AMD Radeon HD 6970 Graphic Card

[The$Hulk]

The graphics card market does not stop moving ever. Approximately one year ago with the arrival of DirectX 11, AMD launched the first batch of graphics cards compatible with the new API from Microsoft. He did it with the Radeon HD 5800, which, in turn broke the market due to high yield (almost doubled in the strongest performance of the time), good temperature performance and low power they had. After that, no war between ATI and NVIDIA have not flared up and standing out new models in all ranges. The Radeon HD5800, despite having an excellent performance in all areas, there were too refined the qualities that made compatible with DirectX 11, including the Tessellation. AMD knew it and 3 months ago with the release of the Radeon HD 6800 showed some of the improvements achieved after one year of work. More than a month AMD introduced its new high-end graphics card, the AMD Radeon HD 6900. This new range has two distinct models, the Radeon HD 6950 and Radeon HD 6970. Both models, based on the new AMD chip Cayman have different technical characteristics. The Radeon HD 6950 shaders 1408 has a frequency of 800Mhz core and 5000Mhz memory. The Radeon HD 6970 has shader 1536, a core frequency of 880MHz and memory running at 5500Mhz.

This new generation of AMD graphics brings a major change in processor architecture-Stream. Go to VLIW4 VLIW5 format, this change makes the stream processors have a more complex architecture and more efficient. VLIW5 the architecture has a complex shader architecture 1 and 4 singles, this architecture can have 5 single-precision operations or double precision (double precision power is a ratio of 1 / 5 of total Stream Processors (SPs)). With VLIW4 happens to have a super complex and 3 singles, which can simultaneously execute an instruction or 2 double-precision single-precision (the power in double precision on a ratio of 1 / 4 (in relation to its total SPs)). Although it may seem that the yield has decreased compared to the previous generation, I must say that rarely graphics processing were achieved using all single-precision operations (except computer optimized processes), thus losing efficiency. With this new architecture increases efficiency since you can now choose to run the 5 single-precision instructions, or 1 double and three single precision.

With this reorganization, AMD says it can save up to 10% in the size of the chip and can be implemented more SIMD units. The ROPs are also faster, so they can double or performance of certain integer calculations and floating point respectively. The new Cayman chip design also provides for the separation of the graphics engine to allow it to work in parallel. Thanks to this parallel process AMD has managed to introduce to introduce a new Tessellation unit (identical to those of Barts), getting along with the Tessellation engine eighth-generation double the performance of the previous generation. Apart from internal redesigned, the new Radeon HD 6900 series includes multiple video outputs, including this time an HDMI 1.4a compatible with the new 3D technology. Total video outputs included are:

• 2 x MiniDP
• 1 x HDMI 1.4a
• 2 x DVI (SL + DL-DVI-DVI)

Several paragraphs and yet we have not said which card has come into our hands for testing. The jewel you're testing is nothing but the crown jewel of AMD: the Radeon HD 6970.


Tests

In this analysis we decided to compare the results with the Radeon HD 6970 AMD multihomed. The first is to happen as a single-GPU card more powerful AMD, which is none other than the Radeon HD 5870. The second is the Radeon HD 6850 we reviewed a few weeks ago and showed us so well. The benchmarks have been performed using our standard test equipment:

• Case: Corsair Obsidian 700D
• Microprocessor: AMD Phenom stepping C3 II 965 overclocked to 3.9Ghz
• Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-MA790FXT-UD5P
• Cooler: Noctua NH-D14
• Memory: Corsair Dominator GT CMG4GX3M2B1600C7
• Power Supply: Antec TPQ 850w
• Sound Card: Creative X-Fi Xtreme Gamer
• Graphics Drivers: ATI Catalyst for HD 6850/5870 10.10 and 10.12 for the HD 6970.

In each test we placed first graphs of the results, then show a gallery with catches of the results in each of the cases analyzed. In the case of AVP is not impossible as the benchmark save the results to a text file and can not get a screenshot. All benchmarks we used are closed, meaning that you can run at home with your equipment to reliably compare results. These benchmarks, typically, companies create their own games or utilities created by third parties are easy to find on Google. There are three synthetic benchmarks such as 3DMark 11, 3DMark Vantage and Heaven Unigine 2.1. Which we use to see the raw power of the HD 6850 in different aspects.

[The$Hulk]

3DMark 11

3DMark 11 is the new benchmark by Futuremark designed to measure the graphics horsepower provided by our team together. The novelty is that version 11 is compatible with DirectX 11.

As expected the Radeon HD 6970 is superior to the predecessor to the overall result. Besides having more computing power than the Radeon HD 5870, Tessellation has two units, so that tests that use the DirectX 11 capability difference from this is more bulky.


3DMark Vantage

3DMark Vantage benchmark from Futuremark is compatible with DirectX 10. In this important test every component of the computer, so the end result can vary greatly from one team to another.

In this case the Radeon HD 6970 is cleared a bit on the overall result with respect to HD 5870, but if you look at the screenshot, we see that by looking at the individual result of the GPU is more bulky. The GTX 480 despite offering good performance, it falls short of this monsters graphics.


