Quadro 1000M vs Radeon HD 3870

NVIDIA

Quadro 1000M

2015Core: 993 MHzBoost: 1072 MHz
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VS
AMD

Radeon HD 3870

2012Core: 1000 MHz
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Quadro 1000M vs Radeon HD 3870 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.

Quadro 1000M vs Radeon HD 3870 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.

Quadro 1000M vs Radeon HD 3870: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

Quadro 1000M

2015

Why buy it

  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (2 GB vs 1 GB).
  • Draws 40W instead of 200W, a 160W reduction.
  • More future proof: Maxwell (2014−2017) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than Radeon HD 3870 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • 2015 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 2.5 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $219 MSRP).

Radeon HD 3870

2012

Why buy it

  • 21.3% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 2.5 vs 0 G3D/$ ($219 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 1 GB vs 2 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2012 hardware with 1 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 400% higher power demand at 200W vs 40W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Radeon HD 3870 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 21.3% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward Quadro 1000M instead at 555 vs 552, so for this question the real-game FPS result matters more than the synthetic split.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
Quadro 1000M is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 2 GB vs 1 GB of VRAM and a newer 2015 generation instead of 2012. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Radeon HD 3870 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon HD 3870 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Quadro 1000M has the stronger long-term case.

Quadro 1000M vs Radeon HD 3870 Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

Quadro 1000M

The Quadro 1000M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 18 2015. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock ranges from 993 MHz to 1072 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 40W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 555 points. Launch price was $200.89.

AMD

Radeon HD 3870

The Radeon HD 3870 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: 552 points. Launch price was $349.

Graphics Performance

The Quadro 1000M scores 555 and the Radeon HD 3870 reaches 552 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.5% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Quadro 1000M is built on Maxwell while the Radeon HD 3870 uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 512 (Quadro 1000M) vs 1,280 (Radeon HD 3870). Raw compute: 1.017 TFLOPS (Quadro 1000M) vs 2.56 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 3870).

FeatureQuadro 1000MRadeon HD 3870
G3D Mark Score
555
552
Architecture
Maxwell
GCN 1.0
Process Node
28 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
512
1280+150%
Compute (TFLOPS)
1.017 TFLOPS
2.56 TFLOPS+152%
ROPs
16
32+100%
TMUs
32
80+150%
L1 Cache
256 KB
320 KB+25%
L2 Cache
2 MB+300%
0.5 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureQuadro 1000MRadeon HD 3870
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
Standard
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Quadro 1000M has 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 3870 carries 1 GB. Quadro 1000M gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the Quadro 1000M and 128-bit on the Radeon HD 3870. L2 Cache: 2 MB (Quadro 1000M) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon HD 3870) — the Quadro 1000M has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureQuadro 1000MRadeon HD 3870
VRAM Capacity
2 GB+100%
1 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
64-bit
128-bit+100%
L2 Cache
2 MB+300%
0.5 MB
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Quadro 1000M draws 40W versus the Radeon HD 3870's 200W — a 133.3% difference. The Quadro 1000M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Quadro 1000M) vs 300W (Radeon HD 3870). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 1x 6-pin.

FeatureQuadro 1000MRadeon HD 3870
TDP
40W-80%
200W
Recommended PSU
350W
300W-14%
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
1x 6-pin
Perf/Watt
13.9+396%
2.8
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is Quadro 1000M (2015 vs 2012).

FeatureQuadro 1000MRadeon HD 3870
MSRP
$219
Codename
GM107
Pitcairn
Release
August 18 2015
March 5 2012
Ranking
#594
#460

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