Radeon HD 3870 vs FirePro 3D V5700
Radeon HD 3870
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FirePro 3D V5700
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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 Radeon HD 3870 is positioned at rank 298 and the FirePro 3D V5700 is on rank 355, so the 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 Radeon HD 3870
Performance Per Dollar FirePro 3D V5700
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon HD 3870 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.9% higher G3D Mark score and 100% more VRAM (1 GB vs 512 MB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the FirePro 3D V5700.
| Insight | Radeon HD 3870 | FirePro 3D V5700 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.9%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.9%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) | ❌ Less VRAM capacity |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | — | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon HD 3870 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon HD 3870 holds the technical lead. Priced at $15 (vs $25), it costs 40% less, resulting in a 68.2% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon HD 3870 | FirePro 3D V5700 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+68.2%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($15) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($25) |
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 Radeon HD 3870 and FirePro 3D V5700
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.
FirePro 3D V5700
The FirePro 3D V5700 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 18 2014. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 850 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 274W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 547 points.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 3870 scores 552 and the FirePro 3D V5700 reaches 547 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 3870 is built on GCN 1.0 while the FirePro 3D V5700 uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,280 (Radeon HD 3870) vs 2,048 (FirePro 3D V5700). Raw compute: 2.56 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 3870) vs 3.482 TFLOPS (FirePro 3D V5700).
| Feature | Radeon HD 3870 | FirePro 3D V5700 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 552 | 547 |
| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | GCN 1.0 |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 1280 | 2048+60% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 2.56 TFLOPS | 3.482 TFLOPS+36% |
| ROPs | 32 | 32 |
| TMUs | 80 | 128+60% |
| L1 Cache | 320 KB | 512 KB+60% |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB | 768 KB+50% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 3870 | FirePro 3D V5700 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Radeon HD 3870 comes with 1 GB of VRAM, while the FirePro 3D V5700 has 512 MB. The Radeon HD 3870 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 64-bit. L2 Cache: 512 KB (Radeon HD 3870) vs 768 KB (FirePro 3D V5700) — the FirePro 3D V5700 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon HD 3870 | FirePro 3D V5700 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 1 GB+100% | 0.5 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Bus Width | 128-bit+100% | 64-bit |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB | 768 KB+50% |
Media & Encoding
Supported codecs: H.264 (Radeon HD 3870) vs MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1 (FirePro 3D V5700).
| Feature | Radeon HD 3870 | FirePro 3D V5700 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | — | UVD 2 |
| Decoder | — | UVD 2 |
| Codecs | H.264 | MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1 |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 3870 draws 200W versus the FirePro 3D V5700's 274W — a 31.2% difference. The Radeon HD 3870 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (Radeon HD 3870) vs 350W (FirePro 3D V5700). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered.
| Feature | Radeon HD 3870 | FirePro 3D V5700 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 200W-27% | 274W |
| Recommended PSU | 300W-14% | 350W |
| Power Connector | 1x 6-pin | PCIe-powered |
| Length | — | 170mm |
| Height | — | 112mm |
| Slots | — | 1 |
| Temp (Load) | — | 80°C |
| Perf/Watt | 2.8+40% | 2.0 |
Value Analysis
The Radeon HD 3870 launched at $219 MSRP and currently averages $15, while the FirePro 3D V5700 launched at $599 and now averages $25. The Radeon HD 3870 costs 40% less ($10 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 36.8 (Radeon HD 3870) vs 21.9 (FirePro 3D V5700) — the Radeon HD 3870 offers 68% better value. The FirePro 3D V5700 is the newer GPU (2014 vs 2012).
| Feature | Radeon HD 3870 | FirePro 3D V5700 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $219-63% | $599 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $15-40% | $25 |
| Performance per Dollar | 36.8+68% | 21.9 |
| Codename | Pitcairn | Tahiti |
| Release | March 5 2012 | January 18 2014 |
| Ranking | #460 | #423 |
Top Performing GPUs
The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
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