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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

GeForce RTX 4060

2023

Why buy it

✅252.4% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $70 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $369 MSRP).
✅Delivers 752.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 65.4 vs 7.7 G3D/$ ($299 MSRP vs $369 MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
✅300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 2 GB).

Trade-offs

❌Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

Radeon HD 6970

2010

Why buy it

✅Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 4060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2010-era hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌
23.4% HIGHER MSRP
$369 MSRPvs$299 MSRP

GeForce RTX 4060

2023

Radeon HD 6970

2010

Why buy it

✅252.4% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Costs $70 less on MSRP ($299 MSRP vs $369 MSRP).
✅Delivers 752.2% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 65.4 vs 7.7 G3D/$ ($299 MSRP vs $369 MSRP).
✅Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
✅300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 2 GB).

Why buy it

✅Competitive enough if your priority is price, power, or specific feature preference.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 4060 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2010-era hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌
23.4% HIGHER MSRP
$369 MSRPvs$299 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce RTX 4060 better than Radeon HD 6970?

Yes. GeForce RTX 4060 is clearly the better overall GPU here. GeForce RTX 4060 averages 252.4% more FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. You are also looking at 19,548 vs 2,831 in G3D Mark. On top of that, GeForce RTX 4060 is a 2023 card with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation, while Radeon HD 6970 is a 2010 model from an older generation with FSR upscaling. So this is not really a tight same-tier comparison. It is more a modern card against an older, weaker alternative.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce RTX 4060 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer 2023 generation instead of 2010, 590.5% more raw performance headroom, more VRAM at 8 GB instead of 2 GB, and better frame-generation support with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023) instead of FSR upscaling. That leaves it with more room for heavier textures, tougher ray tracing loads, and higher-end 1440p or 4K gaming over the next few years.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

GeForce RTX 4060 is the smarter buy today, but it is not as lopsided as a simple winner label makes it sound. GeForce RTX 4060 is about $70 cheaper on MSRP at $299 MSRP versus $369 MSRP, and you are getting 252.4% more estimated average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and 590.5% higher G3D Mark. It also leads G3D-per-dollar by 752.2%. That is why the better overall card still comes out as the smarter buy today, not just the faster one.

Is Radeon HD 6970 still worth buying for gaming in 2026?

Yes. Radeon HD 6970 is still a strong modern gaming GPU: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It remains a good buy when you can get it meaningfully cheaper than the alternative around $369 MSRP, even if GeForce RTX 4060 is still the cleaner recommendation on overall value today.

Games Benchmarks

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 9800X3D 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.

GeForce RTX 4060 Benchmark Check

Radeon HD 6970 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 4060	Radeon HD 6970
1080p
low	167 FPS	77 FPS
medium	152 FPS	63 FPS
high	134 FPS	49 FPS
ultra	115 FPS	32 FPS
1440p
low	137 FPS	64 FPS
medium	114 FPS	54 FPS
high	99 FPS	37 FPS
ultra	90 FPS	24 FPS
4K
low	86 FPS	24 FPS
medium	74 FPS	23 FPS
high	62 FPS	14 FPS
ultra	55 FPS	12 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4060 Open Radeon HD 6970

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce RTX 4060	Radeon HD 6970
1080p
low	392 FPS	120 FPS
medium	334 FPS	91 FPS
high	268 FPS	70 FPS
ultra	211 FPS	46 FPS
1440p
low	240 FPS	69 FPS
medium	209 FPS	47 FPS
high	169 FPS	35 FPS
ultra	137 FPS	24 FPS
4K
low	119 FPS	25 FPS
medium	98 FPS	17 FPS
high	82 FPS	14 FPS
ultra	63 FPS	10 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4060 Open Radeon HD 6970

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce RTX 4060	Radeon HD 6970
1080p
low	812 FPS	127 FPS
medium	642 FPS	102 FPS
high	551 FPS	85 FPS
ultra	440 FPS	64 FPS
1440p
low	535 FPS	96 FPS
medium	443 FPS	76 FPS
high	379 FPS	64 FPS
ultra	329 FPS	48 FPS
4K
low	365 FPS	64 FPS
medium	297 FPS	51 FPS
high	234 FPS	42 FPS
ultra	186 FPS	32 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4060 Open Radeon HD 6970

