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Today we are checking out a new version of the AMD Radeon HD 6970 graphics card from Gigabyte that is targeting the $369 price range. AMD hopes to take down the Nvidia GeForce GTX 570, which is currently running unopposed in the same price range. In order to do so they have refined the Cayman XT, which still uses the 40nm design process...
Although AMD was able to beat Nvidia to the punch by roughly 6 months with the previous generation graphics cards, Nvidia has worked hard to ensure that they would not drop the ball again. Roughly eight months since releasing their first generation Fermi architecture, Nvidia struck back with a newly refined GeForce GTX 580 flagship graphics card last month and the results were impressive.
Not only was the GeForce GTX 580 able to match the performance of AMD’s dual-GPU Radeon HD 5970, but it also offered considerably better operating efficiency when compared to the GTX 480. However at $500 US it’s not for everyone, and therefore just last week Nvidia released a slightly cut down version at a 30% discount. Known as the GeForce GTX 570, we quickly fell in love with this new graphics card as it was just 15% slower than the GTX 580 while offering significantly more value at $350 US. At this price there is simply nothing that can compete with the GeForce GTX 570, that is at least until now. AMD has waited patiently to gauge the performance of these second generation Fermi graphics cards and now that the GeForce GTX 570 has been released they are ready to unleash their counter, the Radeon HD 6970. With a suggested retail price of $369 US, the Radeon HD 6970 is clearly intended to compete with the GeForce GTX 570, and therefore we will be focusing our efforts on this comparison. The Radeon HD 6970 has been codenamed Cayman XT and features 2640 million transistors, 23% more than that of the 5870. Despite the significant increase in transistors the new HD 6970 is still manufactured using the 40nm design process. Like the new Nvidia GeForce GTX 580 and GTX 570 graphics cards which are more refined versions of the GTX 480 and GTX 470 graphics cards, the Radeon HD 6970 is essentially a more refined version of the 5870. To find out exactly what this means, read on... |
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Whippit |
Posted on: 12/15/2010 10:38 AM
More competition is only a good thing. The Radeon HD 6970 looks the goods if you ask me. I am keep to see how or if pricing changes over the next few weeks/months. |
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RazorSix |
Posted on: 12/15/2010 11:27 AM
Not as fast as I was hoping it would be  Looks like the GTX 580 will not be dropping in price anytime soon. Still nice work with the review, one of the best I have read so far! |
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ProX |
Posted on: 12/15/2010 09:50 PM
What a tight battle! I am pretty sure AMD was hoping to take out the GTX 480 and then Nvidia surprised them with the GTX 580. Great review by the way as always  |
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LJ |
Posted on: 12/18/2010 02:21 AM
Considering how well it handles the larger resolutions, I think this card will perform great in eyefinity resolutions. Also worth noting is how well the 6950 crossfire scales. If the 6970 does as good a job, for around $700 (same price as 580), you could realistically expect 50% more performance compared to the 580 from the 6970! The only problem is of course that no stores are selling the card at its RRP in Aus... |
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Dave P |
Posted on: 12/18/2010 05:09 AM
I do think the 6970 is worth the asking price but I also think AMD will/should drop the price soon to match the GTX 570. I really hope they do anyway, not that the margin is anything worth worrying about right now but it would made the 6970 an easier sell. |