Radeon RX Vega 6
VS
Radeon HD 7870M

Radeon RX Vega 6 vs Radeon HD 7870M

AMD

Radeon RX Vega 6

2017Core: 1247 MHzBoost: 1546 MHz
VS
AMD

Radeon HD 7870M

2012Core: 800 MHz

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.

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 Radeon HD 7870M

#112
Radeon RX 550X (móvel)
MSRP: $35|Avg: $35
288%
#114
261%
#115
261%
#119
GeForce GTX 1050 (Mobile)
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50
237%
#120
Radeon RX 6300
MSRP: $60|Avg: $40
235%
#122
Radeon HD 7870M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#123
Radeon HD 6970M Crossfire
MSRP: $150|Avg: $150
100%
#126
GeForce GT 550M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $30
99%
#131
GeForce GT 335M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $25
98%
Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

The Radeon HD 7870M is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1% higher G3D Mark score and 100+% more VRAM (2 GB vs 0 MB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon RX Vega 6.

InsightRadeon RX Vega 6Radeon HD 7870M
Performance
Lower raw frame rates (-1%)
Leading raw performance (+1%)
Longevity
🛑Obsolete Architecture (2017 / GCN 5.0 (2017−2020))
🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020))
Ecosystem
Supports FSR Upscaling
Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM
❌ Less VRAM capacity
✅ More VRAM (+100+%)
Efficiency
⚡ Higher Power Consumption
💡 Excellent Perf/Watt
Case Fit

💎 Value Proposition

While current pricing data is unavailable, the Radeon HD 7870M remains the clear technical winner. Check real-time availability to determine if the performance gap justifies the market price.

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 RX Vega 6 and Radeon HD 7870M

AMD

Radeon RX Vega 6

The Radeon RX Vega 6 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in August 7 2017. It features the GCN 5.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1247 MHz to 1546 MHz. It has 4096 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 295W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,492 points. Launch price was $499.

AMD

Radeon HD 7870M

The Radeon HD 7870M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in April 24 2012. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 800 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 45W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,507 points.

Graphics Performance

The Radeon RX Vega 6 scores 1,492 and the Radeon HD 7870M reaches 1,507 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon RX Vega 6 is built on GCN 5.0 while the Radeon HD 7870M uses GCN 1.0, both on 14 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 4,096 (Radeon RX Vega 6) vs 640 (Radeon HD 7870M). Raw compute: 12.66 TFLOPS (Radeon RX Vega 6) vs 1.024 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7870M).

FeatureRadeon RX Vega 6Radeon HD 7870M
G3D Mark Score
1,492
1,507+1%
Architecture
GCN 5.0
GCN 1.0
Process Node
14 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
4096+540%
640
Compute (TFLOPS)
12.66 TFLOPS+1136%
1.024 TFLOPS
ROPs
64+300%
16
TMUs
256+540%
40
L1 Cache
1 MB+525%
0.16 MB
L2 Cache
4 MB+1500%
0.25 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureRadeon RX Vega 6Radeon HD 7870M
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 RX Vega 6 comes with 0 MB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 7870M has 2 GB. The Radeon HD 7870M offers 100+% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: System vs System. L2 Cache: 4 MB (Radeon RX Vega 6) vs 0.25 MB (Radeon HD 7870M) — the Radeon RX Vega 6 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureRadeon RX Vega 6Radeon HD 7870M
VRAM Capacity
Shared System RAM
2 GB
Memory Type
Shared
Shared
Memory Bandwidth
System
System
Bus Width
System
System
L2 Cache
4 MB+1500%
0.25 MB
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon RX Vega 6 draws 295W versus the Radeon HD 7870M's 45W — a 147.1% difference. The Radeon HD 7870M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 1W (Radeon RX Vega 6) vs 350W (Radeon HD 7870M). Power connectors: Integrated vs 1x 6-pin.

FeatureRadeon RX Vega 6Radeon HD 7870M
TDP
295W
45W-85%
Recommended PSU
1W-100%
350W
Power Connector
Integrated
1x 6-pin
Perf/Watt
5.1
33.5+557%
💰

Value Analysis

The Radeon RX Vega 6 is the newer GPU (2017 vs 2012).

FeatureRadeon RX Vega 6Radeon HD 7870M
MSRP
$0
Avg Price (30d)
$0
Codename
Vega 10
Heathrow
Release
August 7 2017
April 24 2012
Ranking
#171
#765