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce RTX 4060	Radeon HD 6970
1080p
low	746 FPS	127 FPS
medium	613 FPS	102 FPS
high	536 FPS	85 FPS
ultra	440 FPS	64 FPS
1440p
low	594 FPS	96 FPS
medium	486 FPS	76 FPS
high	421 FPS	64 FPS
ultra	330 FPS	48 FPS
4K
low	358 FPS	64 FPS
medium	308 FPS	51 FPS
high	285 FPS	41 FPS
ultra	220 FPS	29 FPS

Open GeForce RTX 4060 Open Radeon HD 6970

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce RTX 4060 and Radeon HD 6970

GeForce RTX 4060

The GeForce RTX 4060 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 18 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 1830 MHz to 2460 MHz. It has 3072 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 115W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 24 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 19,548 points. Launch price was $299.

Radeon HD 6970

The Radeon HD 6970 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in December 14 2010. It features the TeraScale 3 architecture. The boost clock speed is 880 MHz. It has 1536 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 250W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,831 points. Launch price was $369.

⚡

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 4060 scores 19,548 versus the Radeon HD 6970's 2,831 — the GeForce RTX 4060 leads by 590.5%. The GeForce RTX 4060 is built on Ada Lovelace while the Radeon HD 6970 uses TeraScale 3, both on 5 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 3,072 (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 1,536 (Radeon HD 6970). Raw compute: 15.11 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 2.703 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 6970). Boost clocks: 2460 MHz vs 880 MHz.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060	Radeon HD 6970
G3D Mark Score	19,548+590%	2,831
Architecture	Ada Lovelace	TeraScale 3
Process Node	5 nm	40 nm
Shading Units	3072+100%	1536
Compute (TFLOPS)	15.11 TFLOPS+459%	2.703 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	2460 MHz+180%	880 MHz
ROPs	48+50%	32
TMUs	96	96
L1 Cache	3 MB+1479%	0.19 MB
L2 Cache	24 MB+4700%	0.5 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

A critical advantage for the GeForce RTX 4060 is support for DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation. 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 Radeon HD 6970 lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.The GeForce RTX 4060 gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Radeon HD 6970 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060	Radeon HD 6970
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	Yes (DLSS 3.5)	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 4060 comes with 8 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 6970 has 2 GB. The GeForce RTX 4060 offers 300% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 24 MB (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon HD 6970) — the GeForce RTX 4060 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060	Radeon HD 6970
VRAM Capacity	8 GB+300%	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	272 GB/s	Unknown
Bus Width	128-bit	128-bit
L2 Cache	24 MB+4700%	0.5 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 11.0 (Radeon HD 6970). Vulkan: 1.3 vs N/A. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.4. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 6.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060	Radeon HD 6970
DirectX	12 Ultimate+9%	11.0
Vulkan	1.3	N/A
OpenGL	4.6+5%	4.4
Max Displays	4	6+50%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 8th gen (GeForce RTX 4060) vs None (Radeon HD 6970). Decoder: NVDEC 5th gen vs UVD 3.0. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1 (GeForce RTX 4060) vs MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264,MPEG-4,MVC (Radeon HD 6970).

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060	Radeon HD 6970
Encoder	NVENC 8th gen	None
Decoder	NVDEC 5th gen	UVD 3.0
Codecs	H.264,H.265/HEVC,AV1	MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264,MPEG-4,MVC

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 4060 draws 115W versus the Radeon HD 6970's 250W — a 74% difference. The GeForce RTX 4060 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 550W (Radeon HD 6970). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 6-pin + 8-pin. Card length: 240mm vs 286mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 73°C vs 90.

Feature	GeForce RTX 4060	Radeon HD 6970
TDP	115W-54%	250W
Recommended PSU	550W	550W
Power Connector	8-pin	6-pin + 8-pin
Length	240mm	286mm
Height	111mm	111mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	73°C-19%	90
Perf/Watt	170.0+1404%	11.3

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce RTX 4060 launched at $299 MSRP, while the Radeon HD 6970 launched at $369. The GeForce RTX 4060 costs 19% less ($70 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 65.4 (GeForce RTX 4060) vs 7.7 (Radeon HD 6970) — the GeForce RTX 4060 offers 749.4% better value. The GeForce RTX 4060 is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2010).