Radeon HD 5970
AMD
G3D Mark
2,297
MSRP
$699
AVG Price
$100
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.
Overview
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.
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 Radeon HD 5970
FPS Benchmarks
Predicted performance for Radeon HD 5970 across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 7800X3D to isolate GPU performance.
Baldur's Gate 3
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Counter-Strike 2
Cyberpunk 2077
Delta Force
Final Fantasy XIV
Garry's Mod
Grand Theft Auto V
League of Legends
Once Human
Technical Analysis
Detailed breakdown of Radeon HD 5970 specifications and capabilities.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 5970 scores 2,297 in the G3D Mark benchmark (the standard measure of rasterization GPU performance), placing it in the Entry Level tier as a Legacy generation graphics card. It is built on the TeraScale 2 (2009−2015) architecture (codename: Hemlock), manufactured on a 40 nm process— smaller process nodes improve power efficiency and transistor density. It packs 1600 ×2 shader units (the primary compute units for rendering pixels), 80 ×2 TMUs (texture mapping units), and 32 ×2 ROPs (render output units that handle final pixel output). Raw FP32 compute power: 2.32 TFLOPS ×2 — this measures the theoretical peak floating-point performance.
| Specification | Radeon HD 5970 |
|---|---|
| G3D MarkPassMark 3D graphics benchmark score | 2,297 |
| ArchitectureGPU microarchitecture generation | TeraScale 2 (2009−2015) |
| CodenameInternal GPU die codename | Hemlock |
| Manufacturing ProcessFabrication node — smaller = more efficient | 40 nm |
| Shader UnitsCore compute units for rendering/compute | 1600 ×2 |
| TMUsTexture Mapping Units — handle texture sampling | 80 ×2 |
| ROPsRender Output Units — final pixel/color blending | 32 ×2 |
| Base ClockGuaranteed minimum GPU frequency | 725 MHz |
| Compute (FP32)Peak single-precision floating-point performance | 2.32 TFLOPS ×2 |
| Texture Fill RateTextures processed per second | 58.00 ×2 GTexel/s |
| PCIe InterfaceCPU↔GPU data link generation | PCIe 2.1 x16 |
| Transistor Count | 2,154 million |
| Performance RankPosition in global GPU performance ranking | #651 |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The Radeon HD 5970 is equipped with 2 GB of GDDR5 video memory connected via a 128-bit memory bus, delivering Unknown of bandwidth. Memory operates at 8 Gbps effective speed.
| Specification | Radeon HD 5970 |
|---|---|
| VRAM SizeVideo memory capacity — more = better for high-res textures | 2 GB |
| VRAM TypeMemory technology generation | GDDR5 |
| Memory BusWidth of data path — wider = more bandwidth | 128-bit |
| Memory SpeedEffective memory data rate | 8 Gbps |
| BandwidthMaximum data throughput between GPU and VRAM | Unknown |
| L1 Cache | 320 kB |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB |
Advanced Features & APIs
The Radeon HD 5970 supports modern upscaling and frame generation technologies: FidelityFX Super Resolution — these can dramatically boost effective FPS by generating intermediate frames or upscaling from lower internal resolution. Graphics API support: DirectX 11.2, Vulkan N/A, OpenGL 4.4— latest API versions enable the most advanced rendering features like ray tracing and mesh shaders.
| Specification | Radeon HD 5970 |
|---|---|
| FSR Frame Generation | ❌ Not Supported |
| AMD Fluid Motion Frames | ❌ Not Supported |
| FidelityFX Super Resolution | ✅ Supported |
| DirectXMicrosoft graphics API version | 11.2 |
| OpenGLLegacy graphics API | 4.4 |
| Compute APIGPGPU framework (CUDA/ROCm/OpenCL) | OpenCL 1.2 |
| Multi-GPUSLI/CrossFire/NVLink support | CrossFire |
Display & Media
Display outputs: DVI-Ix 0, DVI-Ix 1, Mini DisplayPortx 2 — supports up to 3 simultaneous displays. Hardware encoder: None, decoder: UVD 2.2— dedicated hardware for video encoding/decoding accelerates streaming, recording, and video playback. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2.
| Specification | Radeon HD 5970 |
|---|---|
| 0 PortsNumber of 0 display connectors | DVI-Ix |
| 1 PortsNumber of 1 display connectors | DVI-Ix |
| 2 PortsNumber of 2 display connectors | Mini DisplayPortx |
| Max DisplaysMaximum simultaneously connected monitors | 3 |
| Hardware EncoderVideo encoding engine version | None |
| Hardware DecoderVideo decoding engine version | UVD 2.2 |
| CodecsSupported video compression formats | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2 |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 5970 draws 294 Watt under load (TDP) — a 650W PSU minimum is recommended. Power connector: 6-pin + 8-pin. Physical size: 305mm long, 111mm tall, occupying 2 expansion slots, weighing 1200g— verify your case has clearance before purchasing. Typical temperatures: 60 at idle, 90 under load.
| Specification | Radeon HD 5970 |
|---|---|
| TDPPower consumption under load | 294 Watt |
| Recommended PSUMinimum power supply wattage | 650W |
| Power ConnectorRequired PCIe power cable type | 6-pin + 8-pin |
| Card LengthGPU card length — check case clearance | 305mm |
| Card Height | 111mm |
| Slot WidthExpansion slots occupied | 2-slot |
| Weight | 1200g |
| Idle TemperatureTypical temperature at desktop idle | 60 |
| Load TemperatureTypical temperature under gaming load | 90 |
Value Analysis
At an average price of $100 (MSRP: $699), the Radeon HD 5970 delivers 23 G3D Mark points per dollar. Overall performance ranking position: #651 among all indexed GPUs.
| Specification | Radeon HD 5970 |
|---|---|
| MSRPManufacturer's Suggested Retail Price | $699 |
| Avg Price (30d)Average market price over the last 30 days | $100 |
| Performance RankPosition in global GPU performance ranking | #651 |
| Release Date | November 18 2009 |
| Release Year | 2009 |
Specifications Reference
Raw spec sheet for quick lookup. The analysis cards above explain what these fields mean in practice.
2 categories
Technical Specifications
20 specs
Technical Specifications
20 specs
| ROPs | 32 ×2 |
| TMUs | 80 ×2 |
| Vram | 2 GB |
| DLSS/FSR | FSR upscaling |
| L1 Cache | 320 kB |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB |
| Core Clock | 725 MHz |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 |
| Memory Speed | 8 Gbps |
| Shading Units | 1600 ×2 |
| Upscaling Tech | AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.1 x16 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown |
| Memory Bus Width | 128-bit |
| Transistor Count | 2,154 million |
| Frame Generation | FSR Frame Generation: No | AMD Fluid Motion Frames: No | FidelityFX Super Resolution: Yes |
| Texture Fill Rate | 58.00 ×2 |
| Manufacturing Process | 40 nm |
| Power Consumption (TDP) | 294 Watt |
| Floating Point Performance | 2.32 TFLOPS ×2 |
General Information
5 specs
General Information
5 specs
| Codename | Hemlock |
| Architecture | TeraScale 2 (2009−2015) |
| Launch Price | $699 |
| Release Date | November 18 2009 |
| Performance Ranking Position | 651 |
Similar Performance
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Our Recommendation for Radeon HD 5970
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Minimum (Avoid Bottleneck) (12)
Recommended (Balanced) (12)
High-End (Max Performance) (12)
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