HD 7970M vs R9 M290X

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Combined performance score

R9 M290X
8.32

HD 7970M outperforms R9 M290X by 19% in our combined benchmark results.

General info

GPU architecture, market segment, value for money and other general parameters compared.

Place in performance ranking466416
Place by popularitynot in top-100not in top-100
Value for money1.654.30
ArchitectureGCN (2011−2017)GCN (2011−2017)
GPU code nameNeptuneWimbledon XT
Market segmentLaptopLaptop
Release date7 January 2014 (10 years old)1 May 2012 (11 years old)
Current price$613 $338
Value for money

Performance to price ratio. The higher, the better.

HD 7970M has 161% better value for money than R9 M290X.

Technical specs

General performance parameters such as number of shaders, GPU core base clock and boost clock speeds, manufacturing process, texturing and calculation speed. These parameters indirectly speak of performance, but for precise assessment you have to consider their benchmark and gaming test results. Note that power consumption of some graphics cards can well exceed their nominal TDP, especially when overclocked.

Pipelines / CUDA cores12801280
Compute units20no data
Core clock speed850 MHz850 MHz
Boost clock speed900 MHzno data
Number of transistors2,800 million2,800 million
Manufacturing process technology28 nm28 nm
Power consumption (TDP)100 Watt100 Watt
Texture fill rate72.0068.00
Floating-point performance2,304 gflops2,176 gflops

Size and compatibility

Information on Radeon R9 M290X and Radeon HD 7970M compatibility with other computer components. Useful when choosing a future computer configuration or upgrading an existing one. For notebook video cards it's notebook size, connection slot and bus, if the video card is inserted into a slot instead of being soldered to the notebook motherboard.

Laptop sizelargelarge
Bus supportPCIe 3.0 x16no data
InterfacePCIe 3.0 x16MXM-B (3.0)
Supplementary power connectorsNoneNone

Memory

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 typeGDDR5GDDR5
Maximum RAM amount4 GB2 GB
Memory bus width256 Bit256 Bit
Memory clock speed1200 MHz4800 MHz
Memory bandwidth153.6 GB/s153.6 GB/s
Shared memory--

Video outputs and ports

Types and number of video connectors present on the reviewed GPUs. As a rule, data in this section is precise only for desktop reference ones (so-called Founders Edition for NVIDIA chips). OEM manufacturers may change the number and type of output ports, while for notebook cards availability of certain video outputs ports depends on the laptop model rather than on the card itself.

Display ConnectorsNo outputsNo outputs
Eyefinity1no data

Technologies

Supported technological solutions. This information will prove useful if you need some particular technology for your purposes.

AppAcceleration-no data
Enduro-no data
FreeSync1no data
HD3D+no data
PowerTune+no data
DualGraphics1no data
TrueAudio-no data
ZeroCore+no data
Switchable graphics1no data

API support

List of supported graphics and general-purpose computing APIs, including their specific versions.

DirectXDirectX® 1112 (11_1)
Shader Model5.15.1
OpenGL4.44.6
OpenCLNot Listed1.2
Vulkanno data1.2.131
Mantle+no data

Synthetic benchmark performance

Non-gaming benchmark performance comparison. The combined score is measured on a 0-100 point scale.


Combined synthetic benchmark score

This is our combined benchmark performance score. We are regularly improving our combining algorithms, but if you find some perceived inconsistencies, feel free to speak up in comments section, we usually fix problems quickly.

R9 M290X 8.32
HD 7970M 9.92
+19.2%

HD 7970M outperforms R9 M290X by 19% in our combined benchmark results.


Passmark

This is the most ubiquitous GPU benchmark, part of Passmark PerformanceTest suite. It gives the graphics card a thorough evaluation under various types of load, providing four separate benchmarks for Direct3D versions 9, 10, 11 and 12 (the last being done in 4K resolution if possible), and few more tests engaging DirectCompute capabilities.

Benchmark coverage: 25%

R9 M290X 3226
HD 7970M 3846
+19.2%

HD 7970M outperforms R9 M290X by 19% in Passmark.

