Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire vs Radeon R9 285 / 380
Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire
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Radeon R9 285 / 380
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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. The Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire is positioned at rank #123 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. 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 Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.6% higher G3D Mark score and 100% more VRAM (4 GB vs 2 GB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon R9 285 / 380.
| Insight | Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire | Radeon R9 285 / 380 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+1.6%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.6%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2011 / Terascale 2 (2009−2015)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / GCN 3.0 (2014−2019)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) | ❌ Less VRAM capacity |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire holds the technical lead. Priced at $150 (vs $199), it costs 25% less, resulting in a 34.7% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire | Radeon R9 285 / 380 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+34.7%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($150) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($199) |
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 6970M Crossfire and Radeon R9 285 / 380
Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire
The Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 6 2011. It features the Terascale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 680 MHz. It has 1920 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,637 points.
Radeon R9 285 / 380
The Radeon R9 285 / 380 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in September 2 2014. It features the GCN 3.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 918 MHz. It has 1792 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 190W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,550 points. Launch price was $249.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire scores 5,637 and the Radeon R9 285 / 380 reaches 5,550 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.6% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire is built on Terascale 2 while the Radeon R9 285 / 380 uses GCN 3.0, both on 40 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 1,920 (Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire) vs 1,792 (Radeon R9 285 / 380).
| Feature | Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire | Radeon R9 285 / 380 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 5,637+2% | 5,550 |
| Architecture | Terascale 2 | GCN 3.0 |
| Process Node | 40 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 1920+7% | 1792 |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire | Radeon R9 285 / 380 |
|---|---|---|
| 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)
The Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R9 285 / 380 has 2 GB. The Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 115.2 GB/s x2 (Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire) vs 176 GB/s (Radeon R9 285 / 380) — a 52.8% advantage for the Radeon R9 285 / 380. Bus width: 256-bit x2 vs 256-bit.
| Feature | Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire | Radeon R9 285 / 380 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 4 GB+100% | 2 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 115.2 GB/s x2 | 176 GB/s+53% |
| Bus Width | 256-bit x2 | 256-bit |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 11_0 (Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire) vs 12 (Radeon R9 285 / 380). Maximum simultaneous displays: 0 vs 4.
| Feature | Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire | Radeon R9 285 / 380 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 11_0 | 12+9% |
| Max Displays | 0 | 4 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: UVD 3 (Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire) vs VCE 3.0 (Radeon R9 285 / 380). Decoder: UVD 3 vs UVD 5.0.
| Feature | Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire | Radeon R9 285 / 380 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | UVD 3 | VCE 3.0 |
| Decoder | UVD 3 | UVD 5.0 |
| Codecs | — | H.264,HEVC,VP9 |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire draws 50W versus the Radeon R9 285 / 380's 190W — a 116.7% difference. The Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire) vs 500W (Radeon R9 285 / 380). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 2x 6-pin. Card length: 1mm vs 221mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots.
| Feature | Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire | Radeon R9 285 / 380 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 50W-74% | 190W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W-30% | 500W |
| Power Connector | 1x 6-pin | 2x 6-pin |
| Length | 1mm | 221mm |
| Height | — | 111mm |
| Slots | 0-100% | 2 |
| Perf/Watt | 112.7+286% | 29.2 |
Value Analysis
The Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire launched at $150 MSRP and currently averages $150, while the Radeon R9 285 / 380 launched at $199 and now averages $199. The Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire costs 24.6% less ($49 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 37.6 (Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire) vs 27.9 (Radeon R9 285 / 380) — the Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire offers 34.8% better value. The Radeon R9 285 / 380 is the newer GPU (2014 vs 2011).
| Feature | Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire | Radeon R9 285 / 380 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $150-25% | $199 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $150-25% | $199 |
| Performance per Dollar | 37.6+35% | 27.9 |
| Codename | Blackcomb XT | Tonga |
| Release | January 6 2011 | September 2 2014 |
| Ranking | #537 | #365 |
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