Radeon HD 7870M vs Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge)

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 7870M vs Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge) 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 7870M vs Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge): 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 7870M

2012

Why buy it

✅300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (2 GB vs 512 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge) 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.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 30.0 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $50 MSRP).
❌275% higher power demand at 45W vs 12W.

Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge)

2016

Why buy it

✅72.2% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 30.0 vs 0 G3D/$ ($50 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Draws 12W instead of 45W, a 33W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 2 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2016 hardware with 512 MB 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 R5 (Bristol Ridge) is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 72.2% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward Radeon HD 7870M instead at 1,507 vs 1,500, 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 7870M is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 2 GB vs 512 MB of VRAM. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge) makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge) is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Radeon HD 7870M has the stronger long-term case.

Radeon HD 7870M vs Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge) Technical Specifications

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

Radeon HD 7870M

The Radeon HD 7870M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 24 2012. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 800 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 45W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,507 points.

Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge)

The Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge) is manufactured by AMD. It was released in June 1 2016. It features the GCN 1.2/2.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 800 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 12W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,500 points.

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Graphics Performance

The Radeon HD 7870M scores 1,507 and the Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge) reaches 1,500 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.5% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 7870M is built on GCN 1.0 while the Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge) uses GCN 1.2/2.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 640 (Radeon HD 7870M) vs 384 (Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge)).

Feature	Radeon HD 7870M	Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge)
G3D Mark Score	1,507	1,500
Architecture	GCN 1.0	GCN 1.2/2.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	640+67%	384
Frame Generation	FSR upscaling	FSR upscaling

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon HD 7870M	Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge)
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

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Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon HD 7870M has 2 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge) carries 512 MB. Radeon HD 7870M gives you 300% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is System on the Radeon HD 7870M and 128-bit on the Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge).

Feature	Radeon HD 7870M	Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge)
VRAM Capacity	2 GB+300%	0.5 GB
Memory Type	Shared	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	System	Unknown
Bus Width	System	128-bit

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Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD 7870M draws 45W versus the Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge)'s 12W — a 115.8% difference. The Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge) is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon HD 7870M) vs 350W (Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge)). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered.

Feature	Radeon HD 7870M	Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge)
TDP	45W	12W-73%
Recommended PSU	350W	350W
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	PCIe-powered
Perf/Watt	33.5	125.0+273%

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Value Analysis

The newer card here is Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge) (2016 vs 2012).

Feature	Radeon HD 7870M	Radeon R5 (Bristol Ridge)
MSRP	—	$50
Codename	Heathrow	Bristol Ridge
Release	April 24 2012	June 1 2016
Ranking	#765	#904

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