Contents:HighlightsSummaryGaming PerformanceBenchmark PerformanceTechnical SpecsRelated ComparisonsRelated GPUs
Performance
Radeon HD 797084% better
7,7707% of 104,598
Radeon HD 6870
4,2184% of 104,598
The Radeon HD 7970 has 84% better performance than the Radeon HD 6870 for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark.
Performance per dollar
Radeon HD 7970
14.159% of 161.45
Radeon HD 687025% better
17.6511% of 161.45
The Radeon HD 6870 has 25% better value for the money than the Radeon HD 7970 for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark.
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Summary
#
About the AMD Radeon HD 7970 GPU
The AMD Radeon HD 7970 is an end-of-life desktop graphics card that released in Q1 2012 with a MSRP of $549. It is built on the GCN 1.0 GPU microarchitecture (codename Tahiti) and is manufactured on a 28 nm process.
Memory
The HD 7970 has 3 GB of GDDR5 memory, with a 1,375 MHz memory clock and a 384 bit interface. This gives it a memory bandwidth of 264 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 7970 includes 2,048 stream processors (SPs), the processing units for handling parallel computing tasks. The GPU operates at a core clock speed of 925 MHz. Complementing the processing units are 128 texture mapping units (TMUs) for efficient texture filtering and 32 render output units (ROPs) for pixel processing.
Compatibility & Power Consumption
The HD 7970 occupies 2 PCIe expansion slots. It supports DVI, HDMI 1.4a, mini-DisplayPort 1.2 display connections. AMD recommends a power supply of at least 600 W to handle the GPU's thermal design power (TDP) of 250 W.
Benchmark Performance & Value
The HD 7970 has the 211th best 3DMark 11 Performance GPU score among the 543 benchmarked GPUs in our database. It achieves 7.43% of the performance of the best benchmarked GPU, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090. Its 7,770 score and $549 launch price (MSRP) gives it a performance per dollar of 14.15. This is the 92nd best in value for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark.
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.
General Info
General overview of the GPU, including details like its manufacturer, release date, launch price, and current production status.
| Info | Radeon HD 7970 | Radeon HD 6870 |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | AMD | AMD |
| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | TeraScale 2 |
| Market Segment | Desktop | Desktop |
| Release Date | Q1 2012 | Q4 2010 |
| Launch Price (MSRP) | $549 | $239 |
| Production Status | End-of-life | End-of-life |
| Shop | Check Price | Check Price |
Gaming Performance
#
Select a game to compare FPS metrics
BioShock Infinite
CS: GO
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
BioShock Infinite | Radeon HD 7970 | Radeon HD 6870 |
|---|---|---|
| Low - 720p | 199 FPS | -- |
| Medium - 768p | 170 FPS | -- |
| High - 768p | 151 FPS | -- |
| Ultra - 1080p | 64 FPS | -- |
| QHD - 1440p | -- | -- |
| 4K UHD - 2160p | -- | -- |
FPS Source: Notebookcheck
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.
Choose Baseline GPU:Radeon HD 7970 orRadeon HD 6870
| GPU | Frames Per Second | |
|---|---|---|
| Radeon R9 380 | 80.8 | +26% |
| GeForce GTX 1050 Ti | 78 | +21% |
| Radeon R9 280X | 76.3 | +19% |
| GeForce GTX 960 | 75.8 | +18% |
| GeForce GTX 760 | 65.3 | +2% |
| Radeon HD 7970 | 64.3 | |
| GeForce GTX 950 | 63.2 | -2% |
| GeForce GTX 1050 | 63 | -2% |
| GeForce GTX 660 Ti | 62.9 | -2% |
| GeForce GTX 680 | 62 | -4% |
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.
Choose Baseline GPU:Radeon HD 7970 orRadeon HD 6870
| GPU | Cost Per Frame | |
|---|---|---|
| GeForce GTX 660 Ti | 4.75 | -44% |
| Radeon R9 Nano | 4.92 | -42% |
| GeForce GTX 780 Ti | 6.01 | -30% |
| Radeon HD 7770 (GHz Edition) | 6.44 | -25% |
| GeForce GTX 680 | 8.05 | -6% |
| Radeon HD 7970 | 8.54 | |
| GeForce GTX 470 | 10.64 | +25% |
Benchmark Performance
#
Performance
Radeon HD 797084% better
7,7707% of 104,598
Radeon HD 6870
4,2184% of 104,598
The Radeon HD 7970 has 84% better performance than the Radeon HD 6870 for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark.
The Radeon HD 7970 is ranked 211th with a score of 7,770, and the Radeon HD 6870 is ranked 269th with a score of 4,218.
