Radeon HD 4870 X2 vs Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U

Radeon HD 4870 X2 vs Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U Performance Spectrum

Radeon HD 4870 X2

1 GB 286

1,309

0.0%

Radeon HD 7550M/7650M

Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U

Shared System RAM 15

1,359

+3.8%

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.

Radeon HD 4870 X2 vs Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Radeon HD 4870 X2 vs Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

Radeon HD 4870 X2

2008

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 2.4 vs 0 G3D/$ ($550 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (1 GB vs Unknown).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2008 hardware with 1 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌1806.7% higher power demand at 286W vs 15W.

Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U

2020

Why buy it

✅92.8% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Draws 15W instead of 286W, a 271W reduction.
✅More future proof: Vega (2017−2020) on 7nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 1 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2020 hardware with Unknown of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 2.4 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $550 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 92.8% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 3.8% in PassMark G3D (1,359 vs 1,309), so the answer here is pretty clean.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

Radeon HD 4870 X2 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 1 GB vs Unknown of VRAM. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon HD 4870 X2 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

Radeon HD 4870 X2 vs Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Radeon HD 4870 X2

The Radeon HD 4870 X2 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in August 12 2008. It features the TeraScale architecture. The core clock speed is 700 MHz. It has 800 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 286W. Manufactured using 55 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,309 points. Launch price was $550.

Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U

The Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U 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: 1,359 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon HD 4870 X2 scores 1,309 and the Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U reaches 1,359 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 3.8% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 4870 X2 is built on TeraScale while the Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U uses Vega, both on 55 nm vs 7 nm. Shader units: 800 (Radeon HD 4870 X2) vs 512 (Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U).

Feature	Radeon HD 4870 X2	Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U
G3D Mark Score	1,309	1,359+4%
Architecture	TeraScale	Vega
Process Node	55 nm	7 nm
Shading Units	800 ×2+56%	512
Frame Generation	FSR upscaling	FSR upscaling

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon HD 4870 X2	Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U
Upscaling Tech	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
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 X2 has 1 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U carries 0 MB. Radeon HD 4870 X2 gives you 100+% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the Radeon HD 4870 X2 and System on the Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U.

Feature	Radeon HD 4870 X2	Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U
VRAM Capacity	1 GB	Shared System RAM
Memory Type	GDDR5	Shared
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	System
Bus Width	64-bit	System

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD 4870 X2 draws 286W versus the Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U's 15W — a 180.1% difference. The Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (Radeon HD 4870 X2) vs 1W (Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin vs Integrated.

Feature	Radeon HD 4870 X2	Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U
TDP	286W	15W-95%
Recommended PSU	650W	1W-100%
Power Connector	1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin	Integrated
Length	267mm	—
Slots	2	—
Temp (Load)	90°C	—
Perf/Watt	4.6	90.6+1870%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Radeon HD 4870 X2 came in at $550, while the Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U launched at $0. On MSRP, Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U was 100+% cheaper ($550 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 2.4 (Radeon HD 4870 X2) vs Infinity (Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U) — the Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U offers Infinity% better value. The newer card here is Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U (2020 vs 2008).

Feature	Radeon HD 4870 X2	Radeon Vega 8 Ryzen 5 3500U
MSRP	$550	$0-100%
Performance per Dollar	2.4	Infinity
Codename	R700	Vega
Release	August 12 2008	January 7 2020
Ranking	#796	#545

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