GeForce GTX 970 vs Radeon RX 6500 XT
GeForce GTX 970
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Radeon RX 6500 XT
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Performance Spectrum - GPU
About G3D Mark
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Per Dollar Radeon RX 6500 XT
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The Radeon RX 6500 XT is significantly newer (2022 vs 2014). The Radeon RX 6500 XT likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The GeForce GTX 970 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce GTX 970 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.4% higher G3D Mark score. This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon RX 6500 XT.
| Insight | GeForce GTX 970 | Radeon RX 6500 XT |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.4%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.4%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / Maxwell 2.0 (2014−2019)) | RDNA 2.0 (2020−2025) (6nm) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | 🎮 High Capacity (4 GB) |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | Standard Size (267mm) | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
The GeForce GTX 970 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Priced at $50 versus $150 for the Radeon RX 6500 XT, it costs 67% less. While it maintains competitive performance, this results in a 201.2% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | GeForce GTX 970 | Radeon RX 6500 XT |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+201.2%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($50) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($150) |
Performance Check
Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 7800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.
Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 970 and Radeon RX 6500 XT
GeForce GTX 970
The GeForce GTX 970 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 19 2014. It features the Maxwell 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1050 MHz to 1178 MHz. It has 1664 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,640 points. Launch price was $329.
Radeon RX 6500 XT
The Radeon RX 6500 XT is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 19 2022. It features the RDNA 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 2610 MHz to 2815 MHz. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 107W. Manufactured using 6 nm process technology. It features 16 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,603 points. Launch price was $199.
Graphics Performance
The GeForce GTX 970 scores 9,640 and the Radeon RX 6500 XT reaches 9,603 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 970 is built on Maxwell 2.0 while the Radeon RX 6500 XT uses RDNA 2.0, both on 28 nm vs 6 nm. Shader units: 1,664 (GeForce GTX 970) vs 1,024 (Radeon RX 6500 XT). Raw compute: 3.92 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 970) vs 5.765 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 6500 XT). Boost clocks: 1178 MHz vs 2815 MHz.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 970 | Radeon RX 6500 XT |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 9,640 | 9,603 |
| Architecture | Maxwell 2.0 | RDNA 2.0 |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 6 nm |
| Shading Units | 1664+63% | 1024 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 3.92 TFLOPS | 5.765 TFLOPS+47% |
| Boost Clock | 1178 MHz | 2815 MHz+139% |
| ROPs | 56+75% | 32 |
| TMUs | 104+63% | 64 |
| L1 Cache | 624 KB+144% | 256 KB |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB+100% | 1 MB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
A critical advantage for the Radeon RX 6500 XT is support for FSR 3 / AFMF. This allows it to generate entire frames using AI/Algorithms, essentially doubling the frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios or heavy ray-tracing titles. The GeForce GTX 970 lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 970 | Radeon RX 6500 XT |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 2.1 (Compatible) | FSR 3 (Native) |
| Frame Generation | FSR 3 (Compatible) | FSR 3 / AFMF (Driver) |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | Standard | AMD Anti-Lag |
Video Memory (VRAM)
Both cards feature 4 GB of video memory. Memory bandwidth: 224 GB/s (GeForce GTX 970) vs 144 GB/s (Radeon RX 6500 XT) — a 55.6% advantage for the GeForce GTX 970. Bus width: 256-bit vs 64-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 970) vs 1 MB (Radeon RX 6500 XT) — the GeForce GTX 970 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 970 | Radeon RX 6500 XT |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 4 GB | 4 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR6 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 224 GB/s+56% | 144 GB/s |
| Bus Width | 256-bit+300% | 64-bit |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB+100% | 1 MB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 (FL 12_1) (GeForce GTX 970) vs 12.2 (Radeon RX 6500 XT). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 2.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 970 | Radeon RX 6500 XT |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 (FL 12_1) | 12.2+2% |
| Vulkan | 1.3 | 1.3 |
| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Max Displays | 4+100% | 2 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: NVENC 2nd gen (GeForce GTX 970) vs None (Radeon RX 6500 XT). Decoder: PureVideo VP6 vs VCN 3.0 (Limited). Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 970) vs MPEG-2,H.264 (Decode),HEVC (Decode) (Radeon RX 6500 XT).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 970 | Radeon RX 6500 XT |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | NVENC 2nd gen | None |
| Decoder | PureVideo VP6 | VCN 3.0 (Limited) |
| Codecs | H.264,H.265/HEVC | MPEG-2,H.264 (Decode),HEVC (Decode) |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce GTX 970 draws 150W versus the Radeon RX 6500 XT's 107W — a 33.5% difference. The Radeon RX 6500 XT is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (GeForce GTX 970) vs 400W (Radeon RX 6500 XT). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs 1x 6-pin. Card length: 267mm vs 172mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 70°C.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 970 | Radeon RX 6500 XT |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 150W | 107W-29% |
| Recommended PSU | 500W | 400W-20% |
| Power Connector | 2x 6-pin | 1x 6-pin |
| Length | 267mm | 172mm |
| Height | 111mm | 112mm |
| Slots | 2 | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | 80°C | 70°C-13% |
| Perf/Watt | 64.3 | 89.7+40% |
Value Analysis
The GeForce GTX 970 launched at $329 MSRP and currently averages $50, while the Radeon RX 6500 XT launched at $199 and now averages $150. The GeForce GTX 970 costs 66.7% less ($100 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 192.8 (GeForce GTX 970) vs 64.0 (Radeon RX 6500 XT) — the GeForce GTX 970 offers 201.3% better value. The Radeon RX 6500 XT is the newer GPU (2022 vs 2014).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 970 | Radeon RX 6500 XT |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $329 | $199-40% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $50-67% | $150 |
| Performance per Dollar | 192.8+201% | 64.0 |
| Codename | GM204 | Navi 24 |
| Release | September 19 2014 | January 19 2022 |
| Ranking | #269 | #270 |
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