CPU
GPU
Radeon HD 3870
Popular choices:
Mobility Radeon HD 3870
Popular choices:
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 Mobility Radeon HD 3870 is on rank 509, 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 Mobility Radeon HD 3870
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon HD 3870 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.7% 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 Mobility Radeon HD 3870.
| Insight | Radeon HD 3870 | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.7%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.7%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2010 / TeraScale 2 (2009−2015)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) | ❌ Less VRAM capacity |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| 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 $15), it costs 0% less, resulting in a 0.7% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon HD 3870 | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+0.7%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
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 Mobility Radeon HD 3870
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.
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.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 3870 scores 552 and the Mobility Radeon HD 3870 reaches 548 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 3870 is built on GCN 1.0 while the Mobility Radeon HD 3870 uses TeraScale 2, both on 28 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 1,280 (Radeon HD 3870) vs 800 (Mobility Radeon HD 3870). Raw compute: 2.56 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 3870) vs 1.12 TFLOPS (Mobility Radeon HD 3870).
| Feature | Radeon HD 3870 | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 552 | 548 |
| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | TeraScale 2 |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 40 nm |
| Shading Units | 1280+60% | 800 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 2.56 TFLOPS+129% | 1.12 TFLOPS |
| ROPs | 32+100% | 16 |
| TMUs | 80+100% | 40 |
| L1 Cache | 320 KB+300% | 80 KB |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB+100% | 256 KB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 3870 | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | AMD Anti-Lag |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The Radeon HD 3870 comes with 1 GB of VRAM, while the Mobility Radeon HD 3870 has 512 MB. The Radeon HD 3870 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 512 KB (Radeon HD 3870) vs 256 KB (Mobility Radeon HD 3870) — the Radeon HD 3870 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon HD 3870 | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 1 GB+100% | 0.5 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 128-bit | 128-bit |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB+100% | 256 KB |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 3870 draws 200W versus the Mobility Radeon HD 3870's 50W — a 120% difference. The Mobility Radeon HD 3870 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (Radeon HD 3870) vs 350W (Mobility Radeon HD 3870). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered.
| Feature | Radeon HD 3870 | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 200W | 50W-75% |
| Recommended PSU | 300W-14% | 350W |
| Power Connector | 1x 6-pin | PCIe-powered |
| Length | — | 1mm |
| Slots | — | 0 |
| Perf/Watt | 2.8 | 11.0+293% |
Value Analysis
The Radeon HD 3870 launched at $219 MSRP and currently averages $15, while the Mobility Radeon HD 3870 launched at $129 and now averages $15. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 36.8 (Radeon HD 3870) vs 36.5 (Mobility Radeon HD 3870) — the Radeon HD 3870 offers 0.8% better value. The Radeon HD 3870 is the newer GPU (2012 vs 2010).
| Feature | Radeon HD 3870 | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $219 | $129-41% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $15 | $15 |
| Performance per Dollar | 36.8 | 36.5 |
| Codename | Pitcairn | Broadway |
| Release | March 5 2012 | January 7 2010 |
| Ranking | #460 | #846 |
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