Radeon HD 7970 vs RX 480

Place in the ranking	250	380
Place by popularity	97	not in top-100
Cost-effectiveness evaluation	15.82	2.45
Power efficiency	10.21	3.73
Architecture	GCN 4.0 (2016−2020)	GCN 1.0 (2011−2020)
GPU code name	Ellesmere	Tahiti
GCN generation	4th Gen	no data
Market segment	Desktop	Desktop
Design	reference	reference
Release date	29 June 2016 (8 years ago)	22 December 2011 (13 years ago)
Launch price (MSRP)	$229	$549

Cost-effectiveness evaluation

Performance to price ratio. The higher, the better.

RX 480 has 546% better value for money than HD 7970.

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	2304	2048
Compute units	36	no data
Core clock speed	1120 MHz	no data
Boost clock speed	1266 MHz	925 MHz
Number of transistors	5,700 million	4,313 million
Manufacturing process technology	14 nm	28 nm
Power consumption (TDP)	150 Watt	300 Watt
Texture fill rate	182.3	118.4
Floating-point processing power	5.834 TFLOPS	3.789 TFLOPS
ROPs	32	32
TMUs	144	128

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).

Bus support	n/a	PCIe 2.1 x16
Interface	PCIe 3.0 x16	PCIe 3.0 x16
Length	241 mm	274 mm
Width	2-slot	2-slot
Supplementary power connectors	1x 6-pin	1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin
Bridgeless CrossFire	+	-

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	8 GB	6 GB
Memory bus width	256 Bit	384 Bit
Memory clock speed	8000 MHz	1375 MHz
Memory bandwidth	224 GB/s	264 GB/s
Shared memory	-	-

Connectivity and outputs

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 Connectors	1x HDMI, 3x DisplayPort	1x DVI, 1x HDMI, 2x mini-DisplayPort
Eyefinity	+	+
HDMI	2.0	+
DisplayPort support	1.4HDR	-

Supported technologies

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

AppAcceleration	n/a	-
CrossFire	+	+
Enduro	n/a	-
FRTC	+	-
FreeSync	+	+
HD3D	n/a	-
LiquidVR	+	-
PowerTune	+	-
TressFX	+	-
TrueAudio	n/a	-
ZeroCore	+	-
UVD	+	-
VCE	+	-

API compatibility

List of supported 3D and general-purpose computing APIs, including their specific versions.

DirectX	DirectX® 12	DirectX® 11
Shader Model	6.4	5.1
OpenGL	4.5	4.6
OpenCL	2.0	1.2
Vulkan	+	-
Mantle	n/a	-

Synthetic benchmark performance

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. 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.

RX 480 22.35
+64.1%

HD 7970 13.62

Passmark

This is the most ubiquitous GPU benchmark. 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.

RX 480 8609
+64%

HD 7970 5248

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.

RX 480 17919
+131%

HD 7970 7770

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.

RX 480 39552
+59.8%

HD 7970 24757

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.

RX 480 12186
+77.6%

HD 7970 6862

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.

RX 480 72213
+64.9%

HD 7970 43795

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.

RX 480 132
+69.7%

HD 7970 78

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	170−180 +61.9%	105 −61.9%
Full HD	78 −16.7%	91 +16.7%
1440p	52 +73.3%	30−35 −73.3%
4K	35 +66.7%	21−24 −66.7%

Cost per frame, $

1080p	2.94	6.03
1440p	4.40	18.30
4K	6.54	26.14

FPS performance in popular games

Full HD
Low Preset

Cyberpunk 2077

35−40
+71.4%

21−24

−71.4%

Full HD
Medium Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey	58 +87.1%	30−35 −87.1%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla	35−40 +72.7%	21−24 −72.7%
Battlefield 5	70−75 +65.9%	40−45 −65.9%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare	45−50 +66.7%	27−30 −66.7%
Cyberpunk 2077	35−40 +71.4%	21−24 −71.4%
Far Cry 5	50−55 +62.5%	30−35 −62.5%
Far Cry New Dawn	55−60 +59.5%	35−40 −59.5%
Forza Horizon 4	130−140 +50.6%	85−90 −50.6%
Hitman 3	40−45 +69.2%	24−27 −69.2%
Horizon Zero Dawn	100−110 +50%	70−75 −50%
Metro Exodus	93 +102%	45−50 −102%
Red Dead Redemption 2	55−60 +55.3%	35−40 −55.3%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider	110 +150%	40−45 −150%
Watch Dogs: Legion	95−100 +31.1%	70−75 −31.1%