Performance per dollar
Radeon HD 7970
14.159% of 161.45
Radeon HD 687025% better
17.6511% of 161.45
The Radeon HD 6870 has 25% better value for the money than the Radeon HD 7970 for the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark.
The Radeon HD 7970 is ranked 92nd with a performance per dollar of 14.15, and the Radeon HD 6870 is ranked 91st with a performance per dollar of 17.65.
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.
Choose Baseline GPU:Radeon HD 7970 or
| GPU | Benchmark Performance | |
|---|---|---|
| GeForce GTX 950 | 8,351 | +7% |
| GeForce GTX 760 | 7,962 | +2% |
| Radeon HD 7970 | 7,770 | |
| Radeon HD 7870 (GHz Edition) | 6,194 | -20% |
| GeForce GTX 750 Ti | 5,378 | -31% |
| GeForce GT 1030 | 4,727.5 | -39% |
| GeForce GTX 470 | 4,342 | -44% |
| Radeon HD 6870 | 4,218 | -46% |
| Radeon HD 7770 (GHz Edition) | 3,098 | -60% |
| Radeon HD 6450 | 623 | -92% |
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.
Choose Baseline GPU:Radeon HD 7970 or
| GPU | Performance Per Dollar | |
|---|---|---|
| GeForce GTX 780 Ti | 22.34 | +58% |
| GeForce GTX 680 | 20.47 | +45% |
| Radeon HD 7770 (GHz Edition) | 19.48 | +38% |
| Radeon HD 7870 (GHz Edition) | 17.75 | +25% |
| Radeon HD 6870 | 17.65 | +25% |
| Radeon HD 7970 | 14.15 | |
| GeForce GTX 590 | 13.11 | -7% |
| GeForce GTX 470 | 12.44 | -12% |
| Radeon HD 6450 | 11.33 | -20% |
| GeForce GTX 480 | 10.05 | -29% |
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 7970 | Radeon HD 6870 |
|---|---|---|
| 3DMark Cloud Gate Graphics | 43,795 (+65.66%) | 26,437 |
| 3DMark Fire Strike Standard Graphics | 6,862 (+118.47%) | 3,141 |
| 3DMark 11 Performance Score | 7,323 (+61.03%) | 4,547.5 |
| PassMark G3D Mark | 5,248 (+136.82%) | 2,216 |
| PassMark G2D Mark | 738 (+79.13%) | 412 |
| Unigine Heaven 3.0 DirectX 11 | 77.8 | -- |
Benchmarks Source: Notebookcheck
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 7970 | Radeon HD 6870 |
|---|---|---|
| Codename | Tahiti | Barts |
| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | TeraScale 2 |
| Process Size | 28 nm | 40 nm |
| Transistors | 4,313 million | 1,700 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 7970 | Radeon HD 6870 |
|---|---|---|
| Memory Size | 3 GB | 1,024 MB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 264 Gb/s | 134.4 Gb/s |
| Memory Clock | 1,375 MHz | 1,050 MHz |
| Memory Interface | 384 bit | 256 bit |
| L1 Cache | 16 KB | 8 KB |
| L2 Cache | 768 KB | 512 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 7970 | Radeon HD 6870 |
|---|---|---|
| Slots | 2 slots | 2 slots |
| Bus Interface | PCIe 3.0 x16 | PCIe 2.0 x16 |
| Thermal Design Power (TDP) | 250 W | 151 W |
| Suggested PSU | 600 W | 450 W |
| Power Connectors | 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin | 2x 6-pin |
| Outputs | DVI, HDMI 1.4a, mini-DisplayPort 1.2 | DVI, HDMI 1.3a, mini-DisplayPort 1.1 |
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 7970 | Radeon HD 6870 |
|---|---|---|
| Stream Processors (SP) | 2,048 | 1,120 |
| Compute Units (CU) | 32 | 14 |
| Texture Mapping Units (TMU) | 128 | 56 |
| Render Output Units (ROP) | 32 | 32 |
| Core Clock Speed | 925 MHz | 900 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 7970 | Radeon HD 6870 |
|---|---|---|
| Pixel Fill Rate | 29.6 GPixel/s | 28.8 GPixel/s |
| Texture Fill Rate | 118.4 GTexel/s | 50.4 GTexel/s |
| FP32 Performance | 3.79 TFLOPS | 2.02 TFLOPS |
| FP64 Performance | 947.2 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 7970 | Radeon HD 6870 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 (11_1) | 11.2 (11_0) |
| OpenCL | 2.1 (1.2) | 1.2 |
| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.4 |
| Shader Model | 6.5 (5.1) | 5.0 |
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* Performance rating, performance per dollar, and rankings are based on the 3DMark 11 Performance GPU benchmark and MSRP.