Radeon HD 5870 vs Radeon RX 540

Radeon HD 5870

2009Core: 850 MHz

Radeon RX 540

2017Core: 1124 MHzBoost: 1219 MHz

Performance Spectrum - GPU

Radeon HD 5870

188

2,180

+2.2%

Radeon RX 9060 XT 16 GB

Radeon RX 540

2,134

0.0%

Radeon RX 6750 GRE 12GB

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.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Per Dollar Radeon RX 540

#54

Radeon RX 6800S

MSRP: $800|Avg: $800

92%

#225

Radeon RX 550X (móvel)

MSRP: $35|Avg: $35

504%

#227

GeForce GTX 1070 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $150

456%

#228

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $100

455%

#232

GeForce GTX 1050 (Mobile)

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

414%

#233

Radeon RX 6300

MSRP: $60|Avg: $40

411%

#235

Radeon RX 540

MSRP: $99|Avg: $40

100%

#236

Radeon HD 6750M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $60

99%

#237

Radeon HD 7570M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $15

98%

#239

Arc Graphics 130T

MSRP: $300|Avg: $250

96%

#240

GeForce MX570 A

MSRP: $300|Avg: $300

96%

#242

GeForce GT 645

MSRP: $99|Avg: $15

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

⚠️ Generational Difference

The Radeon RX 540 is significantly newer (2017 vs 2009). The Radeon RX 540 likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon HD 5870 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.

🚀 Performance Leadership

The Radeon HD 5870 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 2.2% higher G3D Mark score. However, the Radeon RX 540 offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.

Insight	Radeon HD 5870	Radeon RX 540
Performance	✅Leading raw performance (+2.2%)	❌Lower raw frame rates (-2.2%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2009 / TeraScale 2 (2009−2015))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2017 / GCN 4.0 (2016−2020))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	❌ Less VRAM capacity	✅ More VRAM (+100%)
Efficiency	⚡ Higher Power Consumption	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt
Case Fit	Standard Size (280mm)	📏 Compact / SFF Friendly

💎 Value Proposition

The Radeon RX 540 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon RX 540 holds the technical lead. Priced at $40 (vs $50), it costs 20% less, resulting in a 22.4% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	Radeon HD 5870	Radeon RX 540
Cost Efficiency	❌Lower cost efficiency	✅Better overall value (+22.4%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($50)	✅More affordable ($40)

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.

Radeon HD 5870 Benchmark Check

Radeon RX 540 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Radeon HD 5870 and Radeon RX 540

Radeon HD 5870

The Radeon HD 5870 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in September 23 2009. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 850 MHz. It has 1600 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 188W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,180 points. Launch price was $399.

Radeon RX 540

The Radeon RX 540 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 11 2017. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1124 MHz to 1219 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,134 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon HD 5870 scores 2,180 and the Radeon RX 540 reaches 2,134 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 5870 is built on TeraScale 2 while the Radeon RX 540 uses GCN 4.0, both on 40 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 1,600 (Radeon HD 5870) vs 512 (Radeon RX 540). Raw compute: 2.72 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 5870) vs 1.248 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 540).

Feature	Radeon HD 5870	Radeon RX 540
G3D Mark Score	2,180+2%	2,134
Architecture	TeraScale 2	GCN 4.0
Process Node	40 nm	14 nm
Shading Units	1600+213%	512
Compute (TFLOPS)	2.72 TFLOPS+118%	1.248 TFLOPS
ROPs	32+100%	16
TMUs	80+150%	32
L1 Cache	160 KB+25%	128 KB
L2 Cache	512 KB	512 KB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon HD 5870	Radeon RX 540
Upscaling Tech	FSR 1.0 (Software)	FSR 2.1
Frame Generation	Not Supported	FSR 3 (Compatible)
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	AMD Anti-Lag	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon HD 5870 comes with 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon RX 540 has 4 GB. The Radeon RX 540 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 128-bit.

Feature	Radeon HD 5870	Radeon RX 540
VRAM Capacity	2 GB	4 GB+100%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	80 GB/s
Bus Width	128-bit	128-bit
L2 Cache	512 KB	512 KB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11.2 (Radeon HD 5870) vs 12_0 (Radeon RX 540). Maximum simultaneous displays: 3 vs 0.

Feature	Radeon HD 5870	Radeon RX 540
DirectX	11.2	12_0+7%
Max Displays	3	0

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: UVD 2.2 (Radeon HD 5870) vs VCE 3.4 (Radeon RX 540). Decoder: UVD 2.2 vs UVD 6.3.

Feature	Radeon HD 5870	Radeon RX 540
Encoder	UVD 2.2	VCE 3.4
Decoder	UVD 2.2	UVD 6.3
Codecs	H.264	—

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD 5870 draws 188W versus the Radeon RX 540's 50W — a 116% difference. The Radeon RX 540 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Radeon HD 5870) vs 350W (Radeon RX 540). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 280mm vs 1mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots.

Feature	Radeon HD 5870	Radeon RX 540
TDP	188W	50W-73%
Recommended PSU	500W	350W-30%
Power Connector	2x 6-pin	PCIe-powered
Length	280mm	1mm
Slots	2	0-100%
Perf/Watt	11.6	42.7+268%

💰

Value Analysis

The Radeon HD 5870 launched at $399 MSRP and currently averages $50, while the Radeon RX 540 launched at $99 and now averages $40. The Radeon RX 540 costs 20% less ($10 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 43.6 (Radeon HD 5870) vs 53.4 (Radeon RX 540) — the Radeon RX 540 offers 22.5% better value. The Radeon RX 540 is the newer GPU (2017 vs 2009).