Radeon R5 M255 vs Radeon HD 3870
Radeon R5 M255
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Radeon HD 3870
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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 R5 M255 is positioned at rank 553 and the Radeon HD 3870 is on rank 298, so the Radeon HD 3870 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Radeon R5 M255
Performance Per Dollar Radeon HD 3870
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon HD 3870 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.7% higher G3D Mark score. However, the Radeon R5 M255 offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.
| Insight | Radeon R5 M255 | Radeon HD 3870 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.7%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+1.7%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ✅ More VRAM (+300%) | ❌ Less VRAM capacity |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | — | — |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon HD 3870 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon HD 3870 holds the technical lead. Priced at $15 (vs $30), it costs 50% less, resulting in a 103.3% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon R5 M255 | Radeon HD 3870 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+103.3%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($30) | ✅More affordable ($15) |
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 R5 M255 and Radeon HD 3870
Radeon R5 M255
The Radeon R5 M255 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 28 2014. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 900 MHz to 925 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 543 points. Launch price was $799.99.
Radeon HD 3870
The Radeon HD 3870 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: 552 points. Launch price was $349.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon R5 M255 scores 543 and the Radeon HD 3870 reaches 552 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon R5 M255 is built on GCN 1.0 while the Radeon HD 3870 uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 640 (Radeon R5 M255) vs 1,280 (Radeon HD 3870). Raw compute: 1.184 TFLOPS (Radeon R5 M255) vs 2.56 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 3870).
| Feature | Radeon R5 M255 | Radeon HD 3870 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 543 | 552+2% |
| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | GCN 1.0 |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 28 nm |
| Shading Units | 640 | 1280+100% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 1.184 TFLOPS | 2.56 TFLOPS+116% |
| ROPs | 16 | 32+100% |
| TMUs | 40 | 80+100% |
| L1 Cache | 160 KB | 320 KB+100% |
| L2 Cache | 256 KB | 512 KB+100% |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon R5 M255 | Radeon HD 3870 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 R5 M255 comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 3870 has 1 GB. The Radeon R5 M255 offers 300% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 256 KB (Radeon R5 M255) vs 512 KB (Radeon HD 3870) — the Radeon HD 3870 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon R5 M255 | Radeon HD 3870 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 4 GB+300% | 1 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 128-bit | 128-bit |
| L2 Cache | 256 KB | 512 KB+100% |
Media & Encoding
Supported codecs: H.264,MPEG-4,MPEG-2,VC-1 (Radeon R5 M255) vs H.264 (Radeon HD 3870).
| Feature | Radeon R5 M255 | Radeon HD 3870 |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | VCE 3.0 | — |
| Decoder | UVD 4.2 | — |
| Codecs | H.264,MPEG-4,MPEG-2,VC-1 | H.264 |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon R5 M255 draws 75W versus the Radeon HD 3870's 200W — a 90.9% difference. The Radeon R5 M255 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon R5 M255) vs 300W (Radeon HD 3870). Power connectors: Mobile vs 1x 6-pin.
| Feature | Radeon R5 M255 | Radeon HD 3870 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 75W-63% | 200W |
| Recommended PSU | 350W | 300W-14% |
| Power Connector | Mobile | 1x 6-pin |
| Slots | 0 | — |
| Temp (Load) | 80°C | — |
| Perf/Watt | 7.2+157% | 2.8 |
Value Analysis
The Radeon R5 M255 launched at $150 MSRP and currently averages $30, while the Radeon HD 3870 launched at $219 and now averages $15. The Radeon HD 3870 costs 50% less ($15 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 18.1 (Radeon R5 M255) vs 36.8 (Radeon HD 3870) — the Radeon HD 3870 offers 103.3% better value. The Radeon R5 M255 is the newer GPU (2014 vs 2012).
| Feature | Radeon R5 M255 | Radeon HD 3870 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $150-32% | $219 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $30 | $15-50% |
| Performance per Dollar | 18.1 | 36.8+103% |
| Codename | Venus | Pitcairn |
| Release | January 28 2014 | March 5 2012 |
| Ranking | #851 | #460 |
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