Radeon HD 3870 vs Radeon R5 240
Radeon HD 3870
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Radeon R5 240
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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 Radeon R5 240 is on rank 135, so the Radeon R5 240 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 Radeon R5 240
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon R5 240 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.1% higher G3D Mark score and 100% more VRAM (2 GB vs 1 GB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon HD 3870.
| Insight | Radeon HD 3870 | Radeon R5 240 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.1%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+1.1%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2013 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | — | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon R5 240 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon R5 240 holds the technical lead. Priced at $10 (vs $15), it costs 33% less, resulting in a 51.6% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon HD 3870 | Radeon R5 240 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+51.6%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($15) | ✅More affordable ($10) |
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 Radeon R5 240
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.
Radeon R5 240
The Radeon R5 240 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in October 8 2013. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 780 MHz. It has 320 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 30W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 558 points. Launch price was $69.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 3870 scores 552 and the Radeon R5 240 reaches 558 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 3870 is built on GCN 1.0 while the Radeon R5 240 uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,280 (Radeon HD 3870) vs 320 (Radeon R5 240). Raw compute: 2.56 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 3870) vs 0.448 TFLOPS (Radeon R5 240).
| Feature | Radeon HD 3870 | Radeon R5 240 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 552 | 558+1% |
| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | GCN 1.0 |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 1280+300% | 320 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 2.56 TFLOPS+471% | 0.448 TFLOPS |
| ROPs | 32+300% | 8 |
| TMUs | 80+300% | 20 |
| L1 Cache | 320 KB+300% | 80 KB |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB+100% | 256 KB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 3870 | Radeon R5 240 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Radeon R5 240 has 2 GB. The Radeon R5 240 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 (Radeon R5 240) — the Radeon HD 3870 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon HD 3870 | Radeon R5 240 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 1 GB | 2 GB+100% |
| 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 Radeon R5 240's 30W — a 147.8% difference. The Radeon R5 240 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (Radeon HD 3870) vs 250W (Radeon R5 240). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs None.
| Feature | Radeon HD 3870 | Radeon R5 240 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 200W | 30W-85% |
| Recommended PSU | 300W | 250W-17% |
| Power Connector | 1x 6-pin | None |
| Length | — | 168mm |
| Slots | — | 1 |
| Perf/Watt | 2.8 | 18.6+564% |
Value Analysis
The Radeon HD 3870 launched at $219 MSRP and currently averages $15, while the Radeon R5 240 launched at $59 and now averages $10. The Radeon R5 240 costs 33.3% less ($5 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 36.8 (Radeon HD 3870) vs 55.8 (Radeon R5 240) — the Radeon R5 240 offers 51.6% better value. The Radeon R5 240 is the newer GPU (2013 vs 2012).
| Feature | Radeon HD 3870 | Radeon R5 240 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $219 | $59-73% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $15 | $10-33% |
| Performance per Dollar | 36.8 | 55.8+52% |
| Codename | Pitcairn | Oland |
| Release | March 5 2012 | October 8 2013 |
| Ranking | #460 | #911 |
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The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
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