Radeon HD 7870 vs Radeon R9 Nano
Radeon HD 7870
Popular choices:
Radeon R9 Nano
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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.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon R9 Nano 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 7870.
| Insight | Radeon HD 7870 | Radeon R9 Nano |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.9%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.9%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / GCN 3.0 (2014−2019)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+0%) |
| Efficiency | Normal Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon HD 7870 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon HD 7870 holds the technical lead. Priced at $45 (vs $200), it costs 78% less, resulting in a 340.5% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon HD 7870 | Radeon R9 Nano |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+340.5%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($45) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($200) |
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 7870 and Radeon R9 Nano
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.
Radeon R9 Nano
The Radeon R9 Nano is manufactured by AMD. It was released in August 27 2015. It features the GCN 3.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1000 MHz. It has 4096 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 175W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,609 points. Launch price was $649.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 7870 scores 4,568 and the Radeon R9 Nano reaches 4,609 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 7870 is built on GCN 1.0 while the Radeon R9 Nano uses GCN 3.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,280 (Radeon HD 7870) vs 4,096 (Radeon R9 Nano). Raw compute: 2.56 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7870) vs 8.192 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 Nano).
| Feature | Radeon HD 7870 | Radeon R9 Nano |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 4,568 | 4,609 |
| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | GCN 3.0 |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 1280 | 4096+220% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 2.56 TFLOPS | 8.192 TFLOPS+220% |
| ROPs | 32 | 64+100% |
| TMUs | 80 | 256+220% |
| L1 Cache | 0.31 MB | 1 MB+223% |
| L2 Cache | 0.5 MB | 2 MB+300% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 7870 | Radeon R9 Nano |
|---|---|---|
| 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. Memory bandwidth: 153.6 GB/s (Radeon HD 7870) vs 512 GB/s (Radeon R9 Nano) — a 233.3% advantage for the Radeon R9 Nano. Bus width: 256-bit vs 4096-bit. L2 Cache: 0.5 MB (Radeon HD 7870) vs 2 MB (Radeon R9 Nano) — the Radeon R9 Nano has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7870 | Radeon R9 Nano |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 2 GB | 2 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | HBM |
| Memory Bandwidth | 153.6 GB/s | 512 GB/s+233% |
| Bus Width | 256-bit | 4096-bit+1500% |
| L2 Cache | 0.5 MB | 2 MB+300% |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12 (11_1) (Radeon HD 7870) vs 12 (Radeon R9 Nano). Maximum simultaneous displays: 6 vs 4.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7870 | Radeon R9 Nano |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12 (11_1) | 12 |
| Max Displays | 6+50% | 4 |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: VCE 1.0 (Radeon HD 7870) vs VCE 3.0 (Radeon R9 Nano). Decoder: UVD 4.0 vs UVD 6.0.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7870 | Radeon R9 Nano |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | VCE 1.0 | VCE 3.0 |
| Decoder | UVD 4.0 | UVD 6.0 |
| Codecs | H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 | — |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 7870 draws 200W versus the Radeon R9 Nano's 175W — a 13.3% difference. The Radeon R9 Nano is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Radeon HD 7870) vs 550W (Radeon R9 Nano). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs 1x 8-pin. Card length: 241mm vs 152mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7870 | Radeon R9 Nano |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 200W | 175W-13% |
| Recommended PSU | 500W-9% | 550W |
| Power Connector | 2x 6-pin | 1x 8-pin |
| Length | 241mm | 152mm |
| Height | 111mm | — |
| Slots | 2 | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | 80°C | — |
| Perf/Watt | 22.8 | 26.3+15% |
Value Analysis
The Radeon HD 7870 launched at $349 MSRP and currently averages $45, while the Radeon R9 Nano launched at $649 and now averages $200. The Radeon HD 7870 costs 77.5% less ($155 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 101.5 (Radeon HD 7870) vs 23.0 (Radeon R9 Nano) — the Radeon HD 7870 offers 341.3% better value. The Radeon R9 Nano is the newer GPU (2015 vs 2012).
| Feature | Radeon HD 7870 | Radeon R9 Nano |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $349-46% | $649 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $45-78% | $200 |
| Performance per Dollar | 101.5+341% | 23.0 |
| Codename | Pitcairn | Fiji |
| Release | March 5 2012 | August 27 2015 |
| Ranking | #460 | #306 |
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