Radeon HD 7870M vs Radeon Vega 10

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 Vega 10 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 Vega 10: 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

✅100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (2 GB vs Unknown).
✅Radeon Vega 10 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon HD 7870M is the less risky modern option long term.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than Radeon Vega 10 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 3.0 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
❌350% higher power demand at 45W vs 10W.

Radeon Vega 10

2019

Why buy it

✅25.3% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 3.0 vs 0 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
✅Draws 10W instead of 45W, a 35W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 2 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2019 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 Vega 10 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 25.3% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 0.5% in PassMark G3D (1,515 vs 1,507), so the answer here is pretty clean.

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 Unknown of VRAM. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon Vega 10 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. If you are mainly targeting 1080p, Radeon Vega 10 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 Vega 10 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 Vega 10

The Radeon Vega 10 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 8 2019. It features the GCN 5.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 300 MHz to 1301 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 10W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,515 points.

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Graphics Performance

The Radeon HD 7870M scores 1,507 and the Radeon Vega 10 reaches 1,515 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 Vega 10 uses GCN 5.0, both on 28 nm vs 14 nm. Shader units: 640 (Radeon HD 7870M) vs 640 (Radeon Vega 10). Raw compute: 1.024 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7870M) vs 1.665 TFLOPS (Radeon Vega 10).

Feature	Radeon HD 7870M	Radeon Vega 10
G3D Mark Score	1,507	1,515
Architecture	GCN 1.0	GCN 5.0
Process Node	28 nm	14 nm
Shading Units	640	640
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.024 TFLOPS	1.665 TFLOPS+63%
ROPs	16+100%	8
TMUs	40	40
Frame Generation	FSR upscaling	FSR upscaling

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon HD 7870M	Radeon Vega 10
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 Vega 10 carries 0 MB. Radeon HD 7870M gives you 100+% 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 System on the Radeon Vega 10.

Feature	Radeon HD 7870M	Radeon Vega 10
VRAM Capacity	2 GB	Shared System RAM
Memory Type	Shared	Shared
Memory Bandwidth	System	System
Bus Width	System	System

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Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD 7870M draws 45W versus the Radeon Vega 10's 10W — a 127.3% difference. The Radeon Vega 10 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon HD 7870M) vs 1W (Radeon Vega 10). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs Integrated.

Feature	Radeon HD 7870M	Radeon Vega 10
TDP	45W	10W-78%
Recommended PSU	350W	1W-100%
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	Integrated
Perf/Watt	33.5	151.5+352%

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Value Analysis

The newer card here is Radeon Vega 10 (2019 vs 2012).

Feature	Radeon HD 7870M	Radeon Vega 10
MSRP	—	$499
Codename	Heathrow	Raven
Release	April 24 2012	January 8 2019
Ranking	#765	#747

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