Radeon HD 4870 vs Radeon HD 7850M
Radeon HD 4870
Popular choices:
Radeon HD 7850M
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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 4870 is positioned at rank 241 and the Radeon HD 7850M is on rank 456, so the Radeon HD 4870 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 4870
Performance Per Dollar Radeon HD 7850M
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon HD 4870 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.9% higher G3D Mark score. This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon HD 7850M.
| Insight | Radeon HD 4870 | Radeon HD 7850M |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.9%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.9%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2008 / TeraScale (2005−2013)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+0%) |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | — | — |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon HD 4870 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon HD 4870 holds the technical lead. Priced at $25 (vs $50), it costs 50% less, resulting in a 101.9% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon HD 4870 | Radeon HD 7850M |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+101.9%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($25) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($50) |
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 4870 and Radeon HD 7850M
Radeon HD 4870
The Radeon HD 4870 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in June 25 2008. It features the TeraScale architecture. The core clock speed is 750 MHz. It has 800 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 55 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,386 points. Launch price was $299.
Radeon HD 7850M
The Radeon HD 7850M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 24 2012. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 675 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 40W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,373 points.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 4870 scores 1,386 and the Radeon HD 7850M reaches 1,373 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 4870 is built on TeraScale while the Radeon HD 7850M uses GCN 1.0, both on 55 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 800 (Radeon HD 4870) vs 640 (Radeon HD 7850M). Raw compute: 1.2 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 4870) vs 0.864 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7850M).
| Feature | Radeon HD 4870 | Radeon HD 7850M |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 1,386 | 1,373 |
| Architecture | TeraScale | GCN 1.0 |
| Process Node | 55 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 800+25% | 640 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 1.2 TFLOPS+39% | 0.864 TFLOPS |
| ROPs | 16 | 16 |
| TMUs | 40 | 40 |
| L1 Cache | 160 KB | 160 KB |
| L2 Cache | 256 KB | 256 KB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 4870 | Radeon HD 7850M |
|---|---|---|
| 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)
Both cards feature 2 GB of video memory. Bus width: 64-bit vs System.
| Feature | Radeon HD 4870 | Radeon HD 7850M |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 2 GB | 2 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | Shared |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | System |
| Bus Width | 64-bit | System |
| L2 Cache | 256 KB | 256 KB |
Media & Encoding
Supported codecs: H.264 (Radeon HD 4870) vs H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4,DivX (Radeon HD 7850M).
| Feature | Radeon HD 4870 | Radeon HD 7850M |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | — | VCE 1.0 |
| Decoder | — | UVD 3 |
| Codecs | H.264 | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4,DivX |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 4870 draws 150W versus the Radeon HD 7850M's 40W — a 115.8% difference. The Radeon HD 7850M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Radeon HD 4870) vs 350W (Radeon HD 7850M). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs 1x 6-pin.
| Feature | Radeon HD 4870 | Radeon HD 7850M |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 150W | 40W-73% |
| Recommended PSU | 500W | 350W-30% |
| Power Connector | 2x 6-pin | 1x 6-pin |
| Slots | — | 1 |
| Temp (Load) | — | 70°C |
| Perf/Watt | 9.2 | 34.3+273% |
Value Analysis
The Radeon HD 4870 costs 50% less ($25 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 55.4 (Radeon HD 4870) vs 27.5 (Radeon HD 7850M) — the Radeon HD 4870 offers 101.5% better value. The Radeon HD 7850M is the newer GPU (2012 vs 2008).
| Feature | Radeon HD 4870 | Radeon HD 7850M |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $299 | — |
| Avg Price (30d) | $25-50% | $50 |
| Performance per Dollar | 55.4+101% | 27.5 |
| Codename | RV770 | Heathrow |
| Release | June 25 2008 | April 24 2012 |
| Ranking | #784 | #787 |
Top Performing GPUs
The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
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