Radeon HD 6970
AMD
G3D Mark
2,831
MSRP
$369
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 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.
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 6970
FPS Benchmarks
Predicted performance for Radeon HD 6970 across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 7800X3D to isolate GPU performance.
Counter-Strike 2
Dead by Daylight
Euro Truck Simulator 2
Hearts of Iron IV
Hogwarts Legacy
League of Legends
Monster Hunter Wilds
Path of Exile 2
Project Zomboid
Rocket League
Technical Analysis
Detailed breakdown of Radeon HD 6970 specifications and capabilities.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 6970 scores 2,831 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 3 (2010−2013) architecture (codename: Cayman), manufactured on a 40 nm process— smaller process nodes improve power efficiency and transistor density. It packs 1536 shader units (the primary compute units for rendering pixels), 96 TMUs (texture mapping units), and 32 ROPs (render output units that handle final pixel output). Raw FP32 compute power: 2.703 TFLOPS — this measures the theoretical peak floating-point performance. Boost clock reaches 880 MHz.
| Specification | Radeon HD 6970 |
|---|---|
| G3D MarkPassMark 3D graphics benchmark score | 2,831 |
| ArchitectureGPU microarchitecture generation | TeraScale 3 (2010−2013) |
| CodenameInternal GPU die codename | Cayman |
| Manufacturing ProcessFabrication node — smaller = more efficient | 40 nm |
| Shader UnitsCore compute units for rendering/compute | 1536 |
| TMUsTexture Mapping Units — handle texture sampling | 96 |
| ROPsRender Output Units — final pixel/color blending | 32 |
| Boost ClockMaximum GPU frequency under load | 880 MHz |
| Compute (FP32)Peak single-precision floating-point performance | 2.703 TFLOPS |
| Texture Fill RateTextures processed per second | 84.48 GTexel/s |
| PCIe InterfaceCPU↔GPU data link generation | PCIe 2.1 x16 |
| Transistor Count | 2,640 million |
| Performance RankPosition in global GPU performance ranking | #596 |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The Radeon HD 6970 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 6970 |
|---|---|
| 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 | 192 kB |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB |
Advanced Features & APIs
The Radeon HD 6970 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.
| Specification | Radeon HD 6970 |
|---|---|
| FSR Frame Generation | ❌ Not Supported |
| AMD Fluid Motion Frames | ❌ Not Supported |
| FidelityFX Super Resolution | ✅ Supported |
| DirectXMicrosoft graphics API version | 11.0 |
| 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-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.
| Specification | Radeon HD 6970 |
|---|---|
| 0 PortsNumber of 0 display connectors | DVI-Ix |
| 1 PortsNumber of 1 display connectors | DVI-Dx |
| 2 PortsNumber of 2 display connectors | HDMI 1.4ax |
| 3 PortsNumber of 3 display connectors | Mini-DisplayPort 1.2x |
| 4 PortsNumber of 4 display connectors | Mini-DisplayPort 1.2x |
| Max DisplaysMaximum simultaneously connected monitors | 6 |
| Hardware EncoderVideo encoding engine version | None |
| Hardware DecoderVideo decoding engine version | UVD 3.0 |
| CodecsSupported video compression formats | MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264,MPEG-4,MVC |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 6970 draws 550 Watt under load (TDP) — a 550W PSU minimum is recommended. Power connector: 6-pin + 8-pin. Physical size: 286mm long, 111mm tall, occupying 2 expansion slots, weighing 1000g— verify your case has clearance before purchasing. Typical temperatures: 45 at idle, 90 under load.
| Specification | Radeon HD 6970 |
|---|---|
| TDPPower consumption under load | 550 Watt |
| Recommended PSUMinimum power supply wattage | 550W |
| Power ConnectorRequired PCIe power cable type | 6-pin + 8-pin |
| Card LengthGPU card length — check case clearance | 286mm |
| Card Height | 111mm |
| Slot WidthExpansion slots occupied | 2-slot |
| Weight | 1000g |
| Idle TemperatureTypical temperature at desktop idle | 45 |
| Load TemperatureTypical temperature under gaming load | 90 |
Value Analysis
At an average price of $100 (MSRP: $369), the Radeon HD 6970 delivers 28 G3D Mark points per dollar. Overall performance ranking position: #596 among all indexed GPUs.
| Specification | Radeon HD 6970 |
|---|---|
| MSRPManufacturer's Suggested Retail Price | $369 |
| Avg Price (30d)Average market price over the last 30 days | $100 |
| Performance RankPosition in global GPU performance ranking | #596 |
| Release Date | December 14 2010 |
| Release Year | 2010 |
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 |
| TMUs | 96 |
| Vram | 2 GB |
| DLSS/FSR | FSR upscaling |
| L1 Cache | 192 kB |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB |
| Boost Clock | 880 MHz |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 |
| Memory Speed | 8 Gbps |
| Shading Units | 1536 |
| Upscaling Tech | AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.1 x16 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown |
| Memory Bus Width | 128-bit |
| Transistor Count | 2,640 million |
| Frame Generation | FSR Frame Generation: No | AMD Fluid Motion Frames: No | FidelityFX Super Resolution: Yes |
| Texture Fill Rate | 84.48 |
| Manufacturing Process | 40 nm |
| Power Consumption (TDP) | 550 Watt |
| Floating Point Performance | 2.703 TFLOPS |
General Information
6 specs
General Information
6 specs
| Design | reference |
| Codename | Cayman |
| Architecture | TeraScale 3 (2010−2013) |
| Launch Price | $369 |
| Release Date | December 14 2010 |
| Performance Ranking Position | 596 |
Similar Performance
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Our Recommendation for Radeon HD 6970
Suggested pairings based on performance balance
Minimum (Avoid Bottleneck) (12)
Recommended (Balanced) (12)
High-End (Max Performance) (12)
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