Radeon R7 250X vs Radeon HD 5970
Radeon R7 250X
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Radeon HD 5970
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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 R7 250X | Radeon HD 5970 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.2%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+1.2%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2009 / TeraScale 2 (2009−2015)) |
| 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 | Standard Size (305mm) |
💎 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 R7 250X | Radeon HD 5970 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+229.3%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($30) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($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 R7 250X and Radeon HD 5970
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.
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.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon R7 250X scores 2,269 and the Radeon HD 5970 reaches 2,297 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon R7 250X is built on GCN 1.0 while the Radeon HD 5970 uses TeraScale 2, both on 28 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 640 (Radeon R7 250X) vs 1,600 (Radeon HD 5970). Raw compute: 1.216 TFLOPS (Radeon R7 250X) vs 2.32 TFLOPS ×2 (Radeon HD 5970).
| Feature | Radeon R7 250X | Radeon HD 5970 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 2,269 | 2,297+1% |
| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | TeraScale 2 |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 40 nm |
| Shading Units | 640 | 1600 ×2+150% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 1.216 TFLOPS | 2.32 TFLOPS ×2+91% |
| ROPs | 16 | 32 ×2+100% |
| TMUs | 40 | 80 ×2+100% |
| L1 Cache | 160 KB | 320 KB+100% |
| L2 Cache | 256 KB | 512 KB+100% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon R7 250X | Radeon HD 5970 |
|---|---|---|
| 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: 256 KB (Radeon R7 250X) vs 512 KB (Radeon HD 5970) — the Radeon HD 5970 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon R7 250X | Radeon HD 5970 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 2 GB | 2 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 72 GB/s | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 128-bit | 128-bit |
| L2 Cache | 256 KB | 512 KB+100% |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 (FL 11_1) (Radeon R7 250X) vs 11.2 (Radeon HD 5970). Vulkan: 1.2 vs N/A. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.4. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 3.
| Feature | Radeon R7 250X | Radeon HD 5970 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 (FL 11_1)+7% | 11.2 |
| Vulkan | 1.2 | N/A |
| OpenGL | 4.6+5% | 4.4 |
| Max Displays | 2 | 3+50% |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: VCE 1.0 (Radeon R7 250X) vs None (Radeon HD 5970). Decoder: UVD 4.2 vs UVD 2.2. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 Part 2 (Radeon R7 250X) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 (Radeon HD 5970).
| Feature | Radeon R7 250X | Radeon HD 5970 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | VCE 1.0 | None |
| Decoder | UVD 4.2 | UVD 2.2 |
| Codecs | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 Part 2 | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon R7 250X draws 80W versus the Radeon HD 5970's 294W — a 114.4% difference. The Radeon R7 250X is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (Radeon R7 250X) vs 650W (Radeon HD 5970). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 6-pin + 8-pin. Card length: 210mm vs 305mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 70°C vs 90.
| Feature | Radeon R7 250X | Radeon HD 5970 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 80W-73% | 294W |
| Recommended PSU | 400W-38% | 650W |
| Power Connector | 1x 6-pin | 6-pin + 8-pin |
| Length | 210mm | 305mm |
| Height | 111mm | 111mm |
| Slots | 2 | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | 70°C-22% | 90 |
| Perf/Watt | 28.4+264% | 7.8 |
Value Analysis
The Radeon R7 250X launched at $99 MSRP and currently averages $30, while the Radeon HD 5970 launched at $699 and now averages $100. The Radeon R7 250X costs 70% less ($70 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 75.6 (Radeon R7 250X) vs 23.0 (Radeon HD 5970) — the Radeon R7 250X offers 228.7% better value. The Radeon R7 250X is the newer GPU (2014 vs 2009).
| Feature | Radeon R7 250X | Radeon HD 5970 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $99-86% | $699 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $30-70% | $100 |
| Performance per Dollar | 75.6+229% | 23.0 |
| Codename | Cape Verde | Hemlock |
| Release | February 13 2014 | November 18 2009 |
| Ranking | #655 | #651 |
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