NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 vs AMD Radeon HD 7970
The AMD Radeon HD 7970 is the faster card by roughly 11%. Here is how the two compare across every spec that matters for gaming.
| Specification | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 | AMD Radeon HD 7970 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance score | 9/100 | 10/100 |
| Tier | D | D |
| VRAM | 2 GB | 3 GB |
| Power draw (TDP) | 120 W | 250 W |
| Launch MSRP | $199 | $549 |
| Performance per $100 | 4.5 | 1.8 |
| Release year | 2015 | 2012 |
| DLSS | — No | — No |
| FSR | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| XeSS | — No | — No |
| Ray tracing | — No | — No |
Which should you buy?
The AMD Radeon HD 7970 is the stronger performer of the two, and it is the default choice if raw frame rate is what you care about. The AMD Radeon HD 7970 carries more VRAM (3GB vs 2GB), which matters at 1440p and above and for texture-heavy titles. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 draws 130W less, so it is easier on your power supply and case cooling — check the PSU calculator before committing. On launch pricing, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 offers better performance per dollar.