GeForce GTX 480M SLI vs Radeon HD 7970

When comparing GeForce GTX 480M SLI and Radeon HD 7970, we look primarily at benchmarks and game tests. But it is not only about the numbers. Often you can find third-party models with higher clock speeds, better cooling, or a customizable RGB lighting. Not all of them will have all the features you need. Another thing to consider is the port selection. Most graphics cards have at least one DisplayPort and HDMI interface, but some monitors require DVI. Before you buy, check the TDP of the graphics card - this characteristic will help you estimate the consumption of the graphics card. You may even have to upgrade your PSU to meet its requirements. An important factor when choosing between GeForce GTX 480M SLI and Radeon HD 7970 is the price. Does the additional cost justify the performance hit? Our comparison should help you make the right decision.

GeForce GTX 480M SLI is a Laptop Graphics Card

Note: GeForce GTX 480M SLI is only used in laptop graphics. It has lower GPU clock speed compared to the desktop variant, which results in lower power consumption, but also 10-30% lower gaming performance. Check available laptop models with GeForce GTX 480M SLI here:

Main Specs

  GeForce GTX 480M SLI Radeon HD 7970
Power consumption (TDP) 100 Watt 300 Watt
Interface PCIe 3.0 x16
Supplementary power connectors 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin
Memory type GDDR5 GDDR5
Maximum RAM amount 4 GB 3 GB
Display Connectors 1x DVI, 1x HDMI, 2x mini-DisplayPort
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  • Radeon HD 7970 has 200% more power consumption, than GeForce GTX 480M SLI.
  • GeForce GTX 480M SLI has 1 GB more memory, than Radeon HD 7970.
  • GeForce GTX 480M SLI is used in Laptops, and Radeon HD 7970 - in Desktops.
  • GeForce GTX 480M SLI is build with Fermi architecture, and Radeon HD 7970 - with GCN.
  • GeForce GTX 480M SLI is manufactured by 40 nm process technology, and Radeon HD 7970 - by 28 nm process technology.
  • Memory clock speed of Radeon HD 7970 is 175 MHz higher, than GeForce GTX 480M SLI.

Game benchmarks

high / 1080p 16−18 35−40
ultra / 1080p 9−10 21−24
QHD / 1440p 4−5 16−18
4K / 2160p 4−5 10−11
low / 720p 30−35 60−65
medium / 1080p 20−22 40−45
The average gaming FPS of Radeon HD 7970 in Assassin's Creed Odyssey is 128% more, than GeForce GTX 480M SLI.

Full Specs

  GeForce GTX 480M SLI Radeon HD 7970
Architecture Fermi GCN
Code name N11E-GTX-A3 Tahiti XT
Type Laptop Desktop
Release date 25 May 2010 22 December 2011
Pipelines 704 2048
Core clock speed 425 MHz
Boost Clock 925 MHz
Transistor count 6000 Million 4,313 million
Manufacturing process technology 40 nm 28 nm
Texture fill rate 118.4
Floating-point performance 3,789 gflops
Length 274 mm
Memory bus width 256 Bit 384 Bit
Memory clock speed 1200 MHz 1375 MHz
Memory bandwidth 264 GB/s
Shared memory - -
DirectX DirectX 11, Shader 5.0
Shader Model 5.1
OpenGL 4.6
OpenCL 1.2
FreeSync +
Bus support PCIe 2.1 x16
HDMI +
Bitcoin / BTC (SHA256) 485 Mh/s
Laptop size large
Eyefinity +
Design reference
CrossFire +
Ethereum / ETH (DaggerHashimoto) 20.71 Mh/s
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