GeForce RTX 3050 6GB vs Radeon HD 7870M

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 RTX 3050 6GB vs Radeon HD 7870M 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 RTX 3050 6GB vs Radeon HD 7870M: 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 RTX 3050 6GB

2024

Why buy it

✅483.6% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 63.6 vs 0 G3D/$ ($169 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
✅200% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (6 GB vs 2 GB).
✅Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌55.6% higher power demand at 70W vs 45W.

Radeon HD 7870M

2012

Why buy it

✅Draws 45W instead of 70W, a 25W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3050 6GB across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 6 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌No DLSS support; it relies on FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead.
❌2012 hardware with 2 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 63.6 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $169 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 483.6% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 613.3% in PassMark G3D (10,749 vs 1,507), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 6 GB vs 2 GB of VRAM, a 8nm process instead of 28nm, 18 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2024 generation instead of 2012. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup.

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB vs Radeon HD 7870M Technical Specifications

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

GeForce RTX 3050 6GB

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in February 2 2024. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1042 MHz to 1470 MHz. It has 2304 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 70W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 18 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 10,749 points. Launch price was $179.

Radeon HD 7870M

The Radeon HD 7870M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 24 2012. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 800 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 45W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,507 points.

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Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB scores 10,749 versus the Radeon HD 7870M's 1,507 — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB leads by 613.3%. The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB is built on Ampere while the Radeon HD 7870M uses GCN 1.0, both on 8 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 2,304 (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 640 (Radeon HD 7870M). Raw compute: 6.774 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 1.024 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7870M).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	Radeon HD 7870M
G3D Mark Score	10,749+613%	1,507
Architecture	Ampere	GCN 1.0
Process Node	8 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	2304+260%	640
Compute (TFLOPS)	6.774 TFLOPS+562%	1.024 TFLOPS
ROPs	32+100%	16
TMUs	72+80%	40
L1 Cache	2.3 MB+1337%	0.16 MB
L2 Cache	2 MB+700%	0.25 MB

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon HD 7870M leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	Radeon HD 7870M
Upscaling Tech	DLSS 2 Super Resolution	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 RTX 3050 6GB has 6 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 7870M carries 2 GB. GeForce RTX 3050 6GB gives you 200% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 96-bit on the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB and System on the Radeon HD 7870M. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 0.25 MB (Radeon HD 7870M) — the GeForce RTX 3050 6GB has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	Radeon HD 7870M
VRAM Capacity	6 GB+200%	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR6	Shared
Memory Bandwidth	168 GB/s	System
Bus Width	96-bit	System
L2 Cache	2 MB+700%	0.25 MB

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Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3050 6GB draws 70W versus the Radeon HD 7870M's 45W — a 43.5% difference. The Radeon HD 7870M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (GeForce RTX 3050 6GB) vs 350W (Radeon HD 7870M). Power connectors: None vs 1x 6-pin.

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	Radeon HD 7870M
TDP	70W	45W-36%
Recommended PSU	300W-14%	350W
Power Connector	None	1x 6-pin
Length	160mm	—
Slots	2	—
Temp (Load)	75°C	—
Perf/Watt	153.6+359%	33.5

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Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3050 6GB (2024 vs 2012).

Feature	GeForce RTX 3050 6GB	Radeon HD 7870M
MSRP	$169	—
Codename	GA107	Heathrow
Release	February 2 2024	April 24 2012
Ranking	#252	#765

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