GeForce GTX 285M vs Radeon HD 3870 X2

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.

GeForce GTX 285M vs Radeon HD 3870 X2 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

GeForce GTX 285M vs Radeon HD 3870 X2: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

GeForce GTX 285M

2008

Why buy it

✅28.0% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (1 GB vs 512 MB).
✅Draws 204W instead of 286W, a 82W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌2008 hardware with 1 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 1.3 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $449 MSRP).

Radeon HD 3870 X2

2008

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 1.3 vs 0 G3D/$ ($449 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 285M across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 1 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2008 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌40.2% higher power demand at 286W vs 204W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce GTX 285M is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 28.0% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward Radeon HD 3870 X2 instead at 587 vs 584, so for this question the real-game FPS result matters more than the synthetic split.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce GTX 285M is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 1 GB vs 512 MB of VRAM. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon HD 3870 X2 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon HD 3870 X2 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, GeForce GTX 285M has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 285M vs Radeon HD 3870 X2 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

GeForce GTX 285M

The GeForce GTX 285M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in December 23 2008. It features the Tesla 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 648 MHz. It has 240 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 204W. Manufactured using 55 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 584 points. Launch price was $359.

Radeon HD 3870 X2

The Radeon HD 3870 X2 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in August 12 2008. It features the TeraScale architecture. The core clock speed is 700 MHz. It has 800 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 286W. Manufactured using 55 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 587 points. Launch price was $550.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 285M scores 584 and the Radeon HD 3870 X2 reaches 587 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.5% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 285M is built on Tesla 2.0 while the Radeon HD 3870 X2 uses TeraScale, both on a 55 nm process. Shader units: 240 (GeForce GTX 285M) vs 800 (Radeon HD 3870 X2). Raw compute: 0.7085 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 285M) vs 1.12 TFLOPS ×2 (Radeon HD 3870 X2).

Feature	GeForce GTX 285M	Radeon HD 3870 X2
G3D Mark Score	584	587
Architecture	Tesla 2.0	TeraScale
Process Node	55 nm	55 nm
Shading Units	240	800 ×2+233%
Compute (TFLOPS)	0.7085 TFLOPS	1.12 TFLOPS ×2+58%
ROPs	32+100%	16 ×2
TMUs	80+100%	40 ×2
L2 Cache	256 KB	256 KB

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 285M gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon HD 3870 X2 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce GTX 285M	Radeon HD 3870 X2
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	AMD Anti-Lag

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 285M has 1 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 3870 X2 carries 512 MB. GeForce GTX 285M gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 285M and 64-bit on the Radeon HD 3870 X2.

Feature	GeForce GTX 285M	Radeon HD 3870 X2
VRAM Capacity	1 GB+100%	0.5 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	Unknown
Bus Width	128-bit+100%	64-bit
L2 Cache	256 KB	256 KB

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Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11.1 (10_0) (GeForce GTX 285M) vs 10.1 (Radeon HD 3870 X2). Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 2.

Feature	GeForce GTX 285M	Radeon HD 3870 X2
DirectX	11.1 (10_0)+10%	10.1
Max Displays	2	2

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Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: None (GeForce GTX 285M) vs UVD+ (Radeon HD 3870 X2). Decoder: PureVideo HD (VP2) vs UVD+.

Feature	GeForce GTX 285M	Radeon HD 3870 X2
Encoder	None	UVD+
Decoder	PureVideo HD (VP2)	UVD+
Codecs	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1	—

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 285M draws 204W versus the Radeon HD 3870 X2's 286W — a 33.5% difference. The GeForce GTX 285M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 285M) vs 550W (Radeon HD 3870 X2). Power connectors: None vs 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin. Card length: 0mm vs 267mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 285M	Radeon HD 3870 X2
TDP	204W-29%	286W
Recommended PSU	350W-36%	550W
Power Connector	None	1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin
Length	0mm	267mm
Height	0mm	—
Slots	0-100%	2
Temp (Load)	85	—
Perf/Watt	2.9+38%	2.1