Radeon Pro WX 4170 vs Radeon HD 6970
Radeon Pro WX 4170
Popular choices:
Radeon HD 6970
Popular choices:
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 Pro WX 4170 is positioned at rank #167 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 Pro WX 4170
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The Radeon Pro WX 4170 is significantly newer (2016 vs 2010). The Radeon Pro WX 4170 likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon HD 6970 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon Pro WX 4170 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.4% 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 HD 6970.
| Insight | Radeon Pro WX 4170 | Radeon HD 6970 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+1.4%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.4%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2016 / GCN 4.0 (2016−2020)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2010 / TeraScale 3 (2010−2013)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) | ❌ Less VRAM capacity |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | — | Standard Size (286mm) |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon HD 6970 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon HD 6970 holds the technical lead. Priced at $100 (vs $120), it costs 17% less, resulting in a 18.4% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon Pro WX 4170 | Radeon HD 6970 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+18.4%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($120) | ✅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 Pro WX 4170 and Radeon HD 6970
Radeon Pro WX 4170
The Radeon Pro WX 4170 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 10 2016. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1125 MHz to 1201 MHz. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,870 points. Launch price was $399.
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
The Radeon Pro WX 4170 scores 2,870 and the Radeon HD 6970 reaches 2,831 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon Pro WX 4170 is built on GCN 4.0 while the Radeon HD 6970 uses TeraScale 3, both on 14 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 1,024 (Radeon Pro WX 4170) vs 1,536 (Radeon HD 6970). Raw compute: 2.46 TFLOPS (Radeon Pro WX 4170) vs 2.703 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 6970). Boost clocks: 1201 MHz vs 880 MHz.
| Feature | Radeon Pro WX 4170 | Radeon HD 6970 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 2,870+1% | 2,831 |
| Architecture | GCN 4.0 | TeraScale 3 |
| Process Node | 14 nm | 40 nm |
| Shading Units | 1024 | 1536+50% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 2.46 TFLOPS | 2.703 TFLOPS+10% |
| Boost Clock | 1201 MHz+36% | 880 MHz |
| ROPs | 16 | 32+100% |
| TMUs | 64 | 96+50% |
| L1 Cache | 256 KB+33% | 192 KB |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+100% | 0.5 MB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon Pro WX 4170 | Radeon HD 6970 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Pro WX 4170 comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 6970 has 2 GB. The Radeon Pro WX 4170 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 64-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 1 MB (Radeon Pro WX 4170) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon HD 6970) — the Radeon Pro WX 4170 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon Pro WX 4170 | Radeon HD 6970 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 4 GB+100% | 2 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Bus Width | 64-bit | 128-bit+100% |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+100% | 0.5 MB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 (12_0) (Radeon Pro WX 4170) 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 | Radeon Pro WX 4170 | Radeon HD 6970 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 (12_0)+9% | 11.0 |
| Vulkan | 1.3 | N/A |
| OpenGL | 4.6+5% | 4.4 |
| Max Displays | 4 | 6+50% |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: VCE 3.4 (Polaris) (Radeon Pro WX 4170) vs None (Radeon HD 6970). Decoder: UVD 6.3 vs UVD 3.0. Supported codecs: H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Decode Only),AV1 (Decode Only) (Radeon Pro WX 4170) vs MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264,MPEG-4,MVC (Radeon HD 6970).
| Feature | Radeon Pro WX 4170 | Radeon HD 6970 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | VCE 3.4 (Polaris) | None |
| Decoder | UVD 6.3 | UVD 3.0 |
| Codecs | H.264,HEVC,VP9 (Decode Only),AV1 (Decode Only) | MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264,MPEG-4,MVC |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon Pro WX 4170 draws 50W versus the Radeon HD 6970's 250W — a 133.3% difference. The Radeon Pro WX 4170 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon Pro WX 4170) vs 550W (Radeon HD 6970). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 6-pin + 8-pin. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 90.
| Feature | Radeon Pro WX 4170 | Radeon HD 6970 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 50W-80% | 250W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W-36% | 550W |
| Power Connector | PCIe-powered | 6-pin + 8-pin |
| Length | — | 286mm |
| Height | — | 111mm |
| Slots | 0-100% | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | 80°C-11% | 90 |
| Perf/Watt | 57.4+408% | 11.3 |
Value Analysis
The Radeon Pro WX 4170 launched at $400 MSRP and currently averages $120, while the Radeon HD 6970 launched at $369 and now averages $100. The Radeon HD 6970 costs 16.7% less ($20 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 23.9 (Radeon Pro WX 4170) vs 28.3 (Radeon HD 6970) — the Radeon HD 6970 offers 18.4% better value. The Radeon Pro WX 4170 is the newer GPU (2016 vs 2010).
| Feature | Radeon Pro WX 4170 | Radeon HD 6970 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $400 | $369-8% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $120 | $100-17% |
| Performance per Dollar | 23.9 | 28.3+18% |
| Codename | Baffin | Cayman |
| Release | November 10 2016 | December 14 2010 |
| Ranking | #526 | #596 |
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