3DMark Vantage Performance

3DMark Vantage is an outdated DirectX 10 benchmark using 1280x1024 screen resolution. It taxes the graphics card with two scenes, one depicting a girl escaping some militarized base located within a sea cave, the other displaying a space fleet attack on a defenseless planet. It was discontinued in April 2017, and Time Spy benchmark is now recommended to be used instead.

Benchmark coverage: 17%

R9 M290X 23961
+9.2%
HD 7970M 21938

R9 M290X outperforms HD 7970M by 9% in 3DMark Vantage Performance.

3DMark 11 Performance GPU

3DMark 11 is an obsolete DirectX 11 benchmark by Futuremark. It used four tests based on two scenes, one being few submarines exploring the submerged wreck of a sunken ship, the other is an abandoned temple deep in the jungle. All the tests are heavy with volumetric lighting and tessellation, and despite being done in 1280x720 resolution, are relatively taxing. Discontinued in January 2020, 3DMark 11 is now superseded by Time Spy.

Benchmark coverage: 17%

R9 M290X 6817
+20.8%
HD 7970M 5645

R9 M290X outperforms HD 7970M by 21% in 3DMark 11 Performance GPU.

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.

Benchmark coverage: 14%

R9 M290X 5294
+12.8%
HD 7970M 4694

R9 M290X outperforms HD 7970M by 13% in 3DMark Fire Strike Graphics.

3DMark Cloud Gate GPU

Cloud Gate is an outdated DirectX 11 feature level 10 benchmark that was used for home PCs and basic notebooks. It displays a few scenes of some weird space teleportation device launching spaceships into unknown, using fixed resolution of 1280x720. Just like Ice Storm benchmark, it has been discontinued in January 2020 and replaced by 3DMark Night Raid.

Benchmark coverage: 14%

R9 M290X 33147
+4%
HD 7970M 31869

R9 M290X outperforms HD 7970M by 4% in 3DMark Cloud Gate GPU.

Unigine Heaven 3.0

This is an old DirectX 11 benchmark using Unigine, a 3D game engine by eponymous Russian company. It displays a fantasy medieval town sprawling over several flying islands. Version 3.0 was released in 2012, and in 2013 it was superseded by Heaven 4.0, which introduced several slight improvements, including a newer version of Unigine.

Benchmark coverage: 4%

R9 M290X 62
+7.5%
HD 7970M 58

R9 M290X outperforms HD 7970M by 8% in Unigine Heaven 3.0.

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:

900p70−75
−20%
84
+20%
Full HD46
−30.4%
60
+30.4%

Performance in popular games

Full HD
Low Preset

Cyberpunk 2077 12−14
−15.4%
14−16
+15.4%

Full HD
Medium Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 16−18
−23.5%
21−24
+23.5%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 12−14
−25%
14−16
+25%
Battlefield 5 27−30
−21.4%
30−35
+21.4%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 21−24
−17.4%
27−30
+17.4%
Cyberpunk 2077 12−14
−15.4%
14−16
+15.4%
Far Cry 5 20−22
−25%
24−27
+25%
Far Cry New Dawn 21−24
−18.2%
24−27
+18.2%
Forza Horizon 4 27−30
−20.7%
35−40
+20.7%
Hitman 3 21−24
−19%
24−27
+19%
Horizon Zero Dawn 16−18
−17.6%
20−22
+17.6%
Red Dead Redemption 2 14−16
−13.3%
16−18
+13.3%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 18−20
−16.7%
21−24
+16.7%
Watch Dogs: Legion 14−16
−28.6%
18−20
+28.6%

Full HD
High Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 16−18
−23.5%
21−24
+23.5%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 12−14
−25%
14−16
+25%
Battlefield 5 27−30
−21.4%
30−35
+21.4%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 21−24
−17.4%
27−30
+17.4%
Cyberpunk 2077 12−14
−15.4%
14−16
+15.4%
Far Cry 5 20−22
−25%
24−27
+25%
Far Cry New Dawn 21−24
−18.2%
24−27
+18.2%
Forza Horizon 4 27−30
−20.7%
35−40
+20.7%
Hitman 3 21−24
−19%
24−27
+19%
Horizon Zero Dawn 16−18
−17.6%
20−22
+17.6%
Metro Exodus 12−14
−25%
14−16
+25%
Red Dead Redemption 2 14−16
−13.3%
16−18
+13.3%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 18−20
−16.7%
21−24
+16.7%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 16−18
−17.6%
20−22
+17.6%
Watch Dogs: Legion 14−16
−28.6%
18−20
+28.6%

