Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire vs Radeon RX 5500M
Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire
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Radeon RX 5500M
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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. The Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire is positioned at rank 123 and the Radeon RX 5500M is on rank 46, so the Radeon RX 5500M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire
Performance Per Dollar Radeon RX 5500M
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The Radeon RX 5500M is significantly newer (2019 vs 2011). The Radeon RX 5500M likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon RX 5500M is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 5.6% higher G3D Mark score. This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire.
| Insight | Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire | Radeon RX 5500M |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-5.6%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+5.6%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2011 / Terascale 2 (2009−2015)) | RDNA 1.0 (2019−2020) (7nm) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+0%) |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | — |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon RX 5500M offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Priced at $100 versus $150 for the Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire, it costs 33% less. While it maintains competitive performance, this results in a 58.4% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire | Radeon RX 5500M |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+58.4%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($150) | ✅More affordable ($100) |
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 RX 5500M
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 RX 5500M
The Radeon RX 5500M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in October 7 2019. It features the RDNA 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1375 MHz to 1645 MHz. It has 1408 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 85W. Manufactured using 7 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 5,954 points.
Graphics Performance
In G3D Mark, the Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire scores 5,637 versus the Radeon RX 5500M's 5,954 — the Radeon RX 5500M leads by 5.6%. The Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire is built on Terascale 2 while the Radeon RX 5500M uses RDNA 1.0, both on 40 nm vs 7 nm. Shader units: 1,920 (Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire) vs 1,408 (Radeon RX 5500M).
| Feature | Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire | Radeon RX 5500M |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 5,637 | 5,954+6% |
| Architecture | Terascale 2 | RDNA 1.0 |
| Process Node | 40 nm | 7 nm |
| Shading Units | 1920+36% | 1408 |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire | Radeon RX 5500M |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 1.0 (Software) | FSR 2.1 |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | FSR 3 (Compatible) |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | AMD Anti-Lag | AMD Anti-Lag |
Video Memory (VRAM)
Both cards feature 4 GB of video memory. Memory bandwidth: 115.2 GB/s x2 (Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire) vs 224 GB/s (Radeon RX 5500M) — a 94.4% advantage for the Radeon RX 5500M. Bus width: 256-bit x2 vs 128-bit.
| Feature | Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire | Radeon RX 5500M |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 4 GB | 4 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR6 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 115.2 GB/s x2 | 224 GB/s+94% |
| Bus Width | 256-bit x2+100% | 128-bit |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 11_0 (Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire) vs 12 (Radeon RX 5500M). Maximum simultaneous displays: 0 vs 3.
| Feature | Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire | Radeon RX 5500M |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 11_0 | 12+9% |
| Max Displays | 0 | 3 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: UVD 3 (Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire) vs VCN 2.0 (Radeon RX 5500M). Decoder: UVD 3 vs VCN 2.0.
| Feature | Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire | Radeon RX 5500M |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | UVD 3 | VCN 2.0 |
| Decoder | UVD 3 | VCN 2.0 |
| Codecs | — | H.264,H.265/HEVC,VP9 |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire draws 50W versus the Radeon RX 5500M's 85W — a 51.9% difference. The Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire) vs 350W (Radeon RX 5500M). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 1mm vs 0mm, occupying 0 vs 0 slots.
| Feature | Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire | Radeon RX 5500M |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 50W-41% | 85W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 350W |
| Power Connector | 1x 6-pin | PCIe-powered |
| Length | 1mm | 0mm |
| Slots | 0 | 0 |
| Temp (Load) | — | 75°C |
| Perf/Watt | 112.7+61% | 70.0 |
Value Analysis
The Radeon RX 5500M costs 33.3% less ($50 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 37.6 (Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire) vs 59.5 (Radeon RX 5500M) — the Radeon RX 5500M offers 58.2% better value. The Radeon RX 5500M is the newer GPU (2019 vs 2011).
| Feature | Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire | Radeon RX 5500M |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $150 | — |
| Avg Price (30d) | $150 | $100-33% |
| Performance per Dollar | 37.6 | 59.5+58% |
| Codename | Blackcomb XT | Navi 14 |
| Release | January 6 2011 | October 7 2019 |
| Ranking | #537 | #400 |
Top Performing GPUs
The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
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