Radeon HD 4870 vs Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C
Radeon HD 4870
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Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C
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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 Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C is on rank 312, 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 Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C is significantly newer (2020 vs 2008). The Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon HD 4870 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.7% higher G3D Mark score. However, the Radeon HD 4870 offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.
| Insight | Radeon HD 4870 | Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.7%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+1.7%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2008 / TeraScale (2005−2013)) | Vega (2017−2020) (7nm) |
| 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 4870 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Priced at $25 versus $30 for the Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C, it costs 17% less. While it maintains basic entry-level capabilities, this results in a 18% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon HD 4870 | Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+18%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($25) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($30) |
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 Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C
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 Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C
The Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 7 2020. It features the Vega architecture. The boost clock speed is 2100 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 15W. Manufactured using 7 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,410 points.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 4870 scores 1,386 and the Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C reaches 1,410 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 4870 is built on TeraScale while the Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C uses Vega, both on 55 nm vs 7 nm. Shader units: 800 (Radeon HD 4870) vs 512 (Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C).
| Feature | Radeon HD 4870 | Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 1,386 | 1,410+2% |
| Architecture | TeraScale | Vega |
| Process Node | 55 nm | 7 nm |
| Shading Units | 800+56% | 512 |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 4870 | Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C |
|---|---|---|
| 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 4870 comes with 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C has 0 MB. The Radeon HD 4870 offers 100+% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 64-bit vs System.
| Feature | Radeon HD 4870 | Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 2 GB | Shared System RAM |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | Shared |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | System |
| Bus Width | 64-bit | System |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 4870 draws 150W versus the Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C's 15W — a 163.6% difference. The Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Radeon HD 4870) vs 1W (Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs Integrated.
| Feature | Radeon HD 4870 | Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 150W | 15W-90% |
| Recommended PSU | 500W | 1W-100% |
| Power Connector | 2x 6-pin | Integrated |
| Length | — | 1mm |
| Slots | — | 0 |
| Perf/Watt | 9.2 | 94.0+922% |
Value Analysis
The Radeon HD 4870 launched at $299 MSRP and currently averages $25, while the Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C launched at $99 and now averages $30. The Radeon HD 4870 costs 16.7% less ($5 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 55.4 (Radeon HD 4870) vs 47.0 (Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C) — the Radeon HD 4870 offers 17.9% better value. The Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C is the newer GPU (2020 vs 2008).
| Feature | Radeon HD 4870 | Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500C |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $299 | $99-67% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $25-17% | $30 |
| Performance per Dollar | 55.4+18% | 47.0 |
| Codename | RV770 | Vega |
| Release | June 25 2008 | January 7 2020 |
| Ranking | #784 | #545 |
Top Performing GPUs
The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
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