AMD’s 1 GB Radeon HD 6950s are certainly cheaper than their 2 GB predecessors. But are they really a better value? In theory, the Cayman GPU runs out of steam before 2 GB is needed. So, we're comparing five custom 1 GB cards to the 2 GB part to find out.
Although we haven't seen too many examples of it recently, adding tons of memory to a lower-end GPU was once a common practice, if only as a relatively affordable way to beef up a card's spec sheet. It turned out that gamers who didn't understand what really made one board faster than another would buy an overpriced GeForce 2 MX, for example, because it had more memory than a standard GeForce 2 GTS, and then end up with a slower product that was cheaper to manufacture.
Of course, we all know that the Radeon HD 6950 is far from a low-end part. Instead, the most likely reason that AMD's Radeon HD 6950 originally came with a massive 2 GB of GDDR5 RAM was based in its origin as a Radeon HD 6970. The company specified a top-end memory configuration for its best card, and the easiest way to make its number-two part was to simply flash a separate firmware to disable shader cores and drop the clocks. Using the next-lower speed grade for RAM, the Radeon HD 6950 was born.
A lot has happened since that launch, however. To begin, the Radeon HD 6970 targeted triple-GPU configurations, where super-high resolutions and details could occasionally make use of that extra RAM. AMD's less expensive 6950 was marketed toward gamers looking to save a little money. Lower thermal ceilings allowed manufacturers to adopt more compact circuit boards for even greater cost savings and installation flexibility.
Three-way configurations and 2 GB Radeon HD 6950s are still available, but if you're running a single card, it's safe to say that, in most cases, you're going to run out of GPU muscle before you hit the limits of a 1 GB board. As a result, the Radeon HD 6950 1 GB appears to be this market’s sweet spot.
Five companies agreed with our assessment enough that they were willing to send their cards for evaluation.
| Single-Slot Graphics Comparison Specifications | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gigabyte 1GB GV-R695OC-1GD | HIS ICEQ X 1GB H695QN1G2M | MSI R6950 PE OC 912-V246-047 | Sapphire HD 6950 1GB GDDR5 PCIE | XFX 800M 1GB HD-695X-ZDFC | |
| GPU Clock | 870 MHz | 800 MHz | 850 MHz | 800 MHz | 800 MHz |
| DRAM Rate | GDDR5-5000 | GDDR5-5000 | GDDR5-5200 | GDDR5-5000 | GDDR5-5000 |
| DVI | 1 x Dual-Link 1 x Single-Link | 1 x Dual-Link 1 x Single-Link | 1 x Dual-Link 1 x Single-Link | 1 x Dual-Link 1 x Single-Link | 1 x Dual-Link 1 x Single-Link |
| HDMI | Full | Full | Full | Full | Full |
| DisplayPort | Full | Two Mini | Two Mini | Full | Two Mini |
| VGA | By Adapter | By Adapter | By Adapter | By Adapter | By Adapter |
| Output Adapters | None | DVI-I to VGA | DVI-I to VGA Full DisplayPort | DVI-I to VGA | None |
| Length | 11.0" | 9.7" | 10.8" | 10.3" | 9.6" |
| Height | 4.7" | 4.8" | 4.6" | 4.7" | 4.6" |
| Total Thickness | 1.5" | 1.6" | 1.6" | 1.5" | 1.5" |
| Cooler Thickness | 1.3" | 1.4" | 1.4" | 1.3" | 1.3" |
| Weight | 25 Ounces | 23 Ounces | 28 Ounces | 24 Ounces | 21 Ounces |
| PCB Version | Custom 1.0 | Custom | V246 2.0 | Custom | Custom |
| VRM | Eight Phases | Four Phases | Six Phases | Four Phases | Four Phases |
| Warranty | Three Years | Two Years | Three Years | Two Years | Lifetime w/reg |
| Added Value | DiRT3 Certificate | Dual BIOS | DiRT3 Certificate | ||
Short names might not win showdowns, but at least the buyer can remember them when picking amongst competing products. Such is the case with Gigabyte’s overclocked R695OC-1GD.
This is the only card in today’s roundup based on AMD's Radeon HD 6970 circuit board, giving the card itself a 10.8” length. Though there’s no overhang for the triple-fan cooler, simply adding the faceplate brings this card to a bay-busting 11” mounting depth.
Performance PC builders usually buy cases with the extra mounting space, and Gigabyte even has a few models under its own brand. On the other hand, anyone hoping to see the first-generation BIOS selector switch from some of this card's 2 GB predecessors will be disappointed to find that this is a second-generation design without that capability.
Big cooling allows Gigabyte to lead competitors in its default GPU clock which, at 870 MHz, is nearly 9% higher than AMD's reference specification. Memory remains at AMD’s default GDDR5-5000.
Gigabyte’s added value comes from cooling and overclocking, though the firm does include the now-expected AMD CrossFire bridge. Two four-pin-to-PCIe power adapters are also included, though we fear many builders will use these as an excuse to draw too much power from an older PSU that lacks strong +12 V rails.
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