GeForce GTX 745 vs Radeon HD 5870

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.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

The Radeon HD 5870 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 2.5% higher G3D Mark score. However, the GeForce GTX 745 offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.

Insight	GeForce GTX 745	Radeon HD 5870
Performance	❌Lower raw frame rates (-2.5%)	✅Leading raw performance (+2.5%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / Maxwell (2014−2017))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2009 / TeraScale 2 (2009−2015))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	✅ More VRAM (+100%)	❌ Less VRAM capacity
Efficiency	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt	⚡ Higher Power Consumption
Case Fit	📏 Compact / SFF Friendly	Standard Size (280mm)

💎 Value Proposition

The GeForce GTX 745 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the GeForce GTX 745 holds the technical lead. Priced at $25 (vs $50), it costs 50% less, resulting in a 95% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	GeForce GTX 745	Radeon HD 5870
Cost Efficiency	✅Better overall value (+95%)	❌Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅More affordable ($25)	⚠️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.

GeForce GTX 745 Benchmark Check

Radeon HD 5870 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 745 and Radeon HD 5870

GeForce GTX 745

The GeForce GTX 745 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 18 2014. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 1020 MHz to 1085 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 55W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,126 points. Launch price was $119.

Radeon HD 5870

The Radeon HD 5870 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in September 23 2009. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 850 MHz. It has 1600 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 188W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,180 points. Launch price was $399.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 745 scores 2,126 and the Radeon HD 5870 reaches 2,180 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.5% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 745 is built on Maxwell while the Radeon HD 5870 uses TeraScale 2, both on 28 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 512 (GeForce GTX 745) vs 1,600 (Radeon HD 5870). Raw compute: 1.111 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 745) vs 2.72 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 5870).

Feature	GeForce GTX 745	Radeon HD 5870
G3D Mark Score	2,126	2,180+3%
Architecture	Maxwell	TeraScale 2
Process Node	28 nm	40 nm
Shading Units	512	1600+213%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.111 TFLOPS	2.72 TFLOPS+145%
ROPs	16	32+100%
TMUs	32	80+150%
L1 Cache	256 KB+60%	160 KB
L2 Cache	2 MB+300%	0.5 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 745	Radeon HD 5870
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)

The GeForce GTX 745 comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 5870 has 2 GB. The GeForce GTX 745 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 745) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon HD 5870) — the GeForce GTX 745 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 745	Radeon HD 5870
VRAM Capacity	4 GB+100%	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	80 GB/s	Unknown
Bus Width	128-bit	128-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB+300%	0.5 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GeForce GTX 745) vs 11.2 (Radeon HD 5870). Maximum simultaneous displays: 3 vs 3.

Feature	GeForce GTX 745	Radeon HD 5870
DirectX	12 (11_0)+7%	11.2
Max Displays	3	3

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 4th Gen (GeForce GTX 745) vs UVD 2.2 (Radeon HD 5870). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP6 vs UVD 2.2. Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 ASP (GeForce GTX 745) vs H.264 (Radeon HD 5870).

Feature	GeForce GTX 745	Radeon HD 5870
Encoder	NVENC 4th Gen	UVD 2.2
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP6	UVD 2.2
Codecs	H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4 ASP	H.264

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 745 draws 55W versus the Radeon HD 5870's 188W — a 109.5% difference. The GeForce GTX 745 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce GTX 745) vs 500W (Radeon HD 5870). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 2x 6-pin. Card length: 145mm vs 280mm, occupying 1 vs 2 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 745	Radeon HD 5870
TDP	55W-71%	188W
Recommended PSU	300W-40%	500W
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	2x 6-pin
Length	145mm	280mm
Height	69mm	—
Slots	1-50%	2
Temp (Load)	75°C	—
Perf/Watt	38.7+234%	11.6

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 745 launched at $80 MSRP and currently averages $25, while the Radeon HD 5870 launched at $399 and now averages $50. The GeForce GTX 745 costs 50% less ($25 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 85.0 (GeForce GTX 745) vs 43.6 (Radeon HD 5870) — the GeForce GTX 745 offers 95% better value. The GeForce GTX 745 is the newer GPU (2014 vs 2009).