Radeon HD 4870 X2 vs Tesla M2070-Q

AMD

Radeon HD 4870 X2

2008Core: 700 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
NVIDIA

Tesla M2070-Q

2011Core: 574 MHz
Similar parts
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Radeon HD 4870 X2 vs Tesla M2070-Q Performance Spectrum

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 Tesla M2070-Q: 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

  • Costs $4,939 less on MSRP ($550 MSRP vs $5,489 MSRP).
  • Delivers 900.3% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 2.4 vs 0.2 G3D/$ ($550 MSRP vs $5,489 MSRP).
  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (1 GB vs 512 MB).

Trade-offs

  • 2008 hardware with 1 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 27.1% higher power demand at 286W vs 225W.

Tesla M2070-Q

2011

Why buy it

  • Draws 225W instead of 286W, a 61W reduction.
  • More future proof: Fermi (2010−2014) on 40nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 1 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2011 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 898% HIGHER MSRP
    $5,489 MSRPvs$550 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0.2 vs 2.4 G3D/$ ($5,489 MSRP vs $550 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Radeon HD 4870 X2 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 0.2% in PassMark G3D (1,309 vs 1,306), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
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 512 MB of VRAM and the newer upscaling stack, FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack. 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 to buy today. It is $4,939 cheaper on MSRP at $550 vs $5,489, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 900.3% (2.4 vs 0.2), so the value case lines up with the gaming result.

Radeon HD 4870 X2 vs Tesla M2070-Q Technical Specifications

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

AMD

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.

NVIDIA

Tesla M2070-Q

The Tesla M2070-Q is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in July 25 2011. It features the Fermi architecture. The core clock speed is 574 MHz. It has 448 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 225W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,306 points. Launch price was $5,489.

Graphics Performance

The Radeon HD 4870 X2 scores 1,309 and the Tesla M2070-Q reaches 1,306 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 4870 X2 is built on TeraScale while the Tesla M2070-Q uses Fermi, both on 55 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 800 (Radeon HD 4870 X2) vs 448 (Tesla M2070-Q). Raw compute: 1.12 TFLOPS ×2 (Radeon HD 4870 X2) vs 1.028 TFLOPS (Tesla M2070-Q).

FeatureRadeon HD 4870 X2Tesla M2070-Q
G3D Mark Score
1,309
1,306
Architecture
TeraScale
Fermi
Process Node
55 nm
40 nm
Shading Units
800 ×2+79%
448
Compute (TFLOPS)
1.12 TFLOPS ×2+9%
1.028 TFLOPS
ROPs
16 ×2
48+200%
TMUs
40 ×2
56+40%
L1 Cache
160 KB
896 KB+460%
L2 Cache
256 KB
768 KB+200%

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureRadeon HD 4870 X2Tesla M2070-Q
Upscaling Tech
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Upscaling support
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
AMD Anti-Lag
Standard
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon HD 4870 X2 has 1 GB of VRAM, while the Tesla M2070-Q carries 512 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 64-bit on the Tesla M2070-Q. L2 Cache: 256 KB (Radeon HD 4870 X2) vs 768 KB (Tesla M2070-Q) — the Tesla M2070-Q has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureRadeon HD 4870 X2Tesla M2070-Q
VRAM Capacity
1 GB+100%
0.5 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
64-bit
64-bit
L2 Cache
256 KB
768 KB+200%
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD 4870 X2 draws 286W versus the Tesla M2070-Q's 225W — a 23.9% difference. The Tesla M2070-Q is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (Radeon HD 4870 X2) vs 350W (Tesla M2070-Q). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin vs PCIe-powered.

FeatureRadeon HD 4870 X2Tesla M2070-Q
TDP
286W
225W-21%
Recommended PSU
650W
350W-46%
Power Connector
1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin
PCIe-powered
Length
267mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
90°C
Perf/Watt
4.6
5.8+26%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Radeon HD 4870 X2 came in at $550, while the Tesla M2070-Q launched at $5489. On MSRP, Radeon HD 4870 X2 was 90% cheaper ($4939 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 2.4 (Radeon HD 4870 X2) vs 0.2 (Tesla M2070-Q) — the Radeon HD 4870 X2 offers 1100% better value. The newer card here is Tesla M2070-Q (2011 vs 2008).

FeatureRadeon HD 4870 X2Tesla M2070-Q
MSRP
$550-90%
$5489
Performance per Dollar
2.4+1100%
0.2
Codename
R700
GF100
Release
August 12 2008
July 25 2011
Ranking
#796
#798

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