# How performance varies between low and high profile graphic card ?



## balaji2525 (Apr 3, 2012)

In case of CPU, I can simply consider the processor speed, number of core, number of threads etc., and say about the performance.

When it comes to graphic card, I have seen some graphic card whose GPU speed is only around 700Mhz and belong to HD 67** series.

But Zotac 520 GT which is considered to be low profile card has GPU speed around 800Mhz. So, Zotac 520GT performs  better than 67**?
Since the GPU speed is more! 

If not, what are the criteria that decides the performance of Graphic card? like we look at the processor speed, number of core, number of threads in case of CPU


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## Gaurav Bhattacharjee (Apr 3, 2012)

Core clock speed, memory clock speed, memory bandwidth, memory bus size, pixel & texture fill rate and number of shader units.
Plus, GPU architecture is a big factor regarding speed/performance.


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## rcraktimc (Apr 3, 2012)

You cannot precisely predict the performance of a GPU by just looking at the specs.
In order to know about how a GPU really performs in games you have to read the reviews made by popular and trusted sites like hardocp, tomshardware, tweaktown, anandtech etc(to name a few).


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## desiJATT (Apr 3, 2012)

Gaurav Bhattacharjee said:


> Core clock speed, memory clock speed, memory bandwidth, memory bus size, pixel & texture fill rate and number of shader units.
> Plus, GPU architecture is a big factor regarding speed/performance.



This.

Higher the values of these, better the card (most of the times, but there are exceptions sometimes)


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## ico (Apr 3, 2012)

^^ +1



balaji2525 said:


> When it comes to graphic card, I have seen some graphic card whose GPU speed is only around 700Mhz and belong to HD 67** series.
> 
> But Zotac 520 GT which is considered to be low profile card has GPU speed around 800Mhz. So, Zotac 520GT performs  better than 67**?
> Since the GPU speed is more!


HD 6770 is ~5 times faster than GT 520.

*tpucdn.com/reviews/Zotac/GeForce_GT_520/images/crysis_1680_1050.gif



balaji2525 said:


> If not, what are the criteria that decides the performance of Graphic card? like we look at the processor speed, number of core, number of threads in case of CPU


Only by reading reviews. You can't predict which GPU is faster by just looking at the specs.

Read this completely - **www.thinkdigit.com/forum/graphic-c...ormation-regarding-graphic-cards-newbies.html*

I'll tell you to ignore these fancy things and only read reviews. GPU architecture of both companies is vastly different and GPU architecture also tends to change in each generation. You can't compare Apples and Oranges. Simply read reviews and judge performance.

If you are comparing two graphic cards having the same GPU, only then you can look at these. eg, MSI HD 6950 Twin Fozr II vs Sapphire HD 6950 Dirt 3 Edition. Otherwise not.

You can't compare number of shaders, frequencies, memory width etc. of a HD 6950 to a HD 6850. You can't compare a GT 520 to a HD 6770 on this basis.

You can only compare a HD 6950 to a HD 6950, a HD 6770 to a HD 6770 and a GT 520 to a GT 520.

You can compare HD 6950 to a HD 6970; HD 6850 to a HD 6870; or a GTX 570 to a GTX 580 on these criterias if you want - as these are same chips/cut down versions of same chips.

Simple way is only looking at 3 things - performance in reviews, power consumption and price.

If someone wants, he someone can come up and say, HD 6950 has 1408 shaders and GTX 560 Ti has 334 shaders, so HD 6950 is ~3 times faster than GTX 560 Ti. This is wrong.


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## desiJATT (Apr 4, 2012)

^^ Good post ico. 

@OP, long story short, you want the card for gaming performance? Check the FPS it delivers in various games at various video settings and different resolutions. It's the most trusted and widely accepted method to judge which card is better.


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## balaji2525 (Apr 4, 2012)

ico said:


> ^^ +1
> 
> 
> HD 6770 is ~5 times faster than GT 520.
> ...



So, GPU speed is nothing to do with performance. I have seen most of the HD 6570 has GPU speed around 650mhz but performance wise it is better than GT 520(GPU speed 800mhz). am I right?


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## ico (Apr 4, 2012)

balaji2525 said:


> So, GPU speed is nothing to do with performance. I have seen most of the HD 6570 has GPU speed around 650mhz but performance wise it is better than GT 520(GPU speed 800mhz). am I right?


Clock frequency has got nothing to do with processors either. Forget about GPU.

Athlon 64 @ 2.0 Ghz was faster than Pentium 4 @ 3.0 Ghz. And idiots purchased Pentium 4.

HD 6570 is ~3 times faster than GT 520.


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## coderunknown (Apr 4, 2012)

a lot of factors. its same as Intel vs AMD processors. AMD: high clockspees, more transistor but trails Intel.

so don't go by clockspeed or even no of SIMD/Cuda cores, etc. follow reviews.


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## ico (Apr 4, 2012)

Now if you are getting a HD 6570 which is clocked at 650 Mhz....and another HD 6570  which is clocked at 700 Mhz. The 700 Mhz HD 6570 will be faster. All you need to do is - NOT compare Apples to Oranges. Don't compare HD 6570 to a GT 520/430 or even HD 6770 or whatever.


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## dibya_kol (Apr 6, 2012)

long story short, chk reviews before buy anything.


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## coderunknown (Apr 7, 2012)

i hope OP got his doubts cleared. 

closing.


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