Radeon R9 370 vs Radeon HD 7870

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.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

The Radeon R9 370 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 3.4% higher G3D Mark score and 100% more VRAM (4 GB vs 2 GB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon HD 7870.

Insight	Radeon R9 370	Radeon HD 7870
Performance	✅Leading raw performance (+3.4%)	❌Lower raw frame rates (-3.4%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2015 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	✅ More VRAM (+100%)	❌ Less VRAM capacity
Efficiency	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt	⚡ Higher Power Consumption
Case Fit	📏 Compact / SFF Friendly	📏 Compact / SFF Friendly

💎 Value Proposition

The Radeon HD 7870 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon HD 7870 holds the technical lead. Priced at $45 (vs $55), it costs 18% less, resulting in a 18.2% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	Radeon R9 370	Radeon HD 7870
Cost Efficiency	❌Lower cost efficiency	✅Better overall value (+18.2%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($55)	✅More affordable ($45)

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.

Radeon R9 370 Benchmark Check

Radeon HD 7870 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Radeon R9 370 and Radeon HD 7870

Radeon R9 370

The Radeon R9 370 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in May 5 2015. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 925 MHz to 975 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 110W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,722 points.

Radeon HD 7870

The Radeon HD 7870 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: 4,568 points. Launch price was $349.

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Graphics Performance

The Radeon R9 370 scores 4,722 and the Radeon HD 7870 reaches 4,568 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 3.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon R9 370 is built on GCN 1.0 while the Radeon HD 7870 uses GCN 1.0, both on a 28 nm process. Shader units: 1,280 (Radeon R9 370) vs 1,280 (Radeon HD 7870). Raw compute: 2.496 TFLOPS (Radeon R9 370) vs 2.56 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7870).

Feature	Radeon R9 370	Radeon HD 7870
G3D Mark Score	4,722+3%	4,568
Architecture	GCN 1.0	GCN 1.0
Process Node	28 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	1280	1280
Compute (TFLOPS)	2.496 TFLOPS	2.56 TFLOPS+3%
ROPs	32	32
TMUs	80	80
L1 Cache	384 KB+20%	320 KB
L2 Cache	512 KB	512 KB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon R9 370	Radeon HD 7870
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 R9 370 comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 7870 has 2 GB. The Radeon R9 370 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 179 GB/s (Radeon R9 370) vs 153.6 GB/s (Radeon HD 7870) — a 16.5% advantage for the Radeon R9 370. Bus width: 256-bit vs 256-bit.

Feature	Radeon R9 370	Radeon HD 7870
VRAM Capacity	4 GB+100%	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	179 GB/s+17%	153.6 GB/s
Bus Width	256-bit	256-bit
L2 Cache	512 KB	512 KB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_1) (Radeon R9 370) vs 12 (11_1) (Radeon HD 7870). Vulkan: 1.2 vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 3 vs 6.

Feature	Radeon R9 370	Radeon HD 7870
DirectX	12 (11_1)	12 (11_1)
Vulkan	1.2	1.2
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	3	6+100%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: VCE 1.0 (Radeon R9 370) vs VCE 1.0 (Radeon HD 7870). Decoder: UVD 4.0 vs UVD 4.0. Supported codecs: H.264,MPEG-2,MPEG-4,VC-1,MVC (Radeon R9 370) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (Radeon HD 7870).

Feature	Radeon R9 370	Radeon HD 7870
Encoder	VCE 1.0	VCE 1.0
Decoder	UVD 4.0	UVD 4.0
Codecs	H.264,MPEG-2,MPEG-4,VC-1,MVC	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon R9 370 draws 110W versus the Radeon HD 7870's 200W — a 58.1% difference. The Radeon R9 370 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 450W (Radeon R9 370) vs 500W (Radeon HD 7870). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 2x 6-pin. Card length: 221mm vs 241mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75 vs 80°C.

Feature	Radeon R9 370	Radeon HD 7870
TDP	110W-45%	200W
Recommended PSU	450W-10%	500W
Power Connector	1x 6-pin	2x 6-pin
Length	221mm	241mm
Height	111mm	111mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	75-6%	80°C
Perf/Watt	42.9+88%	22.8

💰

Value Analysis

The Radeon R9 370 launched at $149 MSRP and currently averages $55, while the Radeon HD 7870 launched at $349 and now averages $45. The Radeon HD 7870 costs 18.2% less ($10 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 85.9 (Radeon R9 370) vs 101.5 (Radeon HD 7870) — the Radeon HD 7870 offers 18.2% better value. The Radeon R9 370 is the newer GPU (2015 vs 2012).