Full HD
High Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey	93 +200%	30−35 −200%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla	35−40 +72.7%	21−24 −72.7%
Battlefield 5	48 +9.1%	40−45 −9.1%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare	45−50 +66.7%	27−30 −66.7%
Cyberpunk 2077	35−40 +71.4%	21−24 −71.4%
Far Cry 5	50−55 +62.5%	30−35 −62.5%
Far Cry New Dawn	31 −19.4%	35−40 +19.4%
Forza Horizon 4	130−140 +50.6%	85−90 −50.6%
Hitman 3	40−45 +69.2%	24−27 −69.2%
Horizon Zero Dawn	100−110 +50%	70−75 −50%
Metro Exodus	78 +69.6%	45−50 −69.6%
Red Dead Redemption 2	55−60 +55.3%	35−40 −55.3%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider	75−80 +70.5%	40−45 −70.5%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt	45−50 +48.5%	30−35 −48.5%
Watch Dogs: Legion	95−100 +31.1%	70−75 −31.1%

Full HD
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey	35 +12.9%	30−35 −12.9%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla	35−40 +72.7%	21−24 −72.7%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare	45−50 +66.7%	27−30 −66.7%
Cyberpunk 2077	35−40 +71.4%	21−24 −71.4%
Far Cry 5	45 +40.6%	30−35 −40.6%
Forza Horizon 4	77 −15.6%	85−90 +15.6%
Hitman 3	40−45 +69.2%	24−27 −69.2%
Horizon Zero Dawn	100−110 +50%	70−75 −50%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider	75−80 +70.5%	40−45 −70.5%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt	44 +33.3%	30−35 −33.3%
Watch Dogs: Legion	95−100 +31.1%	70−75 −31.1%

Full HD
Epic Preset

Red Dead Redemption 2

55−60
+55.3%

35−40

−55.3%

1440p
High Preset

Battlefield 5	65 +150%	24−27 −150%
Far Cry New Dawn	42 +100%	21−24 −100%

1440p
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey	21−24 +64.3%	14−16 −64.3%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla	21−24 +110%	10−11 −110%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare	24−27 +78.6%	14−16 −78.6%
Cyberpunk 2077	14−16 +100%	7−8 −100%
Far Cry 5	30 +87.5%	16−18 −87.5%
Forza Horizon 4	120−130 +82.6%	65−70 −82.6%
Hitman 3	24−27 +62.5%	16−18 −62.5%
Horizon Zero Dawn	45−50 +64.3%	27−30 −64.3%
Metro Exodus	50 +117%	21−24 −117%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider	45−50 +104%	21−24 −104%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt	27−30 +92.9%	14−16 −92.9%
Watch Dogs: Legion	120−130 +53.6%	80−85 −53.6%

1440p
Epic Preset

Red Dead Redemption 2

35−40
+68.2%

21−24

−68.2%

4K
High Preset

Battlefield 5	31 +138%	12−14 −138%
Far Cry New Dawn	21 +110%	10−11 −110%
Hitman 3	16−18 +88.9%	9−10 −88.9%
Horizon Zero Dawn	60 −10%	65−70 +10%
Metro Exodus	25 +92.3%	12−14 −92.3%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt	27 +125%	12−14 −125%

4K
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey	17 +113%	8−9 −113%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla	12−14 +100%	6−7 −100%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare	12−14 +71.4%	7−8 −71.4%
Cyberpunk 2077	5−6 +150%	2−3 −150%
Far Cry 5	15 +114%	7−8 −114%
Forza Horizon 4	30−35 +72.2%	18−20 −72.2%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider	24−27 +117%	12−14 −117%
Watch Dogs: Legion	10−11 +100%	5−6 −100%

4K
Epic Preset

Red Dead Redemption 2

18−20
+58.3%

12−14

−58.3%

This is how RX 480 and HD 7970 compete in popular games:

RX 480 is 62% faster in 900p
HD 7970 is 17% faster in 1080p
RX 480 is 73% faster in 1440p
RX 480 is 67% faster in 4K

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

in Assassin's Creed Odyssey, with 1080p resolution and the High Preset, the RX 480 is 200% faster.
in Far Cry New Dawn, with 1080p resolution and the High Preset, the HD 7970 is 19% faster.

All in all, in popular games:

RX 480 is ahead in 69 tests (96%)
HD 7970 is ahead in 3 tests (4%)

Pros & cons summary

Performance score	22.35	13.62
Recency	29 June 2016	22 December 2011
Maximum RAM amount	8 GB	6 GB
Chip lithography	14 nm	28 nm
Power consumption (TDP)	150 Watt	300 Watt

RX 480 has a 64.1% higher aggregate performance score, an age advantage of 4 years, a 33.3% higher maximum VRAM amount, a 100% more advanced lithography process, and 100% lower power consumption.

The Radeon RX 480 is our recommended choice as it beats the Radeon HD 7970 in performance tests.

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