Radeon HD 6870
GPU·Budget

Radeon HD 6870

AMD

G3D Mark

2,206

MSRP

$239

AVG Price

$50

October 21 2010
151 Watt
TeraScale 2 (2009−2015)

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 6870 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in October 21 2010. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. The boost clock speed is 900 MHz. It has 1120 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 151W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,206 points. Launch price was $239.

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.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Technical Analysis

Detailed breakdown of Radeon HD 6870 specifications and capabilities.

Graphics Performance

The Radeon HD 6870 scores 2,206 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: Barts), manufactured on a 40 nm process— smaller process nodes improve power efficiency and transistor density. It packs 1120 shader units (the primary compute units for rendering pixels), 56 TMUs (texture mapping units), and 32 ROPs (render output units that handle final pixel output). Raw FP32 compute power: 2.016 TFLOPS — this measures the theoretical peak floating-point performance. Boost clock reaches 900 MHz.

SpecificationRadeon HD 6870
G3D MarkPassMark 3D graphics benchmark score2,206
ArchitectureGPU microarchitecture generationTeraScale 2 (2009−2015)
CodenameInternal GPU die codenameBarts
Manufacturing ProcessFabrication node — smaller = more efficient40 nm
Shader UnitsCore compute units for rendering/compute1120
TMUsTexture Mapping Units — handle texture sampling56
ROPsRender Output Units — final pixel/color blending32
Boost ClockMaximum GPU frequency under load900 MHz
Compute (FP32)Peak single-precision floating-point performance2.016 TFLOPS
Texture Fill RateTextures processed per second50.40 GTexel/s
PCIe InterfaceCPU↔GPU data link generationPCIe 2.1 x16
Transistor Count1,700 million
Performance RankPosition in global GPU performance ranking#661
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Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon HD 6870 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.

SpecificationRadeon HD 6870
VRAM SizeVideo memory capacity — more = better for high-res textures2 GB
VRAM TypeMemory technology generationGDDR5
Memory BusWidth of data path — wider = more bandwidth128-bit
Memory SpeedEffective memory data rate8 Gbps
BandwidthMaximum data throughput between GPU and VRAMUnknown
L1 Cache224 kB
L2 Cache512 kB

Advanced Features & APIs

The Radeon HD 6870 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 11.0, Vulkan N/A, OpenGL 4.4— latest API versions enable the most advanced rendering features like ray tracing and mesh shaders.

SpecificationRadeon HD 6870
FSR Frame Generation❌ Not Supported
AMD Fluid Motion Frames❌ Not Supported
FidelityFX Super Resolution✅ Supported
DirectXMicrosoft graphics API version11.0
OpenGLLegacy graphics API4.4
Compute APIGPGPU framework (CUDA/ROCm/OpenCL)OpenCL 1.2
Multi-GPUSLI/CrossFire/NVLink supportCrossFire
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Display & Media

Display outputs: DVI-Ix 0, DVI-Dx 1, HDMI 1.4ax 2, Mini-DisplayPort 1.2x 3, Mini-DisplayPort 1.2x 4 — supports up to 6 simultaneous displays. Hardware encoder: None, decoder: UVD 3.0— dedicated hardware for video encoding/decoding accelerates streaming, recording, and video playback. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264,MPEG-4,MVC.

SpecificationRadeon HD 6870
0 PortsNumber of 0 display connectorsDVI-Ix
1 PortsNumber of 1 display connectorsDVI-Dx
2 PortsNumber of 2 display connectorsHDMI 1.4ax
3 PortsNumber of 3 display connectorsMini-DisplayPort 1.2x
4 PortsNumber of 4 display connectorsMini-DisplayPort 1.2x
Max DisplaysMaximum simultaneously connected monitors6
Hardware EncoderVideo encoding engine versionNone
Hardware DecoderVideo decoding engine versionUVD 3.0
CodecsSupported video compression formatsMPEG-2,VC-1,H.264,MPEG-4,MVC
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Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD 6870 draws 151 Watt under load (TDP) — a 500W PSU minimum is recommended. Power connector: 2x 6-pin. Physical size: 247mm long, 111mm tall, occupying 2 expansion slots, weighing 850g— verify your case has clearance before purchasing. Typical temperatures: 45 at idle, 85 under load.

SpecificationRadeon HD 6870
TDPPower consumption under load151 Watt
Recommended PSUMinimum power supply wattage500W
Power ConnectorRequired PCIe power cable type2x 6-pin
Card LengthGPU card length — check case clearance247mm
Card Height111mm
Slot WidthExpansion slots occupied2-slot
Weight850g
Idle TemperatureTypical temperature at desktop idle45
Load TemperatureTypical temperature under gaming load85
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Value Analysis

At an average price of $50 (MSRP: $239), the Radeon HD 6870 delivers 44 G3D Mark points per dollar. Overall performance ranking position: #661 among all indexed GPUs.

SpecificationRadeon HD 6870
MSRPManufacturer's Suggested Retail Price$239
Avg Price (30d)Average market price over the last 30 days$50
Performance RankPosition in global GPU performance ranking#661
Release DateOctober 21 2010
Release Year2010

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