AMD Radeon HD6950/6970(Cayman) Reviews

[Bigchrome]

I just purchased a 6950 to replace my nVidia 7900GT. Think I'll see any difference? :p

I'm moving from a 2900xt to a GTX570, I think we'll both be pretty happy to be out of the middle ages

[IvanAndreevich]

So disappointed. Craptastic, I shouldn't have sold my 5870.

[96redformula]

So disappointed. Craptastic, I shouldn't have sold my 5870.

How much did you sell the 5870 for?

[seanx]

I wanted to get 2 x6850 for two pcs, and eventual run in xfire, however I can only get the cards from the U.K and check out these prices
5870 = $300 is way better for me (@1680*1050)than 6870 = $312 or 6950 = $342 or 6970 = $ 444
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...56&subcat=1502
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...56&subcat=1866
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...56&subcat=1752

I really dont see where ppl are getting this 30% improvement of 6970 vs 5870 !!? in the main games I like F1 2010 there is as little as 7% btn them !! and dirt2 about 2%, crysis 9%
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/H...D_6970/15.html
http://www.guru3d.com/article/radeon...irex-review/11
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/H...D_6970/12.html

one or two games like metro2033 maybe 25% , but thats just one game....the rest of the games and $140 odd difference is an easy choice yes ? Do I buy 2 x 5870 ?

[seanx]

btw checked on my old lists , 5870 used to sell for $512 !!

[zalbard]

If you game at 1680x1050 then either get 2x 58x0 or 2x GTX465 (and unlock them to GTX470).

[seanx]

COD4 4% diff
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/H...D_6970/10.html

really 30% where I just dont see "majority of games increase by 30% .....?

[seanx]

If you game at 1680x1050 then either get 2x 58x0 or 2x GTX465 (and unlock them to GTX470).

thanks for that , I have a really strict budget , and dont think I can get 465 - no stock ,

but there is EVGA GeForce GTX 460 FTW 1024MB and it seems to do grt in
some reviews , @$288 , 5870 still seems grt to me ...

[seanx]

6870 vs 5870 is close with 5870 winning of course, F1 2010 13% , dirt2 9% , crysis 11% , UT3 10% , and only $12 more than the faster 5870 , so maybe they will phase out 5870 and replace with 6870 ....
already I notice very few 5870 in online stores ..

[seanx]

5870 vs 6970 @1920 * 1200 , F1 2010 9% , Dirt2 6% , crysis 10% ......... metro2033 28% , I wouldn't mind seeing some reviews with dark void , WRC, need4speed hot pursuit (new game yes?)
I don't really play batman and battleforge, hawk,far cry2, yet .... maybe in the future ....I just spend more time on speed games f1 2010, dirt2 etc.... some CS, some UT3, some generals shockwave 1.0 , etc.... lol

[xlink]

seanx, we get the point... the 5870 to 6870 is a sidegrade and it was always meant to be.

that said, as drivers improve, the 6800s and the 6900 will improve, they did have a fair amount of architectural tweaking done, unlike the GTX500s which are basically the same chip as the GTX400s with improvements in architecture aimed at power efficiency and yield improvement.

[tajoh111]

seanx, we get the point... the 5870 to 6870 is a sidegrade and it was always meant to be.

that said, as drivers improve, the 6800s and the 6900 will improve, they did have a fair amount of architectural tweaking done, unlike the GTX500s which are basically the same chip as the GTX400s with improvements in architecture aimed at power efficiency and yield improvement.

It wasn't never meant to be a sidegrade. It was meant to be as much as an upgrade AMD could make at 40nm hence the naming is changed substantially. It does improve on performance, it just doesn't do it as much as most people would like.

[Motiv]

It wasn't never meant to be a sidegrade. It was meant to be as much as an upgrade AMD could make at 40nm hence the naming is changed substantially. It does improve on performance, it just doesn't do it as much as most people would like.

Isn't it better at DX11? While being worse at DX9, and around the same at DX10?

