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 7850 vs Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870 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 7850 vs Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870: 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 7850

2012

Why buy it

✅2.8% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (2 GB vs Unknown).
✅Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon HD 7850 is the less risky modern option long term.

Trade-offs

❌2012 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
66% HIGHER MSRP
$249 MSRPvs$150 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 15.7 vs 26.1 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
❌100% higher power demand at 130W vs 65W.

Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870

2018

Why buy it

✅Costs $99 less on MSRP ($150 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
✅Delivers 67.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 26.1 vs 15.7 G3D/$ ($150 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 130W, a 65W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon HD 7850 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 2 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2018 hardware with Unknown of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Radeon HD 7850 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 2.8% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870 instead at 3,922 vs 3,897, so for this question the real-game FPS result matters more than the synthetic split.

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

Radeon HD 7850 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 2 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 RX Vega M GL / 870 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $99 cheaper on MSRP at $150 vs $249, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 67.1% (26.1 vs 15.7), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. If you are mainly targeting 1080p, Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Radeon HD 7850 has the stronger long-term case.

Radeon HD 7850 vs Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870 Technical Specifications

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

Radeon HD 7850

The Radeon HD 7850 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in March 5 2012. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1000 MHz. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 130W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,897 points. Launch price was $249.

Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870

The Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 7 2018. It features the Vega architecture. The core clock ranges from 931 MHz to 1011 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 65W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,922 points.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon HD 7850 scores 3,897 and the Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870 reaches 3,922 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.6% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 7850 is built on GCN 1.0 while the Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870 uses Vega, both on 28 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 1,024 (Radeon HD 7850) vs 1,280 (Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870). Boost clocks: 1000 MHz vs 1011 MHz.

Feature	Radeon HD 7850	Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870
G3D Mark Score	3,897	3,922
Architecture	GCN 1.0	Vega
Process Node	28 nm	14 nm
Shading Units	1024	1280+25%
Boost Clock	1000 MHz	1011 MHz+1%
Frame Generation	FSR upscaling	FSR upscaling

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon HD 7850	Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870
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 7850 has 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870 carries 0 MB. Radeon HD 7850 gives you 100+% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 153.6 GB/s (Radeon HD 7850) vs 179.2 GB/s (Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870) — a 16.7% advantage for the Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870. Memory bus width is 256-bit on the Radeon HD 7850 and 1024-bit on the Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870.

Feature	Radeon HD 7850	Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870
VRAM Capacity	2 GB	Shared System RAM
Memory Type	GDDR5	HBM2
Memory Bandwidth	153.6 GB/s	179.2 GB/s+17%
Bus Width	256-bit	1024-bit+300%

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (Radeon HD 7850) vs 12 (12_1) (Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870). Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 6.

Feature	Radeon HD 7850	Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870
DirectX	12	12 (12_1)
Max Displays	4	6+50%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: VCE 1.0 (Radeon HD 7850) vs VCE 3.0 (Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870). Decoder: UVD 3.1 vs UVD 6.3. Supported codecs: H.264 (Radeon HD 7850) vs H.264,H.265,VP9 (Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870).

Feature	Radeon HD 7850	Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870
Encoder	VCE 1.0	VCE 3.0
Decoder	UVD 3.1	UVD 6.3
Codecs	H.264	H.264,H.265,VP9

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD 7850 draws 130W versus the Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870's 65W — a 66.7% difference. The Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Radeon HD 7850) vs 1W (Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs Integrated. Card length: 210mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots.

Feature	Radeon HD 7850	Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870
TDP	130W	65W-50%
Recommended PSU	500W	1W-100%
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	Integrated
Length	210mm	0mm
Height	—	0mm
Slots	2	0-100%
Temp (Load)	—	80
Perf/Watt	30.0	60.3+101%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Radeon HD 7850 came in at $249, while the Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870 launched at $150. On MSRP, Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870 was 39.8% cheaper ($99 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 15.7 (Radeon HD 7850) vs 26.1 (Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870) — the Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870 offers 66.2% better value. The newer card here is Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870 (2018 vs 2012).

Feature	Radeon HD 7850	Radeon RX Vega M GL / 870
MSRP	$249	$150-40%
Performance per Dollar	15.7	26.1+66%
Codename	Pitcairn	Vega Kaby Lake-G
Release	March 5 2012	January 7 2018
Ranking	#503	#427

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