GeForce 9800 GTX vs Radeon HD 7970M

When comparing GeForce 9800 GTX and Radeon HD 7970M, 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 9800 GTX and Radeon HD 7970M is the price. Does the additional cost justify the performance hit? Our comparison should help you make the right decision.

Radeon HD 7970M is a Laptop Graphics Card

Note: Radeon HD 7970M 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 Radeon HD 7970M here:

Main Specs

  GeForce 9800 GTX Radeon HD 7970M
Power consumption (TDP) 140 Watt 100 Watt
Interface PCIe 2.0 x16 MXM-B (3.0)
Supplementary power connectors 2x 6-pin None
Memory type GDDR3 GDDR5
Maximum RAM amount 512 MB 2 GB
Display Connectors 2x DVI, 1x S-Video No outputs
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  • GeForce 9800 GTX has 40% more power consumption, than Radeon HD 7970M.
  • GeForce 9800 GTX is connected by PCIe 2.0 x16, and Radeon HD 7970M uses MXM-B (3.0) interface.
  • GeForce 9800 GTX has 510 GB more memory, than Radeon HD 7970M.
  • GeForce 9800 GTX is used in Desktops, and Radeon HD 7970M - in Laptops.
  • GeForce 9800 GTX is build with Tesla architecture, and Radeon HD 7970M - with GCN.
  • Core clock speed of GeForce 9800 GTX is 838 MHz higher, than Radeon HD 7970M.
  • GeForce 9800 GTX is manufactured by 65 nm process technology, and Radeon HD 7970M - by 28 nm process technology.
  • Memory clock speed of Radeon HD 7970M is 3700 MHz higher, than GeForce 9800 GTX.

Game benchmarks

high / 1080p 0−1 18−20
ultra / 1080p 10−12
QHD / 1440p 0−1 5−6
4K / 2160p 4−5
low / 720p 1−2 35−40
medium / 1080p 0−1 21−24
The average gaming FPS of Radeon HD 7970M in Assassin's Creed Odyssey is 3600% more, than GeForce 9800 GTX.

Full Specs

  GeForce 9800 GTX Radeon HD 7970M
Architecture Tesla GCN
Code name G92 Wimbledon XT
Type Desktop Laptop
Release date 28 March 2008 1 May 2012
Pipelines 128 1280
Core clock speed 1688 MHz 850 MHz
Transistor count 754 million 2,800 million
Manufacturing process technology 65 nm 28 nm
Texture fill rate 43.2 billion/sec 68.00
Floating-point performance 432.1 gflops 2,176 gflops
Length 10.5" (26.7 cm)
Memory bus width 256 Bit 256 Bit
Memory clock speed 1100 MHz 4800 MHz
Memory bandwidth 70.4 GB/s 153.6 GB/s
Shared memory -
DirectX 11.1 (10_0) 12 (11_1)
Shader Model 4.0 5.1
OpenGL 2.1 4.6
OpenCL 1.1 1.2
Vulkan N/A 1.2.131
CUDA +
CUDA cores 128
Bus support PCI-E 2.0
Height 4.376" (11.1 cm)
SLI options +
Multi monitor support +
HDMI Via Adapter
Maximum VGA resolution 2048x1536
Audio input for HDMI S/PDIF
Bitcoin / BTC (SHA256) 254 Mh/s
Laptop size large
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