Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 vs GeForce 9600 GT
Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2
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GeForce 9600 GT
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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 X2 is positioned at rank 689 and the GeForce 9600 GT is on rank 578, so the GeForce 9600 GT 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 X2
Performance Per Dollar GeForce 9600 GT
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.1% higher G3D Mark score. However, the GeForce 9600 GT offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.
| Insight | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 | GeForce 9600 GT |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+1.1%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.1%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2008 / TeraScale (2005−2013)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2008 / G9x (2007−2010)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+49900%) |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
The GeForce 9600 GT offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the GeForce 9600 GT holds the technical lead. Priced at $20 (vs $50), it costs 60% less, resulting in a 147.4% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 | GeForce 9600 GT |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+147.4%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($50) | ✅More affordable ($20) |
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 X2 and GeForce 9600 GT
Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2
The Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in September 1 2008. It features the TeraScale architecture. The core clock speed is 660 MHz. It has 320 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 110W. Manufactured using 55 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 478 points.
GeForce 9600 GT
The GeForce 9600 GT 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: 473 points.
Graphics Performance
The Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 scores 478 and the GeForce 9600 GT reaches 473 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 is built on TeraScale while the GeForce 9600 GT uses G9x, both on 55 nm vs 65 nm. Shader units: 320 (Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2) vs 224 (GeForce 9600 GT).
| Feature | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 | GeForce 9600 GT |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 478+1% | 473 |
| Architecture | TeraScale | G9x |
| Process Node | 55 nm | 65 nm |
| Shading Units | 320 ×2+43% | 224 |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 | GeForce 9600 GT |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 1.0 (Software) | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | AMD Anti-Lag | Standard |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 comes with 2 MB of VRAM, while the GeForce 9600 GT has 1 GB. The GeForce 9600 GT offers 49900% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 64-bit vs 64-bit.
| Feature | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 | GeForce 9600 GT |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 0.002 GB | 1 GB+49900% |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 64-bit | 64-bit |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 10.1 (Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2) vs 11.1 (10_0) (GeForce 9600 GT). Maximum simultaneous displays: 0 vs 2.
| Feature | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 | GeForce 9600 GT |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 10.1 | 11.1 (10_0)+10% |
| Max Displays | 0 | 2 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: UVD (Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2) vs PureVideo HD (GeForce 9600 GT). Decoder: UVD vs PureVideo HD.
| Feature | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 | GeForce 9600 GT |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | UVD | PureVideo HD |
| Decoder | UVD | PureVideo HD |
| Codecs | — | H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 |
Power & Dimensions
The Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 draws 110W versus the GeForce 9600 GT's 150W — a 30.8% difference. The Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2) vs 350W (GeForce 9600 GT). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs Legacy. Card length: 1mm vs 229mm, occupying 0 vs 1 slots.
| Feature | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 | GeForce 9600 GT |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 110W-27% | 150W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 350W |
| Power Connector | PCIe-powered | Legacy |
| Length | 1mm | 229mm |
| Height | — | 111mm |
| Slots | 0-100% | 1 |
| Temp (Load) | — | 80 |
| Perf/Watt | 4.3+34% | 3.2 |
Value Analysis
The Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 launched at $449 MSRP and currently averages $50, while the GeForce 9600 GT launched at $149 and now averages $20. The GeForce 9600 GT costs 60% less ($30 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 9.6 (Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2) vs 23.6 (GeForce 9600 GT) — the GeForce 9600 GT offers 145.8% better value.
| Feature | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 | GeForce 9600 GT |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $449 | $149-67% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $50 | $20-60% |
| Performance per Dollar | 9.6 | 23.6+146% |
| Codename | M88 | NB9E-GTX |
| Release | September 1 2008 | July 15 2008 |
| Ranking | #919 | #825 |
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