AMD Radeon HD 6870 vs NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590
The GeForce GTX 590 has 117% better performance than the Radeon HD 6870 for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark.
The Radeon HD 6870 has 35% better value for the money than the GeForce GTX 590 for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark.
Summary
About the AMD Radeon HD 6870 GPU
The AMD Radeon HD 6870 is an end-of-life desktop graphics card that released in Q4 2010 with a MSRP of $239. It is built on the TeraScale 2 GPU microarchitecture (codename Barts) and is manufactured on a 40 nm process.
Memory
The HD 6870 has 1,024 MB of GDDR5 memory, with a 1,050 MHz memory clock and a 256 bit interface. This gives it a memory bandwidth of 134.4 Gb/s, which affects how fast it can transfer data to and from memory. GPU memory stores temporary data that helps the GPU with complex math and graphics operations. More memory is generally better, as not having enough can cause performance bottlenecks.
Cores and Clock Speeds
The HD 6870 includes 1,120 stream processors (SPs), the processing units for handling parallel computing tasks. The GPU operates at a core clock speed of 900 MHz. Complementing the processing units are 56 texture mapping units (TMUs) for efficient texture filtering and 32 render output units (ROPs) for pixel processing.
Compatibility & Power Consumption
The HD 6870 occupies 2 PCIe expansion slots. It supports DVI, HDMI 1.3a, mini-DisplayPort 1.1 display connections. AMD recommends a power supply of at least 450 W to handle the GPU's thermal design power (TDP) of 151 W.
Benchmark Performance & Value
The HD 6870 has the 269th best 3DMark 11 Performance GPU score among the 543 benchmarked GPUs in our database. It achieves 4.03% of the performance of the best benchmarked GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090. Its 4,218 score and $239 launch price (MSRP) gives it a performance per dollar of 17.65. This is the 91st best in value for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark.
About the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590 GPU
The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590 is an end-of-life desktop graphics card that released in Q1 2011 with a MSRP of $699. It is built on the Fermi 2.0 GPU microarchitecture (codename GF110) and is manufactured on a 40 nm process.
Memory
The GTX 590 has 1,536 MB of GDDR5 memory, with a 854 MHz memory clock and a 384 bit interface. This gives it a memory bandwidth of 164 Gb/s, which affects how fast it can transfer data to and from memory. GPU memory stores temporary data that helps the GPU with complex math and graphics operations. More memory is generally better, as not having enough can cause performance bottlenecks.
Cores and Clock Speeds
The GTX 590 includes 512 CUDA cores, the processing units for handling parallel computing tasks. The GPU operates at a core clock speed of 607 MHz. Complementing the processing units are 64 texture mapping units (TMUs) for efficient texture filtering and 48 render output units (ROPs) for pixel processing.
Compatibility & Power Consumption
The GTX 590 occupies 2 PCIe expansion slots. It supports DVI, mini-DisplayPort display connections. NVIDIA recommends a power supply of at least 750 W to handle the GPU's thermal design power (TDP) of 365 W.
Benchmark Performance & Value
The GTX 590 has the 188th best 3DMark 11 Performance GPU score among the 543 benchmarked GPUs in our database. It achieves 8.75% of the performance of the best benchmarked GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090. Its 9,166.5 score and $699 launch price (MSRP) gives it a performance per dollar of 13.11. This is the 93rd best in value for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark.
General Info
General overview of the GPU, including details like its manufacturer, release date, launch price, and current production status.
| Info | Radeon HD 6870 | GeForce GTX 590 |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | AMD | NVIDIA |
| Architecture | TeraScale 2 | Fermi 2.0 |
| Market Segment | Desktop | Desktop |
| Release Date | Q4 2010 | Q1 2011 |
| Launch Price (MSRP) | $239 | $699 |
| Production Status | End-of-life | End-of-life |
| Shop | Check Price | Check Price |
Gaming Performance
Select a game to compare FPS metrics
FPS Benchmarks
This table showcases the average frame rate (FPS) achieved both GPUs in at various resolutions. Frame rate is a crucial indicator of how smoothly the GPU can run the game. A higher FPS generally translates to a smoother gameplay experience.
