GeForce GTX 870M vs Radeon HD 7870

When comparing GeForce GTX 870M and Radeon HD 7870, we look primarily at benchmarks and game tests. But it is not only about the numbers. Often you can find third-party models with higher clock speeds, better cooling, or a customizable RGB lighting. Not all of them will have all the features you need. Another thing to consider is the port selection. Most graphics cards have at least one DisplayPort and HDMI interface, but some monitors require DVI. Before you buy, check the TDP of the graphics card - this characteristic will help you estimate the consumption of the graphics card. You may even have to upgrade your PSU to meet its requirements. An important factor when choosing between GeForce GTX 870M and Radeon HD 7870 is the price. Does the additional cost justify the performance hit? Our comparison should help you make the right decision.

GeForce GTX 870M is a Laptop Graphics Card

Note: GeForce GTX 870M is only used in laptop graphics. It has lower GPU clock speed compared to the desktop variant, which results in lower power consumption, but also 10-30% lower gaming performance. Check available laptop models with GeForce GTX 870M here:

Main Specs

  GeForce GTX 870M Radeon HD 7870
Power consumption (TDP) 100 Watt 175 Watt
Interface MXM-B (3.0)
Supplementary power connectors None
Memory type GDDR5 GDDR5
Maximum RAM amount 6 GB 2 GB
Display Connectors No outputs
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  • Radeon HD 7870 has 75% more power consumption, than GeForce GTX 870M.
  • GeForce GTX 870M has 4 GB more memory, than Radeon HD 7870.
  • GeForce GTX 870M is used in Laptops, and Radeon HD 7870 - in Desktops.
  • GeForce GTX 870M is build with Kepler architecture, and Radeon HD 7870 - with GCN.
  • Core clock speed of Radeon HD 7870 is 59 MHz higher, than GeForce GTX 870M.
  • GeForce GTX 870M and Radeon HD 7870 are manufactured by 28 nm process technology.

Game benchmarks

high / 1080p 16−18 24−27
ultra / 1080p 10−11 14−16
QHD / 1440p 4−5 9−10
4K / 2160p 6−7
low / 720p 35−40 45−50
medium / 1080p 21−24 30−33
The average gaming FPS of Radeon HD 7870 in Assassin's Creed Odyssey is 38% more, than GeForce GTX 870M.

Full Specs

  GeForce GTX 870M Radeon HD 7870
Architecture Kepler GCN
Code name N15P-GT Pitcairn XT
Type Laptop Desktop
Release date 12 March 2014 5 March 2012
Pipelines 1344 1280
Core clock speed 941 MHz 1000 MHz
Boost Clock 967 MHz
Transistor count 3,540 million 2800 Million
Manufacturing process technology 28 nm 28 nm
Texture fill rate 108.3
Floating-point performance 2,599 gflops
Memory bus width 192 Bit 256 Bit
Memory clock speed 4800 MHz
Memory bandwidth 120.0 GB/s
Shared memory - -
DirectX 12 (11_0) DirectX 11.1, Shader 5.1
Shader Model 5.1
OpenGL 4.5
OpenCL 1.1
Vulkan 1.1.126
CUDA +
Monero / XMR (CryptoNight) 0.39 kh/s
CUDA cores 1344
Bus support PCI Express 2.0, PCI Express 3.0
SLI options +
HDMI +
Bitcoin / BTC (SHA256) 82 Mh/s
Laptop size large
Standard memory configuration GDDR5
eDP 1.2 signal support Up to 3840x2160
LVDS signal support Up to 1920x1200
DisplayPort Multimode (DP++) support Up to 3840x2160
HDCP content protection +
7.1 channel HD audio on HDMI +
TrueHD and DTS-HD audio bitstreaming +
H.264, VC1, MPEG2 1080p video decoder +
Optimus +
Eyefinity +
Decred / DCR (Decred) 0.63 Gh/s
Ethereum / ETH (DaggerHashimoto) 16.6 Mh/s
Zcash / ZEC (Equihash) 145 Sol/s
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