Radeon HD 6870 vs Radeon 550
Radeon HD 6870
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Radeon 550
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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
⚠️ Generational Difference
The Radeon 550 is significantly newer (2017 vs 2010). The Radeon 550 likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon HD 6870 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon HD 6870 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 3.1% higher G3D Mark score. This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon 550.
| Insight | Radeon HD 6870 | Radeon 550 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+3.1%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-3.1%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2010 / TeraScale 2 (2009−2015)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2017 / GCN 4.0 (2016−2020)) |
| 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 (247mm) | — |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon HD 6870 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon HD 6870 holds the technical lead. Priced at $50 (vs $79), it costs 37% less, resulting in a 62.9% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon HD 6870 | Radeon 550 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+62.9%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($50) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($79) |
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 6870 and Radeon 550
Radeon HD 6870
The Radeon HD 6870 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in October 21 2010. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. The boost clock speed is 900 MHz. It has 1120 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 151W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,206 points. Launch price was $239.
Radeon 550
The Radeon 550 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 20 2017. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1100 MHz to 1183 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,140 points. Launch price was $79.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 6870 scores 2,206 and the Radeon 550 reaches 2,140 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 3.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 6870 is built on TeraScale 2 while the Radeon 550 uses GCN 4.0, both on 40 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 1,120 (Radeon HD 6870) vs 512 (Radeon 550). Raw compute: 2.016 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 6870) vs 1.211 TFLOPS (Radeon 550). Boost clocks: 900 MHz vs 1183 MHz.
| Feature | Radeon HD 6870 | Radeon 550 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 2,206+3% | 2,140 |
| Architecture | TeraScale 2 | GCN 4.0 |
| Process Node | 40 nm | 14 nm |
| Shading Units | 1120+119% | 512 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 2.016 TFLOPS+66% | 1.211 TFLOPS |
| Boost Clock | 900 MHz | 1183 MHz+31% |
| ROPs | 32+100% | 16 |
| TMUs | 56+75% | 32 |
| L1 Cache | 224 KB+75% | 128 KB |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB+100% | 256 KB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 6870 | Radeon 550 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 64-bit. L2 Cache: 512 KB (Radeon HD 6870) vs 256 KB (Radeon 550) — the Radeon HD 6870 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon HD 6870 | Radeon 550 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 2 GB | 2 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Bus Width | 128-bit+100% | 64-bit |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB+100% | 256 KB |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 6870 draws 151W versus the Radeon 550's 50W — a 100.5% difference. The Radeon 550 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Radeon HD 6870) vs 300W (Radeon 550). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs None.
| Feature | Radeon HD 6870 | Radeon 550 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 151W | 50W-67% |
| Recommended PSU | 500W | 300W-40% |
| Power Connector | 2x 6-pin | None |
| Length | 247mm | — |
| Height | 111mm | — |
| Slots | 2 | — |
| Temp (Load) | 85 | — |
| Perf/Watt | 14.6 | 42.8+193% |
Value Analysis
The Radeon HD 6870 launched at $239 MSRP and currently averages $50, while the Radeon 550 launched at $79 and now averages $79. The Radeon HD 6870 costs 36.7% less ($29 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 44.1 (Radeon HD 6870) vs 27.1 (Radeon 550) — the Radeon HD 6870 offers 62.7% better value. The Radeon 550 is the newer GPU (2017 vs 2010).
| Feature | Radeon HD 6870 | Radeon 550 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $239 | $79-67% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $50-37% | $79 |
| Performance per Dollar | 44.1+63% | 27.1 |
| Codename | Barts | Lexa |
| Release | October 21 2010 | April 20 2017 |
| Ranking | #661 | #668 |
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