- Frames Per Second
CS: GO | Radeon HD 6870 | GeForce GTX 590 |
|---|---|---|
| Low - 768p | -- | -- |
| Medium - 768p | -- | -- |
| High - 768p | -- | -- |
| Ultra - 1080p | 189 FPS | -- |
| QHD - 1440p | -- | -- |
| 4K UHD | -- | -- |
Compare Frames Per Second (FPS)
The average frame rate (FPS) in can be compared to similar GPUs to assess relative performance. Generally, higher FPS results in a smoother gameplay experience.
| GPU | Frames Per Second | |
|---|---|---|
| Radeon R9 FURY | 268 | +42% |
| GeForce GTX 1050 | 250 | +32% |
| GeForce GTX 680 | 224 | +19% |
| Radeon HD 7970 | 212.2 | +12% |
| GeForce GTX 660 Ti | 191.6 | +1% |
| Radeon HD 6870 | 189 | |
| Radeon HD 7770 (GHz Edition) | 128.2 | -32% |
| Radeon HD 6450 | 29.4 | -84% |
Compare Cost Per Frame
The average cost per frame in can be compared to similar GPUs to assess relative value. Generally, a lower cost per frame implies better value for your money.
| GPU | Cost Per Frame | |
|---|---|---|
| GeForce GTX 1050 | 0.44 | -66% |
| Radeon RX 480 | 0.8 | -36% |
| Radeon HD 7770 (GHz Edition) | 1.24 | -2% |
| Radeon HD 6870 | 1.26 | |
| GeForce GTX 660 Ti | 1.56 | +23% |
| Radeon HD 6450 | 1.87 | +48% |
| Radeon R9 290X | 1.96 | +55% |
| Radeon R9 FURY | 2.05 | +62% |
| GeForce GTX 680 | 2.23 | +76% |
| Radeon HD 7970 | 2.59 | +105% |
Benchmark Performance
The GeForce GTX 590 has 117% better performance than the Radeon HD 6870 for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark.
The Radeon HD 6870 is ranked 269th with a score of 4,218, and the GeForce GTX 590 is ranked 188th with a score of 9,166.5.
The Radeon HD 6870 has 35% better value for the money than the GeForce GTX 590 for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark.
The Radeon HD 6870 is ranked 91st with a performance per dollar of 17.65, and the GeForce GTX 590 is ranked 93rd with a performance per dollar of 13.11.
Relative Performance
The average score in the benchmark test can be compared to similar GPUs to assess relative performance. Generally, powerful GPUs tend to have higher scores.
| GPU | Benchmark Performance | |
|---|---|---|
| GeForce GTX 680 | 10,216.5 | +142% |
| GeForce GTX 1050 Ti | 9,453 | +124% |
| GeForce GTX 590 | 9,166.5 | +117% |
| GeForce GTX 1050 | 8,571 | +103% |
| Radeon R7 370 | 8,518.5 | +102% |
| GeForce GT 1030 | 4,727.5 | +12% |
| GeForce GTX 470 | 4,342 | +3% |
| Radeon HD 6870 | 4,218 | |
| Radeon HD 7770 (GHz Edition) | 3,098 | -27% |
| Radeon HD 6450 | 623 | -85% |
Relative Value For Money
The average performance per dollar in the benchmark test can be compared to similar GPUs to assess relative value. A higher score implies a better value for your money.
| GPU | Performance Per Dollar | |
|---|---|---|
| GeForce GTX 780 Ti | 22.34 | +27% |
| GeForce GTX 680 | 20.47 | +16% |
| Radeon HD 7770 (GHz Edition) | 19.48 | +10% |
| Radeon HD 7870 (GHz Edition) | 17.75 | +1% |
| Radeon HD 6870 | 17.65 | |
| Radeon HD 7970 | 14.15 | -20% |
| GeForce GTX 590 | 13.11 | -26% |
| GeForce GTX 470 | 12.44 | -30% |
| Radeon HD 6450 | 11.33 | -36% |
| GeForce GTX 480 | 10.05 | -43% |
Benchmark Scores
This table showcases the average performance scores achieved by both GPUs across industry-standard benchmark tests. These scores provide a valuable insight into overall performance. Powerful GPUs tend to have higher scores.
