Radeon RX 540 vs Radeon HD 5870

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. The Radeon RX 540 is positioned at rank #235 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. 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 Radeon RX 540

#54

Radeon RX 6800S

MSRP: $800|Avg: $800

92%

#225

Radeon RX 550X (móvel)

MSRP: $35|Avg: $35

504%

#227

GeForce GTX 1070 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $150

456%

#228

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $100

455%

#232

GeForce GTX 1050 (Mobile)

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

414%

#233

Radeon RX 6300

MSRP: $60|Avg: $40

411%

#235

Radeon RX 540

MSRP: $99|Avg: $40

100%

#236

Radeon HD 6750M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $60

99%

#237

Radeon HD 7570M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $15

98%

#239

Arc Graphics 130T

MSRP: $300|Avg: $250

96%

#240

GeForce MX570 A

MSRP: $300|Avg: $300

96%

#242

GeForce GT 645

MSRP: $99|Avg: $15

94%

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

⚠️ Generational Difference

The Radeon RX 540 is significantly newer (2017 vs 2009). The Radeon RX 540 likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon HD 5870 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.

🚀 Performance Leadership

The Radeon HD 5870 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 2.2% higher G3D Mark score. However, the Radeon RX 540 offers more VRAM, which may be beneficial for texture-heavy scenarios at higher resolutions.

Insight	Radeon RX 540	Radeon HD 5870
Performance	❌Lower raw frame rates (-2.2%)	✅Leading raw performance (+2.2%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2017 / GCN 4.0 (2016−2020))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2009 / TeraScale 2 (2009−2015))
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	Standard Size (280mm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Radeon RX 540 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon RX 540 holds the technical lead. Priced at $40 (vs $50), it costs 20% less, resulting in a 22.4% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	Radeon RX 540	Radeon HD 5870
Cost Efficiency	✅Better overall value (+22.4%)	❌Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅More affordable ($40)	⚠️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.

Radeon RX 540 Benchmark Check

Radeon HD 5870 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Radeon RX 540 and Radeon HD 5870

Radeon RX 540

The Radeon RX 540 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in November 11 2017. It features the GCN 4.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1124 MHz to 1219 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 50W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,134 points.

Radeon HD 5870

The Radeon HD 5870 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in September 23 2009. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 850 MHz. It has 1600 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 188W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,180 points. Launch price was $399.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The Radeon RX 540 scores 2,134 and the Radeon HD 5870 reaches 2,180 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon RX 540 is built on GCN 4.0 while the Radeon HD 5870 uses TeraScale 2, both on 14 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 512 (Radeon RX 540) vs 1,600 (Radeon HD 5870). Raw compute: 1.248 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 540) vs 2.72 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 5870).

Feature	Radeon RX 540	Radeon HD 5870
G3D Mark Score	2,134	2,180+2%
Architecture	GCN 4.0	TeraScale 2
Process Node	14 nm	40 nm
Shading Units	512	1600+213%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.248 TFLOPS	2.72 TFLOPS+118%
ROPs	16	32+100%
TMUs	32	80+150%
L1 Cache	128 KB	160 KB+25%
L2 Cache	512 KB	512 KB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Radeon RX 540	Radeon HD 5870
Upscaling Tech	FSR 2.1	FSR 1.0 (Software)
Frame Generation	FSR 3 (Compatible)	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	AMD Anti-Lag	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon RX 540 comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 5870 has 2 GB. The Radeon RX 540 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 128-bit.

Feature	Radeon RX 540	Radeon HD 5870
VRAM Capacity	4 GB+100%	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	80 GB/s	Unknown
Bus Width	128-bit	128-bit
L2 Cache	512 KB	512 KB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12_0 (Radeon RX 540) vs 11.2 (Radeon HD 5870). Maximum simultaneous displays: 0 vs 3.

Feature	Radeon RX 540	Radeon HD 5870
DirectX	12_0+7%	11.2
Max Displays	0	3

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: VCE 3.4 (Radeon RX 540) vs UVD 2.2 (Radeon HD 5870). Decoder: UVD 6.3 vs UVD 2.2.

Feature	Radeon RX 540	Radeon HD 5870
Encoder	VCE 3.4	UVD 2.2
Decoder	UVD 6.3	UVD 2.2
Codecs	—	H.264

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon RX 540 draws 50W versus the Radeon HD 5870's 188W — a 116% difference. The Radeon RX 540 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (Radeon RX 540) vs 500W (Radeon HD 5870). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 2x 6-pin. Card length: 1mm vs 280mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots.

Feature	Radeon RX 540	Radeon HD 5870
TDP	50W-73%	188W
Recommended PSU	350W-30%	500W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	2x 6-pin
Length	1mm	280mm
Slots	0-100%	2
Perf/Watt	42.7+268%	11.6

💰

Value Analysis

The Radeon RX 540 launched at $99 MSRP and currently averages $40, while the Radeon HD 5870 launched at $399 and now averages $50. The Radeon RX 540 costs 20% less ($10 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 53.4 (Radeon RX 540) vs 43.6 (Radeon HD 5870) — the Radeon RX 540 offers 22.5% better value. The Radeon RX 540 is the newer GPU (2017 vs 2009).