GeForce RTX 3070 vs Radeon HD 6990M

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3070

2020Core: 1500 MHzBoost: 1725 MHz
RTX family
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VS
AMD

Radeon HD 6990M

2011Core: 715 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce RTX 3070 vs Radeon HD 6990M Performance Spectrum

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.

GeForce RTX 3070 vs Radeon HD 6990M 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 RTX 3070 vs Radeon HD 6990M: 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 RTX 3070

2020

Why buy it

  • 350.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • 300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 2 GB).
  • Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 120% higher power demand at 220W vs 100W.

Radeon HD 6990M

2011

Why buy it

  • Draws 100W instead of 220W, a 120W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3070 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
  • 2011 hardware with 2 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 44.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $499 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce RTX 3070 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 350.0% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 579.3% in PassMark G3D (22,172 vs 3,264), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 3070 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 8 GB vs 2 GB of VRAM, a 8nm process instead of 40nm, 46 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2020 generation instead of 2011. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
GeForce RTX 3070 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce RTX 3070 vs Radeon HD 6990M Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3070

The GeForce RTX 3070 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1500 MHz to 1725 MHz. It has 5888 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 220W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 46 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 22,172 points. Launch price was $499.

AMD

Radeon HD 6990M

The Radeon HD 6990M 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 1120 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 100W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,264 points.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3070 scores 22,172 versus the Radeon HD 6990M's 3,264 — the GeForce RTX 3070 leads by 579.3%. The GeForce RTX 3070 is built on Ampere while the Radeon HD 6990M uses TeraScale 2, both on 8 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 5,888 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 1,120 (Radeon HD 6990M). Raw compute: 20.31 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 1.602 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 6990M).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Radeon HD 6990M
G3D Mark Score
22,172+579%
3,264
Architecture
Ampere
TeraScale 2
Process Node
8 nm
40 nm
Shading Units
5888+426%
1120
Compute (TFLOPS)
20.31 TFLOPS+1168%
1.602 TFLOPS
ROPs
96+200%
32
TMUs
184+229%
56
L1 Cache
5.8 MB+2536%
0.22 MB
L2 Cache
4 MB+700%
0.5 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3070 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon HD 6990M leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Radeon HD 6990M
Upscaling Tech
DLSS 2 Super Resolution
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3070 has 8 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 6990M carries 2 GB. GeForce RTX 3070 gives you 300% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 256-bit on the GeForce RTX 3070 and System on the Radeon HD 6990M. L2 Cache: 4 MB (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon HD 6990M) — the GeForce RTX 3070 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Radeon HD 6990M
VRAM Capacity
8 GB+300%
2 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
Shared
Memory Bandwidth
448 GB/s
System
Bus Width
256-bit
System
L2 Cache
4 MB+700%
0.5 MB
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3070 draws 220W versus the Radeon HD 6990M's 100W — a 75% difference. The Radeon HD 6990M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 350W (Radeon HD 6990M). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 1x 6-pin.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Radeon HD 6990M
TDP
220W
100W-55%
Recommended PSU
650W
350W-46%
Power Connector
8-pin
1x 6-pin
Length
242mm
Height
112mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
75°C
Perf/Watt
100.8+209%
32.6
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3070 (2020 vs 2011).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Radeon HD 6990M
MSRP
$499
Codename
GA104
Blackcomb
Release
September 1 2020
July 12 2011
Ranking
#63
#691

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