Radeon HD 8470 vs Radeon R2

AMD

Radeon HD 8470

2012Core: 1000 MHz
VS
AMD

Radeon R2

2019Core: 730 MHzBoost: 1024 MHz

Radeon HD 8470 vs Radeon R2 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 8470 vs Radeon R2 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 8470 vs Radeon R2: 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 8470

2012

Why buy it

  • βœ…33.3% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • βœ…Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 5.0 vs 0 G3D/$ ($50 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • βœ…100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (1 GB vs 512 MB).

Trade-offs

  • ❌2012 hardware with 1 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • ❌300% higher power demand at 200W vs 50W.

Radeon R2

2019

Why buy it

  • βœ…Radeon HD 8470 is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon R2 is the less risky modern option long term.
  • βœ…Draws 50W instead of 200W, a 150W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Lower average FPS than Radeon HD 8470 across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • ❌Less VRAM, with 512 MB vs 1 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • ❌2019 hardware with 512 MB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
  • ❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 5.0 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $50 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Radeon HD 8470 is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 33.3% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward Radeon R2 instead at 254 vs 248, 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 R2 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a newer 2019 generation instead of 2012. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Radeon HD 8470 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 HD 8470 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Radeon R2 has the stronger long-term case.

Radeon HD 8470 vs Radeon R2 Technical Specifications

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

AMD

Radeon HD 8470

The Radeon HD 8470 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: 248 points. Launch price was $349.

AMD

Radeon R2

The Radeon R2 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in May 13 2019. It features the GCN 3.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 730 MHz to 1024 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 254 points.

⚑

Graphics Performance

The Radeon HD 8470 scores 248 and the Radeon R2 reaches 254 in the G3D Mark benchmark β€” just a 2.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 8470 is built on GCN 1.0 while the Radeon R2 uses GCN 3.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,280 (Radeon HD 8470) vs 384 (Radeon R2). Raw compute: 2.56 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 8470) vs 0.7864 TFLOPS (Radeon R2).

FeatureRadeon HD 8470Radeon R2
G3D Mark Score
248
254+2%
Architecture
GCN 1.0
GCN 3.0
Process Node
28 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
1280+233%
384
Compute (TFLOPS)
2.56 TFLOPS+226%
0.7864 TFLOPS
ROPs
32+300%
8
TMUs
80+233%
24
L1 Cache
320 KB+233%
96 KB
L2 Cache
512 KB+300%
128 KB
Frame Generation
FSR upscaling
FSR upscaling
✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureRadeon HD 8470Radeon R2
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
πŸ’Ύ

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon HD 8470 has 1 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon R2 carries 512 MB. Radeon HD 8470 gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the Radeon HD 8470 and 64-bit on the Radeon R2. L2 Cache: 512 KB (Radeon HD 8470) vs 128 KB (Radeon R2) β€” the Radeon HD 8470 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureRadeon HD 8470Radeon R2
VRAM Capacity
1 GB+100%
0.5 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
128-bit+100%
64-bit
L2 Cache
512 KB+300%
128 KB
πŸ”Œ

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD 8470 draws 200W versus the Radeon R2's 50W β€” a 120% difference. The Radeon R2 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon HD 8470) vs 350W (Radeon R2). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered.

FeatureRadeon HD 8470Radeon R2
TDP
200W
50W-75%
Recommended PSU
350W
350W
Power Connector
1x 6-pin
PCIe-powered
Length
β€”
0mm
Slots
β€”
0
Perf/Watt
1.2
5.1+325%
πŸ’°

Value Analysis

At launch, the Radeon HD 8470 came in at $50, while the Radeon R2 launched at $0. On MSRP, Radeon R2 was 100+% cheaper ($50 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 5.0 (Radeon HD 8470) vs Infinity (Radeon R2) β€” the Radeon R2 offers Infinity% better value. The newer card here is Radeon R2 (2019 vs 2012).

FeatureRadeon HD 8470Radeon R2
MSRP
$50
$0-100%
Performance per Dollar
5.0
Infinity
Codename
Pitcairn
Polaris 24
Release
March 5 2012
May 13 2019
Ranking
#460
#858

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