Radeon HD 3870 vs GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
Radeon HD 3870
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GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
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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. The Radeon HD 3870 is positioned at rank #298 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Radeon HD 3870
Performance Per Dollar GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is significantly newer (2023 vs 2012). The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon HD 3870 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 4003.4% higher G3D Mark score and 700% more VRAM (8 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 | GeForce RTX 4060 Ti |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-4003.4%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+4003.4%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) | 🏆Elite Architecture (Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) / 5nm) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | ✨ DLSS 3/4 + Frame Gen Support |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | 🎮 High Capacity (8 GB) |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | — | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Although it costs $380 (vs $15), its significant performance lead justifies the premium, offering 62% better value per dollar than the Radeon HD 3870.
| Insight | Radeon HD 3870 | GeForce RTX 4060 Ti |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+62%) |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($15) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($380) |
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 GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
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.
GeForce RTX 4060 Ti
The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 18 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 2310 MHz to 2535 MHz. It has 4352 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 160W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 34 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 22,651 points. Launch price was $399.
Graphics Performance
In G3D Mark, the Radeon HD 3870 scores 552 versus the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti's 22,651 — the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti leads by 4003.4%. The Radeon HD 3870 is built on GCN 1.0 while the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti uses Ada Lovelace, both on 28 nm vs 5 nm. Shader units: 1,280 (Radeon HD 3870) vs 4,352 (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti). Raw compute: 2.56 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 3870) vs 22.06 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti).
| Feature | Radeon HD 3870 | GeForce RTX 4060 Ti |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 552 | 22,651+4003% |
| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | Ada Lovelace |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 5 nm |
| Shading Units | 1280 | 4352+240% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 2.56 TFLOPS | 22.06 TFLOPS+762% |
| ROPs | 32 | 48+50% |
| TMUs | 80 | 136+70% |
| L1 Cache | 0.31 MB | 4.3 MB+1287% |
| L2 Cache | 0.5 MB | 32 MB+6300% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
A critical advantage for the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is support for DLSS 3 Frame Gen. This allows it to generate entire frames using AI/Algorithms, essentially doubling the frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios or heavy ray-tracing titles. The Radeon HD 3870 lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.
| Feature | Radeon HD 3870 | GeForce RTX 4060 Ti |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 1.0 (Software) | DLSS 3.5 |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | DLSS 3.0 (Native) |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | Yes (DLSS 3.5) |
| Low Latency | AMD Anti-Lag | NVIDIA Reflex |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The Radeon HD 3870 comes with 1 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti has 8 GB. The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti offers 700% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 0.5 MB (Radeon HD 3870) vs 32 MB (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti) — the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon HD 3870 | GeForce RTX 4060 Ti |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 1 GB | 8 GB+700% |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR6 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | 288 GB/s |
| Bus Width | 128-bit | 128-bit |
| L2 Cache | 0.5 MB | 32 MB+6300% |
Media & Encoding
Supported codecs: H.264 (Radeon HD 3870) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti).
| Feature | Radeon HD 3870 | GeForce RTX 4060 Ti |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | — | 8th Gen NVENC |
| Decoder | — | 5th Gen NVDEC |
| Codecs | H.264 | MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 3870 draws 200W versus the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti's 160W — a 22.2% difference. The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 300W (Radeon HD 3870) vs 550W (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 8-pin.
| Feature | Radeon HD 3870 | GeForce RTX 4060 Ti |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 200W | 160W-20% |
| Recommended PSU | 300W-45% | 550W |
| Power Connector | 1x 6-pin | 8-pin |
| Length | — | 240mm |
| Height | — | 111mm |
| Slots | — | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | — | 70°C |
| Perf/Watt | 2.8 | 141.6+4957% |
Value Analysis
The Radeon HD 3870 launched at $219 MSRP and currently averages $15, while the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti launched at $399 and now averages $380. The Radeon HD 3870 costs 96.1% less ($365 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 36.8 (Radeon HD 3870) vs 59.6 (GeForce RTX 4060 Ti) — the GeForce RTX 4060 Ti offers 62% better value. The GeForce RTX 4060 Ti is the newer GPU (2023 vs 2012).
| Feature | Radeon HD 3870 | GeForce RTX 4060 Ti |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $219-45% | $399 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $15-96% | $380 |
| Performance per Dollar | 36.8 | 59.6+62% |
| Codename | Pitcairn | AD106 |
| Release | March 5 2012 | May 18 2023 |
| Ranking | #460 | #59 |
Top Performing GPUs
The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
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