GeForce GTX 1060 5 GB vs Radeon HD 6970

When comparing GeForce GTX 1060 5 GB and Radeon HD 6970, we look primarily at benchmarks and game tests. But it is not only about the numbers. Often you can find third-party models with higher clock speeds, better cooling, or a customizable RGB lighting. Not all of them will have all the features you need. Another thing to consider is the port selection. Most graphics cards have at least one DisplayPort and HDMI interface, but some monitors require DVI. Before you buy, check the TDP of the graphics card - this characteristic will help you estimate the consumption of the graphics card. You may even have to upgrade your PSU to meet its requirements. An important factor when choosing between GeForce GTX 1060 5 GB and Radeon HD 6970 is the price. Does the additional cost justify the performance hit? Our comparison should help you make the right decision.
GeForce GTX 1060 5 GB

Main Specs

  GeForce GTX 1060 5 GB Radeon HD 6970
Power consumption (TDP) 120 Watt 550 Watt
Interface PCIe 3.0 x16 PCIe 2.0 x16
Supplementary power connectors 1x 6-pin 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin
Memory type GDDR5 DDR5
Maximum RAM amount 5 GB 2 GB
Display Connectors 1x DVI, 1x HDMI, 3x DisplayPort 2x DVI, 1x HDMI, 2x mini-DisplayPort
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  • Radeon HD 6970 has 358% more power consumption, than GeForce GTX 1060 5 GB.
  • GeForce GTX 1060 5 GB is connected by PCIe 3.0 x16, and Radeon HD 6970 uses PCIe 2.0 x16 interface.
  • GeForce GTX 1060 5 GB has 3 GB more memory, than Radeon HD 6970.
  • Both cards are used in Desktops.
  • GeForce GTX 1060 5 GB is build with Pascal architecture, and Radeon HD 6970 - with Terascale 2.
  • GeForce GTX 1060 5 GB is manufactured by 16 nm process technology, and Radeon HD 6970 - by 40 nm process technology.
  • Radeon HD 6970 is 17 mm longer, than GeForce GTX 1060 5 GB.
  • Memory clock speed of GeForce GTX 1060 5 GB is 6633 MHz higher, than Radeon HD 6970.

Game benchmarks

high / 1080p 21−24 14−16
ultra / 1080p 12−14 9−10
QHD / 1440p 7−8 3−4
4K / 2160p 5−6
low / 720p 40−45 30−35
medium / 1080p 27−30 18−20
The average gaming FPS of GeForce GTX 1060 5 GB in Assassin's Creed Odyssey is 46% more, than Radeon HD 6970.

Full Specs

  GeForce GTX 1060 5 GB Radeon HD 6970
Architecture Pascal Terascale 2
Code name GP106 Cayman
Type Desktop Desktop
Release date 26 December 2017 14 December 2010
Pipelines 1280 1536
Core clock speed 1506 MHz
Boost Clock 1709 MHz 880 MHz
Transistor count 4,400 million 2,640 million
Manufacturing process technology 16 nm 40 nm
Texture fill rate 136.7 84.48
Floating-point performance 4,375 gflops 2,703.4 gflops
Length 250 mm 267 mm
Memory bus width 160 Bit 256 Bit
Memory clock speed 8008 MHz 1375 MHz
Memory bandwidth 160.2 GB/s
DirectX 12 (12_1)
Shader Model 6.4 5.0
OpenGL 4.6 4.4
OpenCL 1.2 1.2
Vulkan 1.2.131
CUDA 6.1
Bus support PCIe 2.0 x16
HDMI +
Bitcoin / BTC (SHA256) 273 Mh/s
Eyefinity +
Design reference
CrossFire +
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