Full HD
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 16−18
−23.5%
21−24
+23.5%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 12−14
−25%
14−16
+25%
Battlefield 5 27−30
−21.4%
30−35
+21.4%
Cyberpunk 2077 12−14
−15.4%
14−16
+15.4%
Far Cry 5 20−22
−25%
24−27
+25%
Far Cry New Dawn 21−24
−18.2%
24−27
+18.2%
Forza Horizon 4 27−30
−20.7%
35−40
+20.7%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 16−18
−17.6%
20−22
+17.6%
Watch Dogs: Legion 14−16
−28.6%
18−20
+28.6%

1440p
High Preset

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 12−14
−16.7%
14−16
+16.7%
Hitman 3 12−14
−15.4%
14−16
+15.4%
Horizon Zero Dawn 14−16
−14.3%
16−18
+14.3%
Metro Exodus 6−7
−33.3%
8−9
+33.3%
Red Dead Redemption 2 6−7
−16.7%
7−8
+16.7%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 10−12
−18.2%
12−14
+18.2%

1440p
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 7−8
−28.6%
9−10
+28.6%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 4−5
−50%
6−7
+50%
Battlefield 5 12−14
−41.7%
16−18
+41.7%
Cyberpunk 2077 4−5
−25%
5−6
+25%
Far Cry 5 12−14
−23.1%
16−18
+23.1%
Far Cry New Dawn 12−14
−33.3%
16−18
+33.3%
Forza Horizon 4 14−16
−28.6%
18−20
+28.6%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 8−9
−12.5%
9−10
+12.5%
Watch Dogs: Legion 3−4
−66.7%
5−6
+66.7%

4K
High Preset

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 6−7
−16.7%
7−8
+16.7%
Hitman 3 8−9
−12.5%
9−10
+12.5%
Horizon Zero Dawn 8−9
−12.5%
9−10
+12.5%
Metro Exodus 2−3
−50%
3−4
+50%
Red Dead Redemption 2 4−5
−25%
5−6
+25%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider 4−5
−25%
5−6
+25%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt 6−7
−33.3%
8−9
+33.3%

4K
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey 5−6
−20%
6−7
+20%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla 4−5
+0%
4−5
+0%
Battlefield 5 5−6
−60%
8−9
+60%
Cyberpunk 2077 1−2
+0%
1−2
+0%
Far Cry 5 7−8
−14.3%
8−9
+14.3%
Far Cry New Dawn 9−10
−22.2%
10−12
+22.2%
Forza Horizon 4 10−11
−20%
12−14
+20%
Watch Dogs: Legion 2−3
−50%
3−4
+50%

This is how R9 M290X and HD 7970M compete in popular games:

900p resolution:

  • HD 7970M is 20% faster than R9 M290X

1080p resolution:

  • HD 7970M is 30.4% faster than R9 M290X

Here's the range of performance differences observed across popular games:

  • in Watch Dogs: Legion, with 1440p resolution and the Ultra Preset, the HD 7970M is 66.7% faster than the R9 M290X.

All in all, in popular games:

  • HD 7970M is ahead in 66 tests (97%)
  • there's a draw in 2 tests (3%)

Advantages and disadvantages


Performance score 8.32 9.92
Recency 7 January 2014 1 May 2012
Maximum RAM amount 4 GB 2 GB

The Radeon HD 7970M is our recommended choice as it beats the Radeon R9 M290X in performance tests.


Should you still have questions concerning choice between the reviewed GPUs, ask them in Comments section, and we shall answer.

User ratings

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AMD Radeon R9 M290X
Radeon R9 M290X
AMD Radeon HD 7970M
Radeon HD 7970M

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