CPU
GPU
GeForce 820M
Popular choices:
Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2
Popular choices:
Performance Spectrum - GPU
About G3D Mark
G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The GeForce 820M is positioned at rank 341 and the Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 is on rank 689, so the GeForce 820M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar GeForce 820M
Performance Per Dollar Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The GeForce 820M is significantly newer (2014 vs 2008). The GeForce 820M likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce 820M is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.8% higher G3D Mark score and 99900% more VRAM (2 GB vs 2 MB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2.
| Insight | GeForce 820M | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.8%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.8%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / Maxwell (2014−2017)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2008 / TeraScale (2005−2013)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ✅ More VRAM (+99900%) | ❌ Less VRAM capacity |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | — | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
The GeForce 820M offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the GeForce 820M holds the technical lead. Priced at $30 (vs $50), it costs 40% less, resulting in a 68.1% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | GeForce 820M | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+68.1%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($30) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($50) |
Performance Check
Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 7800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.
Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of GeForce 820M and Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2
GeForce 820M
The GeForce 820M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 12 2014. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 1029 MHz to 1124 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 33W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 482 points.
Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2
The Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in September 1 2008. It features the TeraScale architecture. The core clock speed is 660 MHz. It has 320 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 110W. Manufactured using 55 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 478 points.
Graphics Performance
The GeForce 820M scores 482 and the Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 reaches 478 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.8% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce 820M is built on Maxwell while the Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 uses TeraScale, both on 28 nm vs 55 nm. Shader units: 384 (GeForce 820M) vs 320 (Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2). Raw compute: 0.8632 TFLOPS (GeForce 820M) vs 0.4224 TFLOPS ×2 (Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2).
| Feature | GeForce 820M | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 482 | 478 |
| Architecture | Maxwell | TeraScale |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 55 nm |
| Shading Units | 384+20% | 320 ×2 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 0.8632 TFLOPS+104% | 0.4224 TFLOPS ×2 |
| ROPs | 8 | 16 ×2+100% |
| TMUs | 16 | 16 ×2 |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+300% | 0.25 MB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | GeForce 820M | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 1.0 (Software) | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | Standard | AMD Anti-Lag |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The GeForce 820M comes with 2 GB of VRAM, while the Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 has 2 MB. The GeForce 820M offers 99900% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 64-bit. L2 Cache: 1 MB (GeForce 820M) vs 0.25 MB (Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2) — the GeForce 820M has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | GeForce 820M | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 2 GB+99900% | 0.002 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 128-bit+100% | 64-bit |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+300% | 0.25 MB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 11.0 (GeForce 820M) vs 10.1 (Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2). Maximum simultaneous displays: 1 vs 0.
| Feature | GeForce 820M | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 11.0+9% | 10.1 |
| Max Displays | 1 | 0 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: No (GeForce 820M) vs UVD (Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP4 vs UVD.
| Feature | GeForce 820M | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | No | UVD |
| Decoder | PureVideo HD VP4 | UVD |
| Codecs | MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP | — |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce 820M draws 33W versus the Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2's 110W — a 107.7% difference. The GeForce 820M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce 820M) vs 350W (Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2). Power connectors: Legacy vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 0mm vs 1mm, occupying 0 vs 0 slots.
| Feature | GeForce 820M | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 33W-70% | 110W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 350W |
| Power Connector | Legacy | PCIe-powered |
| Length | 0mm | 1mm |
| Height | 0mm | — |
| Slots | 0 | 0 |
| Temp (Load) | 70°C | — |
| Perf/Watt | 14.6+240% | 4.3 |
Value Analysis
The GeForce 820M costs 40% less ($20 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 16.1 (GeForce 820M) vs 9.6 (Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2) — the GeForce 820M offers 67.7% better value. The GeForce 820M is the newer GPU (2014 vs 2008).
| Feature | GeForce 820M | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | — | $449 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $30-40% | $50 |
| Performance per Dollar | 16.1+68% | 9.6 |
| Codename | GM108 | M88 |
| Release | March 12 2014 | September 1 2008 |
| Ranking | #854 | #919 |
Top Performing GPUs
The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
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