3DMark Vantage
Making an appearance when evaluating new architectures, we run the 'high' preset and note the GPU score as well as Test 4, which includes extensive use of the GPU's stream-out function and vertex and geometry shading ability. It's not lost on us that 3DMark11 has been launched at the same time as this review.
There's a reasonable jump in performance from one Radeon generation to the next, but both GeForce GTX 500-series cards lead the way here. A harbinger of things to come? Here's how the high-end cards' numbers break down, based on the GPU score.
| HD 6970 comparison (GPU score) | GTX 580 | GTX 570 | HD 5870 | HD 6950 |
| Faster/slower (per cent) | -18.5 | -4.4 | +17.8 | +15.1 |
| HD 6950 comparison (GPU score) | GTX 570 | GTX 470 | HD 5870 | HD 6970 |
| Faster/slower (per cent) | -17 | +17.1 | +2.3 | -13.1 |
Radeon HD 6970 loses out to GTX 580 by almost 20 per cent here, while it's able to keep parity with the GTX 570. The older-generation HD 5870 and second-rung Cayman are distanced by a 15 per cent-plus margin.
Meanwhile, GTX 570 shows a clean pair of heels to HD 6950, though the new Radeon is able to eke out a lead over HD 5870 and improve upon the older GTX 470.
