GeForce GTX 870M vs Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire

G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

GeForce GTX 870M vs Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

GeForce GTX 870M vs Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

GeForce GTX 870M

2014

Why buy it

✅9.4% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 2 GB).
✅More future proof: Kepler (2012−2018) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌2014 hardware with 6 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 5.0 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $699 MSRP).
❌100% higher power demand at 100W vs 50W.

Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire

2011

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 5.0 vs 0 G3D/$ ($699 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Draws 50W instead of 100W, a 50W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 870M across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2011 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce GTX 870M is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 9.4% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 1% in PassMark G3D (3,536 vs 3,500), so the answer here is pretty clean.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce GTX 870M is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 6 GB vs 2 GB of VRAM, a 28nm process instead of 40nm, and a newer 2014 generation instead of 2011. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce GTX 870M has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 870M vs Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

GeForce GTX 870M

The GeForce GTX 870M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 12 2014. It features the Kepler architecture. The core clock ranges from 941 MHz to 967 MHz. It has 1344 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,536 points.

Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire

The Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire is manufactured by AMD. It was released in July 12 2011. It features the Terascale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 715 MHz. It has 2240 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,500 points.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 870M scores 3,536 and the Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire reaches 3,500 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 870M is built on Kepler while the Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire uses Terascale 2, both on 28 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 1,344 (GeForce GTX 870M) vs 2,240 (Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire).

Feature	GeForce GTX 870M	Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire
G3D Mark Score	3,536+1%	3,500
Architecture	Kepler	Terascale 2
Process Node	28 nm	40 nm
Shading Units	1344	2240+67%

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 870M gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce GTX 870M	Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	AMD Anti-Lag

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 870M has 6 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire carries 2 GB. GeForce GTX 870M gives you 200% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 870M and 128-bit on the Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire.

Feature	GeForce GTX 870M	Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire
VRAM Capacity	6 GB+200%	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	Unknown
Bus Width	128-bit	128-bit

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Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GeForce GTX 870M) vs 11.0 (Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire). Vulkan: 1.2 vs N/A. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.4. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 6.

Feature	GeForce GTX 870M	Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire
DirectX	12 (11_0)+9%	11.0
Vulkan	1.2	N/A
OpenGL	4.6+5%	4.4
Max Displays	4	6+50%

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Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: 1st Gen NVENC (Kepler) (GeForce GTX 870M) vs None (Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP5 vs UVD 3.0. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (GeForce GTX 870M) vs MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264,MPEG-4,MVC (Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire).

Feature	GeForce GTX 870M	Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire
Encoder	1st Gen NVENC (Kepler)	None
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP5	UVD 3.0
Codecs	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2	MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264,MPEG-4,MVC

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 870M draws 100W versus the Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire's 50W — a 66.7% difference. The Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 870M) vs 350W (Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 1x 6-pin. Typical load temperature: 85°C vs 90.

Feature	GeForce GTX 870M	Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire
TDP	100W	50W-50%
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	1x 6-pin
Length	—	0mm
Height	—	0mm
Slots	0	0
Temp (Load)	85°C-6%	90
Perf/Watt	35.4	70.0+98%

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Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce GTX 870M (2014 vs 2011).

Feature	GeForce GTX 870M	Radeon HD 6990M Crossfire
MSRP	—	$699
Codename	GK104	Blackcomb XTX
Release	March 12 2014	July 12 2011
Ranking	#538	#517

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