Mobility Radeon HD 3870 vs GeForce 8800 GTX
Mobility Radeon HD 3870
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GeForce 8800 GTX
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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. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Mobility Radeon HD 3870 is positioned at rank 509 and the GeForce 8800 GTX is on rank 698, so the Mobility Radeon HD 3870 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Mobility Radeon HD 3870
Performance Per Dollar GeForce 8800 GTX
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce 8800 GTX is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.5% higher G3D Mark score and 50% more VRAM (768 MB vs 512 MB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Mobility Radeon HD 3870.
| Insight | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 | GeForce 8800 GTX |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.5%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+1.5%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2010 / TeraScale 2 (2009−2015)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2008 / G9x (2007−2010)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+50%) |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | Standard Size (267mm) |
💎 Value Proposition
The Mobility Radeon HD 3870 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Mobility Radeon HD 3870 holds the technical lead. Priced at $15 (vs $50), it costs 70% less, resulting in a 228.5% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 | GeForce 8800 GTX |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+228.5%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($15) | ⚠️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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Mobility Radeon HD 3870 and GeForce 8800 GTX
Mobility Radeon HD 3870
The Mobility Radeon HD 3870 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 7 2010. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 700 MHz. It has 800 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 548 points.
GeForce 8800 GTX
The GeForce 8800 GTX is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in July 15 2008. It features the G9x architecture. The core clock speed is 500 MHz. It has 224 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 65 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 556 points.
Graphics Performance
The Mobility Radeon HD 3870 scores 548 and the GeForce 8800 GTX reaches 556 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.5% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Mobility Radeon HD 3870 is built on TeraScale 2 while the GeForce 8800 GTX uses G9x, both on 40 nm vs 65 nm. Shader units: 800 (Mobility Radeon HD 3870) vs 224 (GeForce 8800 GTX).
| Feature | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 | GeForce 8800 GTX |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 548 | 556+1% |
| Architecture | TeraScale 2 | G9x |
| Process Node | 40 nm | 65 nm |
| Shading Units | 800+257% | 224 |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 | GeForce 8800 GTX |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 1.0 (Software) | FSR 2.1 (Compatible) |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | FSR 3 (Compatible) |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | AMD Anti-Lag | Standard |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The Mobility Radeon HD 3870 comes with 512 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce 8800 GTX has 768 MB. The GeForce 8800 GTX offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 64-bit.
| Feature | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 | GeForce 8800 GTX |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 0.5 GB | 0.75 GB+50% |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 128-bit+100% | 64-bit |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 10.1 (Mobility Radeon HD 3870) vs 10.0 (GeForce 8800 GTX). Maximum simultaneous displays: 0 vs 2.
| Feature | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 | GeForce 8800 GTX |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 10.1 | 10.0 |
| Max Displays | 0 | 2 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: UVD (Mobility Radeon HD 3870) vs None (GeForce 8800 GTX). Decoder: UVD vs PureVideo HD (VP2).
| Feature | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 | GeForce 8800 GTX |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | UVD | None |
| Decoder | UVD | PureVideo HD (VP2) |
| Codecs | — | MPEG-2,VC-1,H.264 |
Power & Dimensions
The Mobility Radeon HD 3870 draws 50W versus the GeForce 8800 GTX's 150W — a 100% difference. The Mobility Radeon HD 3870 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Mobility Radeon HD 3870) vs 350W (GeForce 8800 GTX). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 1mm vs 267mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots.
| Feature | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 | GeForce 8800 GTX |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 50W-67% | 150W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 350W |
| Power Connector | PCIe-powered | PCIe-powered |
| Length | 1mm | 267mm |
| Height | — | 111mm |
| Slots | 0-100% | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | — | 85 |
| Perf/Watt | 11.0+197% | 3.7 |
Value Analysis
The Mobility Radeon HD 3870 launched at $129 MSRP and currently averages $15, while the GeForce 8800 GTX launched at $599 and now averages $50. The Mobility Radeon HD 3870 costs 70% less ($35 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 36.5 (Mobility Radeon HD 3870) vs 11.1 (GeForce 8800 GTX) — the Mobility Radeon HD 3870 offers 228.8% better value. The Mobility Radeon HD 3870 is the newer GPU (2010 vs 2008).
| Feature | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 | GeForce 8800 GTX |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $129-78% | $599 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $15-70% | $50 |
| Performance per Dollar | 36.5+229% | 11.1 |
| Codename | Broadway | NB9E-GTX |
| Release | January 7 2010 | July 15 2008 |
| Ranking | #846 | #825 |
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