Heaven Unigine

Unigine Heaven was the first synthetic test that made the most of the new features of DirectX 11 API. With what we have not hesitated to try our three units and compare the results. This test makes use of Tessellation, this feature can be programmed with multiple profiles to check how they behave the graphs by applying different levels Tessellation. In our case we show the results with normal and extreme profiles.

Unigine In Heaven is where we really see the power of the new AMD Radeon HD 6970. It literally doubles the performance of its predecessor with both normal and extreme Tessellation. Also see how the Radeon HD 6850, despite being inferior in overall performance to the Radeon HD 5870 is dangerously close to her thanks to the excellent work done by AMD to improve Tessellation and new features of DirectX 11 in its new cards.


Alien vs Predator

Alien vs Predator, also known as AVP, was one of the first games to appear compatible with DirectX 11. In using some of the features but not extensively.

The AMD Radeon HD 6970 back to beat their younger models, but because the AVP does not make heavy use of Tessellation no bottleneck in the Radeon HD 5870 and the differences between them are shorter.

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Metro 2033

Metro 2033 is recently becoming a legend because of his excellency the graphical level and the minimum requirements to move freely. This game used intensively advanced features such as DirectX 11 Tessellation and the DoF, because of this, when run on DirectX 11 separate clearly the next-generation graphics cards compared to the previous.

Metro 2033 makes the difference between the AMD Radeon HD 6970 and 5870 are more extensive than ever. The maximum of the Radeon HD 6970 is about 64 fps, while the average is around 33 fps while the Radeon HD 5970 the most it lies at 49.7 fps and 28.48 fps average. If we apply antialiasing filters the difference between the means of both grow, due in part to the Radeon HD 6970 has twice the RAM as its predecessor.


DiRT 2

Along with AvP, DiRT 2 was one of the first games to appear compatible with DirectX 11. Like AvP use the new features in moderation. DiRT 2 in addition, over time has been getting some patches with updates to drivers by manufacturers of graphics have made him very optimized. The tests we performed using different types of antialiasing and provided with all graphics options to maximum.

Again, the Radeon HD 6970 is above the other two, but we call attention to the little difference between the Radeon HD 5870 and HD 6970 when we apply antialiasing filters. We think this is probably due to lack of maturity on the drivers of the Radeon HD 6970.


Lost Planet 2

Along with AvP, DiRT 2 was one of the first games to appear compatible with DirectX 11. Like AvP use the new features in moderation. DiRT 2 in addition, over time has been getting some patches with updates to drivers by manufacturers of graphics have made it very optimized. The tests we performed using different types of antialiasing and provided with all graphics options to maximum.

Again, the Radeon HD 6970 is above the other two, but we call attention to the little difference between the Radeon HD 5870 and HD 6970 when we apply antialiasing filters. We think this is probably due to lack of maturity on the drivers of the Radeon HD 6970.


Resident Evil 5

Resident Evil 5 came to the PC with a highly optimized graphics engine capable of running DirectX 9 and DirectX 10. This engine achieves an excellent balance between quality and performance. It is also capable of using all the system's microprocessor cores. In our case the tests are conducted under DX10 because they often consume more resources and with all graphics options to maximum. Performing also tests with different levels of antialiasing.

Because the test is running on DirectX 10 which really matters is the raw power of the chart and the bottleneck that can make the microprocessor. With all this, the performance of the Radeon HD 5870 and HD 6970 is very similar, being slightly favorable to the latter.

[The$Hulk]

Overclocking

Although the AMD Radeon HD 6970 appeared for more than a month, yet there are no applications that can modify the voltages of the same. Which limits the ability to overclock. In our case, moreover, we believe that we have had a card a bit lazy, which has refused to be raised over the core and 30Mhz 0Mhz reports. In other tests we have seen Internet rose smoothly to the 950MHz on the core and had increases of more than 80Mhz in the reports. We'll leave a screenshot of GPU-Z after applying 30Mhz overclocking we could get:

Temperatures and consumption

Temperature tests were carried out at an ambient temperature of 15 º C. Both maximum and minimum temperatures, with or without overclocking are really excellent. It seems that despite the increased power of the board over the previous generation temperatures are still great.

The load power consumption soars over the previous generation. Load the Radeon HD 6970 consumes 66W that the Radeon HD 5870 and 136W more than the Radeon HD 6850 (much lower performance).

Conclusion

AMD seems that during this year of success in their graphics card is not resting on its laurels and has continued to provide a highly optimized product over the previous generation. The new AMD Radeon HD 6900 series has improved the gross power, getting through the new architecture VLIW4 greater efficiency in stream processors. It has also improved the performance of its ROP. The biggest improvement has come thanks to parallel processing of the new chip architecture Cayman, thanks to which they have managed to include two units instead of a Tessellation and improve overall chip performance. The temperature levels are still at levels more than acceptable, with values very close to those of the previous generation (which did much users opt for these cards instead of competition).

Energy consumption itself has dramatically risen compared to its predecessor when high load is applied. Although it is a lesser evil if we consider that the processing power and performance in general has risen dramatically. The prices we have seen in various stores online, start from and reach the 333 euros to 380 euros, depending on the editor and the features they have. In short, AMD has managed to single-GPU card very powerful, optimized and actually usable for any DirectX 11 game today and that may appear in a couple of years. Temperatures are more than acceptable and the consumer has to have risen despite falls below the competition.