GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB vs Radeon HD 7870
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB
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Radeon HD 7870
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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. The GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB is positioned at rank #31 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Great cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB is significantly newer (2019 vs 2012). The GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon HD 7870 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 5.1% higher G3D Mark score. This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon HD 7870.
| Insight | GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB | Radeon HD 7870 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+5.1%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-5.1%) |
| Longevity | Pascal (2016−2021) (14nm) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+0%) |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | — | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
While current pricing data is unavailable, the GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB remains the clear technical winner. Check real-time availability to determine if the performance gap justifies the market price.
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 GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB and Radeon HD 7870
GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB
The GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 1 2019. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1366 MHz to 1442 MHz. It has 768 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,800 points.
Radeon HD 7870
The Radeon HD 7870 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in March 5 2012. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 1000 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,568 points. Launch price was $349.
Graphics Performance
In G3D Mark, the GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB scores 4,800 versus the Radeon HD 7870's 4,568 — the GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB leads by 5.1%. The GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB is built on Pascal while the Radeon HD 7870 uses GCN 1.0, both on 14 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 768 (GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB) vs 1,280 (Radeon HD 7870). Raw compute: 2.215 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB) vs 2.56 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7870).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB | Radeon HD 7870 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 4,800+5% | 4,568 |
| Architecture | Pascal | GCN 1.0 |
| Process Node | 14 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 768 | 1280+67% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 2.215 TFLOPS | 2.56 TFLOPS+16% |
| ROPs | 24 | 32+33% |
| TMUs | 48 | 80+67% |
| L1 Cache | 288 KB | 320 KB+11% |
| L2 Cache | 768 KB+50% | 512 KB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB | Radeon HD 7870 |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 2.1 (Compatible) | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| Frame Generation | FSR 3 (Compatible) | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | Standard | AMD Anti-Lag |
Video Memory (VRAM)
Both cards feature 2 GB of GDDR5. Memory bandwidth: 84 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB) vs 153.6 GB/s (Radeon HD 7870) — a 82.9% advantage for the Radeon HD 7870. Bus width: 96-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 768 KB (GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB) vs 512 KB (Radeon HD 7870) — the GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB | Radeon HD 7870 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 2 GB | 2 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | 84 GB/s | 153.6 GB/s+83% |
| Bus Width | 96-bit | 256-bit+167% |
| L2 Cache | 768 KB+50% | 512 KB |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 (12_1) (GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB) vs 12 (11_1) (Radeon HD 7870). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 6.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB | Radeon HD 7870 |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 (12_1) | 12 (11_1) |
| Vulkan | 1.3+8% | 1.2 |
| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Max Displays | 4 | 6+50% |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: NVENC (6th Gen) (GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB) vs VCE 1.0 (Radeon HD 7870). Decoder: NVDEC (3rd Gen) vs UVD 4.0. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265 (HEVC),VP9 (GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (Radeon HD 7870).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB | Radeon HD 7870 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | NVENC (6th Gen) | VCE 1.0 |
| Decoder | NVDEC (3rd Gen) | UVD 4.0 |
| Codecs | H.264,H.265 (HEVC),VP9 | H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 |
Power & Dimensions
The GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB draws 75W versus the Radeon HD 7870's 200W — a 90.9% difference. The GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB) vs 500W (Radeon HD 7870). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 2x 6-pin. Typical load temperature: 80°C vs 80°C.
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB | Radeon HD 7870 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 75W-63% | 200W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W-30% | 500W |
| Power Connector | PCIe-powered | 2x 6-pin |
| Length | — | 241mm |
| Height | — | 111mm |
| Slots | 0-100% | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | 80°C | 80°C |
| Perf/Watt | 64.0+181% | 22.8 |
Value Analysis
The GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB is the newer GPU (2019 vs 2012).
| Feature | GeForce GTX 1050 Mobile 3 GB | Radeon HD 7870 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | — | $349 |
| Avg Price (30d) | — | $45 |
| Codename | GP107 | Pitcairn |
| Release | February 1 2019 | March 5 2012 |
| Ranking | #453 | #460 |
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