Radeon HD 7870 vs Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL

AMD

Radeon HD 7870

2012Core: 1000 MHz
Similar parts
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VS
AMD

Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL

2018Core: 931 MHzBoost: 1011 MHz
Similar parts
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Radeon HD 7870 vs Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL 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 7870 vs Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL 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 7870 vs Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL: 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 7870

2012

Why buy it

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 13.1 vs 0 G3D/$ ($349 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • 100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (2 GB vs Unknown).
  • Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon HD 7870 is the less risky modern option long term.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • 2012 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 207.7% higher power demand at 200W vs 65W.

Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL

2018

Why buy it

  • 3.3% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Draws 65W instead of 200W, a 135W reduction.
  • More future proof: GCN 4.0 (2016−2020) on 14nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • 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.
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 13.1 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $349 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 3.3% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward Radeon HD 7870 instead at 4,568 vs 4,498, 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 7870 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 HD 7870 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

Radeon HD 7870 vs Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL Technical Specifications

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

AMD

Radeon HD 7870

The Radeon HD 7870 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in March 5 2012. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 1000 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,568 points. Launch price was $349.

AMD

Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL

The Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 24 2018. It features the GCN 4.0 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: 4,498 points.

Graphics Performance

The Radeon HD 7870 scores 4,568 and the Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL reaches 4,498 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.6% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 7870 is built on GCN 1.0 while the Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL uses GCN 4.0, both on 28 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 1,280 (Radeon HD 7870) vs 1,280 (Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL). Raw compute: 2.56 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7870) vs 2.588 TFLOPS (Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL).

FeatureRadeon HD 7870Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL
G3D Mark Score
4,568+2%
4,498
Architecture
GCN 1.0
GCN 4.0
Process Node
28 nm
14 nm
Shading Units
1280
1280
Compute (TFLOPS)
2.56 TFLOPS
2.588 TFLOPS+1%
ROPs
32
32
TMUs
80
80
L1 Cache
320 KB
320 KB
L2 Cache
0.5 MB
1 MB+100%
Frame Generation
FSR upscaling
FSR upscaling

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureRadeon HD 7870Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL
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 7870 has 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL carries 0 MB. Radeon HD 7870 gives you 100+% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 256-bit on the Radeon HD 7870 and 64-bit on the Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL. L2 Cache: 0.5 MB (Radeon HD 7870) vs 1 MB (Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL) — the Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureRadeon HD 7870Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL
VRAM Capacity
2 GB
Shared System RAM
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
256-bit+300%
64-bit
L2 Cache
0.5 MB
1 MB+100%
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD 7870 draws 200W versus the Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL's 65W — a 101.9% difference. The Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Radeon HD 7870) vs 1W (Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs Integrated.

FeatureRadeon HD 7870Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL
TDP
200W
65W-68%
Recommended PSU
500W
1W-100%
Power Connector
2x 6-pin
Integrated
Length
241mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
Temp (Load)
80°C
Perf/Watt
22.8
69.2+204%
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Radeon HD 7870 came in at $349, while the Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL launched at $0. On MSRP, Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL was 100+% cheaper ($349 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 13.1 (Radeon HD 7870) vs Infinity (Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL) — the Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL offers Infinity% better value. The newer card here is Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL (2018 vs 2012).

FeatureRadeon HD 7870Radeon Pro WX Vega M GL
MSRP
$349
$0-100%
Performance per Dollar
13.1
Infinity
Codename
Pitcairn
Polaris 22
Release
March 5 2012
April 24 2018
Ranking
#460
#464

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