- Popular
| Benchmark | Radeon HD 6870 | GeForce GTX 590 |
|---|---|---|
| 3DMark Cloud Gate Graphics | 26,437 | -- |
| 3DMark Fire Strike Standard Graphics | 3,141 | -- |
| 3DMark 11 Performance Score | 4,547.5 | 8,057.5 (+77.19%) |
| PassMark G3D Mark | 2,219 | 3,341 (+50.56%) |
| PassMark G2D Mark | 400 (+2.04%) | 392 |
Technical Specs
Graphics Processor
General information about the graphics processing unit like their architecture, manufacturing process size, and transistor count. Newer GPU architectures generally bring efficiency improvements and may introduce technologies that enhance graphical capabilities.
| Spec | Radeon HD 6870 | GeForce GTX 590 |
|---|---|---|
| Codename | Barts | GF110 |
| Architecture | TeraScale 2 | Fermi 2.0 |
| Process Size | 40 nm | 40 nm |
| Transistors | 1,700 million | 3,000 million |
Memory Details
Memory specifications like their capacity, bandwidth, and clock speeds. GPU memory stores graphics data like frames, textures, and shadows which helps display rendered images. These specs are crucial for graphics-intense applications like gaming and 3D modeling.
| Spec | Radeon HD 6870 | GeForce GTX 590 |
|---|---|---|
| Memory Size | 1,024 MB | 1,536 MB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 134.4 Gb/s | 164 Gb/s |
| Memory Clock | 1,050 MHz | 854 MHz |
| Memory Interface | 256 bit | 384 bit |
| L1 Cache | 8 KB | 64 KB |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB | 768 KB |
Board Compatibility
Compatibility information like their slot size, bus interface, power consumption, and display support. These specs are useful for verifying compatibility with your motherboard, power supply, and monitor.
| Spec | Radeon HD 6870 | GeForce GTX 590 |
|---|---|---|
| Slots | 2 slots | 2 slots |
| Bus Interface | PCIe 2.0 x16 | PCIe 2.0 x16 |
| Thermal Design Power (TDP) | 151 W | 365 W |
| Suggested PSU | 450 W | 750 W |
| Power Connectors | 2x 6-pin | 2x 8-pin |
| Outputs | DVI, HDMI 1.3a, mini-DisplayPort 1.1 | DVI, mini-DisplayPort |
Cores & Clock Speeds
Processing power information like its cores and clock speed. These specs impact how fast they can process graphics. Each type of core or component serves a specific computational purpose.
| Spec | Radeon HD 6870 | GeForce GTX 590 |
|---|---|---|
| Stream Processors (SP) | 1,120 | -- |
| CUDA Cores | -- | 512 |
| Compute Units (CU) | 14 | -- |
| Stream Multiprocessors (SM) | -- | 16 |
| Texture Mapping Units (TMU) | 56 | 64 |
| Render Output Units (ROP) | 32 | 48 |
| Core Clock Speed | 900 MHz | 607 MHz |
Theoretical Performance
Theoretical performance numbers derived from the raw specifications of the different components like core count and clock speeds. While these provide a glimpse into peak processing power, they do not represent real-world performance.
| Spec | Radeon HD 6870 | GeForce GTX 590 |
|---|---|---|
| Pixel Fill Rate | 28.8 GPixel/s | 19.46 GPixel/s |
| Texture Fill Rate | 50.4 GTexel/s | 38.91 GTexel/s |
| FP32 Performance | 2.02 TFLOPS | 1,244 GFLOPS |
| FP64 Performance | -- | 155.5 GFLOPS |
API Support
Graphics API versions supported by these graphics cards. APIs evolve over time, introducing new features and functionalities. Older GPUs may not support recent versions.
| Spec | Radeon HD 6870 | GeForce GTX 590 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 11.2 (11_0) | 12 (11_0) |
| OpenCL | 1.2 | 1.1 |
| OpenGL | 4.4 | 4.6 |
| Shader Model | 5.0 | 5.1 |
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* Performance rating, performance per dollar, and rankings are based on the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark and MSRP.