Radeon R4E vs Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2
Radeon R4E
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Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2
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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. The Radeon R4E is positioned at rank 235 and the Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 is on rank 689, so the Radeon R4E offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Radeon R4E
Performance Per Dollar Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
⚠️ Generational Difference
The Radeon R4E is significantly newer (2017 vs 2008). The Radeon R4E likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon R4E is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.9% higher G3D Mark score and 24900% more VRAM (512 MB vs 2 MB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2.
| Insight | Radeon R4E | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ✅Leading raw performance (+1.9%) | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.9%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2017 / GCN 4.0 (2016−2020)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2008 / TeraScale (2005−2013)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ✅ More VRAM (+24900%) | ❌ Less VRAM capacity |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | — | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon R4E offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon R4E holds the technical lead. Priced at $20 (vs $50), it costs 60% less, resulting in a 154.7% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon R4E | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+154.7%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($20) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($50) |
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 R4E and Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2
Radeon R4E
The Radeon R4E is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 20 2017. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1183 MHz to 1124 MHz. It has 384 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 487 points. Launch price was $79.
Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2
The Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in September 1 2008. It features the TeraScale architecture. The core clock speed is 660 MHz. It has 320 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 110W. Manufactured using 55 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 478 points.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon R4E scores 487 and the Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 reaches 478 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon R4E is built on GCN 4.0 while the Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 uses TeraScale, both on 14 nm vs 55 nm. Shader units: 384 (Radeon R4E) vs 320 (Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2). Raw compute: 0.9085 TFLOPS (Radeon R4E) vs 0.4224 TFLOPS ×2 (Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2).
| Feature | Radeon R4E | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 487+2% | 478 |
| Architecture | GCN 4.0 | TeraScale |
| Process Node | 14 nm | 55 nm |
| Shading Units | 384+20% | 320 ×2 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 0.9085 TFLOPS+115% | 0.4224 TFLOPS ×2 |
| ROPs | 16 | 16 ×2 |
| TMUs | 24+50% | 16 ×2 |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB+100% | 256 KB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon R4E | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| 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)
The Radeon R4E comes with 512 MB of VRAM, while the Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 has 2 MB. The Radeon R4E offers 24900% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 64-bit vs 64-bit. L2 Cache: 512 KB (Radeon R4E) vs 256 KB (Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2) — the Radeon R4E has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon R4E | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 0.5 GB+24900% | 0.002 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Bus Width | 64-bit | 64-bit |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB+100% | 256 KB |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon R4E draws 50W versus the Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2's 110W — a 75% difference. The Radeon R4E is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon R4E) vs 350W (Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2). Power connectors: None vs PCIe-powered.
| Feature | Radeon R4E | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 50W-55% | 110W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 350W |
| Power Connector | None | PCIe-powered |
| Length | — | 1mm |
| Slots | — | 0 |
| Perf/Watt | 9.7+126% | 4.3 |
Value Analysis
The Radeon R4E launched at $100 MSRP and currently averages $20, while the Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 launched at $449 and now averages $50. The Radeon R4E costs 60% less ($30 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 24.4 (Radeon R4E) vs 9.6 (Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2) — the Radeon R4E offers 154.2% better value. The Radeon R4E is the newer GPU (2017 vs 2008).
| Feature | Radeon R4E | Mobility Radeon HD 3870 X2 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $100-78% | $449 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $20-60% | $50 |
| Performance per Dollar | 24.4+154% | 9.6 |
| Codename | Lexa | M88 |
| Release | April 20 2017 | September 1 2008 |
| Ranking | #773 | #919 |
Top Performing GPUs
The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
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