[safan80]

Isn't it better at DX11? While being worse at DX9, and around the same at DX10?

It's better for me in DX10 and smoking fast in DX11. Here is stalker at 4xMSAA with tessellation.


edit: these are my own benchs, The 5970 uses 10.10e and the dual caymans use 8.790.6 press release drivers.

[STEvil]

It wasn't never meant to be a sidegrade. It was meant to be as much as an upgrade AMD could make at 40nm hence the naming is changed substantially. It does improve on performance, it just doesn't do it as much as most people would like.

It wasnt meant to be a sidegrade because........?

[ripken204]

It wasnt meant to be a sidegrade because........?

it wasnt meant to, but it ended up being so

[T_M]

Anyone else trying to bench 6970 subzero and hitting issues with screen corruptions below 5C?

[seanx]

If I really thought 6870 would improve over 5870 in the long run I would rather get 2 x 6870 , they are newer and probably use less power ... However anyone have a clue if
6870 will indeed improve over time vs 5870 ...? any technical advantages that have yet to bear ? tesselation, etc....?

edit = it just got harder to make this choice 6870 for $196
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...56&subcat=1866
is this a hint that 68xx prices may drop a little to set the marketing sectors in a clearer light ?

Just checked , 6870 beats 5870 in xfire by about 10% in dirt2 and crysis at the moment ...

[seanx]

the "stalker refutation", lol@big bang theory
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/H...D_6970/20.html
6970 is slower than 5870 at both 1680*1050 and 1920*1200

[SoulsCollective]

the "stalker refutation", lol@big bang theory
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/H...D_6970/20.html
6970 is slower than 5870 at both 1680*1050 and 1920*1200

By one frame per second or less, and you're linking to the wrong STALKER. That's Clear Sky, which doesn't use DX11 - the results you want to look at are for STALKER Call of Pripyat, which does, and shows the 6970 with a decent lead.

[tajoh111]

It wasnt meant to be a sidegrade because........?

Side grade means it is not a replacement and is not an increase in speed. What we would consider somewhat more of a sidegrade is the 6870. Very similar speed in both cards and even the naming is more similar.

The 6970 is a upgrade(although minor in alot of circumstances) because it is newer, faster and makes the 5870 line obsolete(hence production on it stopping entirely) and it taking place of the 5870 as AMD's top chip.

It would be weird if AMD a new series and it's next generation fastest chip wasn't an upgrade to its previous generation fastest chip, especially in all likelihood, this will be AMD fastest single chip for the 6xxx series.

What makes you think it is a sidegrade Stevil?

[seanx]

By one frame per second or less, and you're linking to the wrong STALKER. That's Clear Sky, which doesn't use DX11 - the results you want to look at are for STALKER Call of Pripyat, which does, and shows the 6970 with a decent lead.

my bad .lol

[Nintendork]

HD6970 CF video review:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqWowIQsGiU (Crysis / Metro 2033 runs). fps fun @min 11:35.

[STEvil]

Side grade means it is not a replacement and is not an increase in speed. What we would consider somewhat more of a sidegrade is the 6870. Very similar speed in both cards and even the naming is more similar.

The 6970 is a upgrade(although minor in alot of circumstances) because it is newer, faster and makes the 5870 line obsolete(hence production on it stopping entirely) and it taking place of the 5870 as AMD's top chip.

It would be weird if AMD a new series and it's next generation fastest chip wasn't an upgrade to its previous generation fastest chip, especially in all likelihood, this will be AMD fastest single chip for the 6xxx series.

What makes you think it is a sidegrade Stevil?

The topic of discussion was the 6870, if you go back and read of what you quoted from xlink.

[Johnny87au]

By one frame per second or less, and you're linking to the wrong STALKER. That's Clear Sky, which doesn't use DX11 - the results you want to look at are for STALKER Call of Pripyat, which does, and shows the 6970 with a decent lead.

thank god u noticed it, was seriously scratching my head