GeForce RTX 3070 vs Radeon HD 7800-serie

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3070

2020Core: 1500 MHzBoost: 1725 MHz
RTX family
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VS
AMD

Radeon HD 7800-serie

2012Core: 1000 MHz
Similar parts
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GeForce RTX 3070 vs Radeon HD 7800-serie Performance Spectrum

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.

GeForce RTX 3070 vs Radeon HD 7800-serie 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 3070 vs Radeon HD 7800-serie: 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 3070

2020

Why buy it

  • 284.3% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 284.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 44.4 vs 11.5 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs $349 MSRP).
  • Access to DLSS 2 Super Resolution (2020).
  • 300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 2 GB).
  • Better long-term bet: Ampere (2020−2025) on 8nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Fewer clear downsides in this head-to-head, aside from the usual pricing and availability swings.

Radeon HD 7800-serie

2012

Why buy it

  • Costs $150 less on MSRP ($349 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 3070 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 8 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 11.5 vs 44.4 G3D/$ ($349 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
GeForce RTX 3070 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 284.3% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 450.3% in PassMark G3D (22,172 vs 4,029), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 3070 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 8 GB vs 2 GB of VRAM, a 8nm process instead of 28nm, 46 vs 0 ray-tracing units, and a newer 2020 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 3070 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $150 more expensive on MSRP at $499 vs $349, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 284.9% (44.4 vs 11.5), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

GeForce RTX 3070 vs Radeon HD 7800-serie Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 3070

The GeForce RTX 3070 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in September 1 2020. It features the Ampere architecture. The core clock ranges from 1500 MHz to 1725 MHz. It has 5888 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 220W. Manufactured using 8 nm process technology. It features 46 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 22,172 points. Launch price was $499.

AMD

Radeon HD 7800-serie

The Radeon HD 7800-serie 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: 4,029 points. Launch price was $349.

Graphics Performance

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 3070 scores 22,172 versus the Radeon HD 7800-serie's 4,029 — the GeForce RTX 3070 leads by 450.3%. The GeForce RTX 3070 is built on Ampere while the Radeon HD 7800-serie uses GCN 1.0, both on 8 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 5,888 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 1,280 (Radeon HD 7800-serie). Raw compute: 20.31 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 2.56 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7800-serie).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Radeon HD 7800-serie
G3D Mark Score
22,172+450%
4,029
Architecture
Ampere
GCN 1.0
Process Node
8 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
5888+360%
1280
Compute (TFLOPS)
20.31 TFLOPS+693%
2.56 TFLOPS
ROPs
96+200%
32
TMUs
184+130%
80
L1 Cache
5.8 MB+1771%
0.31 MB
L2 Cache
4 MB+700%
0.5 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce RTX 3070 gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon HD 7800-serie leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Radeon HD 7800-serie
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
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 3070 has 8 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 7800-serie carries 2 GB. GeForce RTX 3070 gives you 300% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 448 GB/s (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 153.6 GB/s (Radeon HD 7800-serie) — a 191.7% advantage for the GeForce RTX 3070. Memory bus width is 256-bit on the GeForce RTX 3070 and 256-bit on the Radeon HD 7800-serie. L2 Cache: 4 MB (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon HD 7800-serie) — the GeForce RTX 3070 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Radeon HD 7800-serie
VRAM Capacity
8 GB+300%
2 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
448 GB/s+192%
153.6 GB/s
Bus Width
256-bit
256-bit
L2 Cache
4 MB+700%
0.5 MB
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 3070 draws 220W versus the Radeon HD 7800-serie's 200W — a 9.5% difference. The Radeon HD 7800-serie is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 500W (Radeon HD 7800-serie). Power connectors: 8-pin vs 2x 6-pin.

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Radeon HD 7800-serie
TDP
220W
200W-9%
Recommended PSU
650W
500W-23%
Power Connector
8-pin
2x 6-pin
Length
242mm
Height
112mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
75°C
Perf/Watt
100.8+401%
20.1
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce RTX 3070 came in at $499, while the Radeon HD 7800-serie launched at $349. On MSRP, Radeon HD 7800-serie was 30.1% cheaper ($150 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 44.4 (GeForce RTX 3070) vs 11.5 (Radeon HD 7800-serie) — the GeForce RTX 3070 offers 286.1% better value. The newer card here is GeForce RTX 3070 (2020 vs 2012).

FeatureGeForce RTX 3070Radeon HD 7800-serie
MSRP
$499
$349-30%
Performance per Dollar
44.4+286%
11.5
Codename
GA104
Pitcairn
Release
September 1 2020
March 5 2012
Ranking
#63
#460

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