OEM partners often modify both the number and types of ports. On notebook GPUs, video‐output options are determined by the laptop’s design rather than the graphics chip itself.
| Display Connectors | no data | 1x DVI, 1x HDMI, 2x mini-DisplayPort |
| HDMI | - | + |
Supported technologies
Supported technological solutions. This information will prove useful if you need some particular technology for your purposes.
| Optimus | + | - |
API and SDK support
List of supported 3D and general-purpose computing APIs, including their specific versions.
| DirectX | 12_1 | 12 (11_1) |
| Shader Model | no data | 5.1 |
| OpenGL | no data | 4.6 |
| OpenCL | no data | 1.2 |
| Vulkan | + | 1.2.131 |
| CUDA | + | - |
Synthetic benchmarks
Non-gaming benchmark results comparison. The combined score is measured on a 0-100 point scale.
Combined synthetic benchmark score
This is our combined benchmark score.
3DMark Fire Strike Graphics
Fire Strike is a DirectX 11 benchmark for gaming PCs. It features two separate tests displaying a fight between a humanoid and a fiery creature made of lava. Using 1920x1080 resolution, Fire Strike shows off some realistic graphics and is quite taxing on hardware.
Gaming performance
Let's see how good the compared graphics cards are for gaming. Particular gaming benchmark results are measured in FPS.
Average FPS across all PC games
Here are the average frames per second in a large set of popular games across different resolutions:
| 900p | 135
+125%
| 60−65
−125%
|
| Full HD | 110
+144%
| 45−50
−144%
|
Cost per frame, $
| 1080p | no data | 6.00 |
FPS performance in popular games
Full HD
Low
| Counter-Strike 2 | 130−140
+130%
|
60−65
−130%
|
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 50−55
+152%
|
21−24
−152%
|
Full HD
Medium
| Battlefield 5 | 95−100
+140%
|
40−45
−140%
|
| Counter-Strike 2 | 130−140
+130%
|
60−65
−130%
|
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 50−55
+152%
|
21−24
−152%
|
| Escape from Tarkov | 90−95
+135%
|
40−45
−135%
|
| Far Cry 5 | 75−80
+126%
|
35−40
−126%
|
| Fortnite | 120−130
+140%
|
50−55
−140%
|
| Forza Horizon 4 | 95−100
+143%
|
40−45
−143%
|
| Forza Horizon 5 | 75−80
+157%
|
30−33
−157%
|
| PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS | 95−100
+140%
|
40−45
−140%
|
| Valorant | 160−170
+124%
|
75−80
−124%
|
Full HD
High
| Battlefield 5 | 95−100
+140%
|
40−45
−140%
|
| Counter-Strike 2 | 130−140
+130%
|
60−65
−130%
|
| Counter-Strike: Global Offensive | 250−260
+135%
|
110−120
−135%
|
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 50−55
+152%
|
21−24
−152%
|
| Dota 2 | 120−130
+146%
|
50−55
−146%
|
| Escape from Tarkov | 90−95
+135%
|
40−45
−135%
|
| Far Cry 5 | 75−80
+126%
|
35−40
−126%
|
| Fortnite | 120−130
+140%
|
50−55
−140%
|
| Forza Horizon 4 | 95−100
+143%
|
40−45
−143%
|
| Forza Horizon 5 | 75−80
+157%
|
30−33
−157%
|
| Grand Theft Auto V | 85−90
+154%
|
35−40
−154%
|
| Metro Exodus | 50−55
+125%
|
24−27
−125%
|
| PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS | 95−100
+140%
|
40−45
−140%
|
| The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | 70−75
+143%
|
30−33
−143%
|
| Valorant | 160−170
+124%
|
75−80
−124%
|
Full HD
Ultra
| Battlefield 5 | 95−100
+140%
|
40−45
−140%
|
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 50−55
+152%
|
21−24
−152%
|
| Dota 2 | 120−130
+146%
|
50−55
−146%
|
| Escape from Tarkov | 90−95
+135%
|
40−45
−135%
|
| Far Cry 5 | 75−80
+126%
|
35−40
−126%
|
| Forza Horizon 4 | 95−100
+143%
|
40−45
−143%
|
| PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS | 95−100
+140%
|
40−45
−140%
|
| The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | 70−75
+143%
|
30−33
−143%
|
| Valorant | 160−170
+124%
|
75−80
−124%
|
Full HD
Epic
| Fortnite | 120−130
+140%
|
50−55
−140%
|
1440p
High
| Counter-Strike 2 | 50−55
+148%
|
21−24
−148%
|
| Counter-Strike: Global Offensive | 170−180
+131%
|
75−80
−131%
|
| Grand Theft Auto V | 45−50
+150%
|
18−20
−150%
|
| Metro Exodus | 30−35
+136%
|
14−16
−136%
|
| PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS | 170−180
+133%
|
75−80
−133%
|
| Valorant | 200−210
+128%
|
90−95
−128%
|
1440p
Ultra
| Battlefield 5 | 65−70
+127%
|
30−33
−127%
|
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 24−27
+140%
|
10−11
−140%
|
| Escape from Tarkov | 55−60
+129%
|
24−27
−129%
|
| Far Cry 5 | 55−60
+133%
|
24−27
−133%
|
| Forza Horizon 4 | 60−65
+133%
|
27−30
−133%
|
| The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | 35−40
+144%
|
16−18
−144%
|
1440p
Epic
| Fortnite | 55−60
+146%
|
24−27
−146%
|
4K
High
| Counter-Strike 2 | 24−27
+140%
|
10−11
−140%
|
| Grand Theft Auto V | 45−50
+156%
|
18−20
−156%
|
| Metro Exodus | 21−24
+133%
|
9−10
−133%
|
| The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt | 35−40
+125%
|
16−18
−125%
|
| Valorant | 140−150
+138%
|
60−65
−138%
|
4K
Ultra
| Battlefield 5 | 35−40
+138%
|
16−18
−138%
|
| Counter-Strike 2 | 24−27
+140%
|
10−11
−140%
|
| Cyberpunk 2077 | 10−11
+150%
|
4−5
−150%
|
| Dota 2 | 80−85
+129%
|
35−40
−129%
|
| Escape from Tarkov | 24−27
+160%
|
10−11
−160%
|
| Far Cry 5 | 27−30
+142%
|
12−14
−142%
|
| Forza Horizon 4 | 40−45
+139%
|
18−20
−139%
|
| PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS | 24−27
+160%
|
10−11
−160%
|
4K
Epic
| Fortnite | 27−30
+125%
|
12−14
−125%
|
This is how GTX 980M SLI and HD 7870 XT compete in popular games:
- GTX 980M SLI is 125% faster in 900p
- GTX 980M SLI is 144% faster in 1080p
Pros & cons summary
| Performance score | 23.93 | 10.69 |
| Recency | 7 October 2014 | 19 November 2012 |
| Power consumption (TDP) | 200 Watt | 185 Watt |
GTX 980M SLI has a 123.9% higher aggregate performance score, and an age advantage of 1 year.
HD 7870 XT, on the other hand, has 8.1% lower power consumption.
The GeForce GTX 980M SLI is our recommended choice as it beats the Radeon HD 7870 XT in performance tests.
Be aware that GeForce GTX 980M SLI is a notebook graphics card while Radeon HD 7870 XT is a desktop one.
Other comparisons
We selected several comparisons of graphics cards with performance close to those reviewed, providing you with more options to consider.
