Radeon HD 7850M vs Radeon HD 4870
Radeon HD 7850M
Popular choices:
Radeon HD 4870
Popular choices:
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 7850M is positioned at rank 456 and the Radeon HD 4870 is on rank 241, 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 7850M
Performance Per Dollar Radeon HD 4870
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon HD 4870 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.9% higher G3D Mark score. This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon HD 7850M.
| Insight | Radeon HD 7850M | Radeon HD 4870 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.9%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.9%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2008 / TeraScale (2005−2013)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+0%) |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | — | — |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon HD 4870 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon HD 4870 holds the technical lead. Priced at $25 (vs $50), it costs 50% less, resulting in a 101.9% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon HD 7850M | Radeon HD 4870 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+101.9%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($50) | ✅More affordable ($25) |
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 7850M and Radeon HD 4870
Radeon HD 7850M
The Radeon HD 7850M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 24 2012. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 675 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 40W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,373 points.
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.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 7850M scores 1,373 and the Radeon HD 4870 reaches 1,386 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 7850M is built on GCN 1.0 while the Radeon HD 4870 uses TeraScale, both on 28 nm vs 55 nm. Shader units: 640 (Radeon HD 7850M) vs 800 (Radeon HD 4870). Raw compute: 0.864 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7850M) vs 1.2 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 4870).
| Feature | Radeon HD 7850M | Radeon HD 4870 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 1,373 | 1,386 |
| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | TeraScale |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 55 nm |
| Shading Units | 640 | 800+25% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 0.864 TFLOPS | 1.2 TFLOPS+39% |
| ROPs | 16 | 16 |
| TMUs | 40 | 40 |
| L1 Cache | 160 KB | 160 KB |
| L2 Cache | 256 KB | 256 KB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 7850M | Radeon HD 4870 |
|---|---|---|
| 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)
Both cards feature 2 GB of video memory. Bus width: System vs 64-bit.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7850M | Radeon HD 4870 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 2 GB | 2 GB |
| Memory Type | Shared | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | System | Unknown |
| Bus Width | System | 64-bit |
| L2 Cache | 256 KB | 256 KB |
Media & Encoding
Supported codecs: H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4,DivX (Radeon HD 7850M) vs H.264 (Radeon HD 4870).
| Feature | Radeon HD 7850M | Radeon HD 4870 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | VCE 1.0 | — |
| Decoder | UVD 3 | — |
| Codecs | H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2,MPEG-4,DivX | H.264 |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 7850M draws 40W versus the Radeon HD 4870's 150W — a 115.8% difference. The Radeon HD 7850M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon HD 7850M) vs 500W (Radeon HD 4870). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 2x 6-pin.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7850M | Radeon HD 4870 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 40W-73% | 150W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W-30% | 500W |
| Power Connector | 1x 6-pin | 2x 6-pin |
| Slots | 1 | — |
| Temp (Load) | 70°C | — |
| Perf/Watt | 34.3+273% | 9.2 |
Value Analysis
The Radeon HD 4870 costs 50% less ($25 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 27.5 (Radeon HD 7850M) vs 55.4 (Radeon HD 4870) — the Radeon HD 4870 offers 101.5% better value. The Radeon HD 7850M is the newer GPU (2012 vs 2008).
| Feature | Radeon HD 7850M | Radeon HD 4870 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | — | $299 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $50 | $25-50% |
| Performance per Dollar | 27.5 | 55.4+101% |
| Codename | Heathrow | RV770 |
| Release | April 24 2012 | June 25 2008 |
| Ranking | #787 | #784 |
Top Performing GPUs
The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
You May Also Compare
Similar GPU comparisons based on Radeon HD 7850M and Radeon HD 4870
