Radeon HD 5970 vs Radeon R7 250X
Radeon HD 5970
Popular choices:
Radeon R7 250X
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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
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon HD 5970 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.2% higher G3D Mark score. This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon R7 250X.
| Insight | Radeon HD 5970 | Radeon R7 250X |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+1.2%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.2%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2009 / TeraScale 2 (2009−2015)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+0%) |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | Standard Size (305mm) | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon R7 250X offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon R7 250X holds the technical lead. Priced at $30 (vs $100), it costs 70% less, resulting in a 229.3% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon HD 5970 | Radeon R7 250X |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+229.3%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($100) | ✅More affordable ($30) |
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 Radeon HD 5970 and Radeon R7 250X
Radeon HD 5970
The Radeon HD 5970 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 18 2009. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 725 MHz. It has 1600 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 294W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,297 points. Launch price was $699.
Radeon R7 250X
The Radeon R7 250X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in February 13 2014. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1000 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 80W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,269 points. Launch price was $99.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 5970 scores 2,297 and the Radeon R7 250X reaches 2,269 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 5970 is built on TeraScale 2 while the Radeon R7 250X uses GCN 1.0, both on 40 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 1,600 (Radeon HD 5970) vs 640 (Radeon R7 250X). Raw compute: 2.32 TFLOPS ×2 (Radeon HD 5970) vs 1.216 TFLOPS (Radeon R7 250X).
| Feature | Radeon HD 5970 | Radeon R7 250X |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 2,297+1% | 2,269 |
| Architecture | TeraScale 2 | GCN 1.0 |
| Process Node | 40 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 1600 ×2+150% | 640 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 2.32 TFLOPS ×2+91% | 1.216 TFLOPS |
| ROPs | 32 ×2+100% | 16 |
| TMUs | 80 ×2+100% | 40 |
| L1 Cache | 320 KB+100% | 160 KB |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB+100% | 256 KB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 5970 | Radeon R7 250X |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 1.0 (Software) | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | AMD Anti-Lag | AMD Anti-Lag |
Video Memory (VRAM)
Both cards feature 2 GB of GDDR5. Bus width: 128-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 512 KB (Radeon HD 5970) vs 256 KB (Radeon R7 250X) — the Radeon HD 5970 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon HD 5970 | Radeon R7 250X |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 2 GB | 2 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | 72 GB/s |
| Bus Width | 128-bit | 128-bit |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB+100% | 256 KB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 11.2 (Radeon HD 5970) vs 12 (FL 11_1) (Radeon R7 250X). Vulkan: N/A vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.4 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 3 vs 2.
| Feature | Radeon HD 5970 | Radeon R7 250X |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 11.2 | 12 (FL 11_1)+7% |
| Vulkan | N/A | 1.2 |
| OpenGL | 4.4 | 4.6+5% |
| Max Displays | 3+50% | 2 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: None (Radeon HD 5970) vs VCE 1.0 (Radeon R7 250X). Decoder: UVD 2.2 vs UVD 4.2. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (Radeon HD 5970) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 Part 2 (Radeon R7 250X).
| Feature | Radeon HD 5970 | Radeon R7 250X |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | None | VCE 1.0 |
| Decoder | UVD 2.2 | UVD 4.2 |
| Codecs | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 Part 2 |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 5970 draws 294W versus the Radeon R7 250X's 80W — a 114.4% difference. The Radeon R7 250X is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (Radeon HD 5970) vs 400W (Radeon R7 250X). Power connectors: 6-pin + 8-pin vs 1x 6-pin. Card length: 305mm vs 210mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 90 vs 70°C.
| Feature | Radeon HD 5970 | Radeon R7 250X |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 294W | 80W-73% |
| Recommended PSU | 650W | 400W-38% |
| Power Connector | 6-pin + 8-pin | 1x 6-pin |
| Length | 305mm | 210mm |
| Height | 111mm | 111mm |
| Slots | 2 | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | 90 | 70°C-22% |
| Perf/Watt | 7.8 | 28.4+264% |
Value Analysis
The Radeon HD 5970 launched at $699 MSRP and currently averages $100, while the Radeon R7 250X launched at $99 and now averages $30. The Radeon R7 250X costs 70% less ($70 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 23.0 (Radeon HD 5970) vs 75.6 (Radeon R7 250X) — the Radeon R7 250X offers 228.7% better value. The Radeon R7 250X is the newer GPU (2014 vs 2009).
| Feature | Radeon HD 5970 | Radeon R7 250X |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $699 | $99-86% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $100 | $30-70% |
| Performance per Dollar | 23.0 | 75.6+229% |
| Codename | Hemlock | Cape Verde |
| Release | November 18 2009 | February 13 2014 |
| Ranking | #651 | #655 |
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