GeForce 9800 GTX vs Radeon HD 7870M

When comparing GeForce 9800 GTX and Radeon HD 7870M, 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 9800 GTX and Radeon HD 7870M is the price. Does the additional cost justify the performance hit? Our comparison should help you make the right decision.

Radeon HD 7870M is a Laptop Graphics Card

Note: Radeon HD 7870M 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 Radeon HD 7870M here:

Main Specs

  GeForce 9800 GTX Radeon HD 7870M
Power consumption (TDP) 140 Watt 45 Watt
Interface PCIe 2.0 x16 PCIe 3.0 x16
Supplementary power connectors 2x 6-pin
Memory type GDDR3 GDDR5
Maximum RAM amount 512 MB 2 GB
Display Connectors 2x DVI, 1x S-Video No outputs
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  • GeForce 9800 GTX has 211% more power consumption, than Radeon HD 7870M.
  • GeForce 9800 GTX is connected by PCIe 2.0 x16, and Radeon HD 7870M uses PCIe 3.0 x16 interface.
  • GeForce 9800 GTX has 510 GB more memory, than Radeon HD 7870M.
  • GeForce 9800 GTX is used in Desktops, and Radeon HD 7870M - in Laptops.
  • GeForce 9800 GTX is build with Tesla architecture, and Radeon HD 7870M - with GCN.
  • Core clock speed of GeForce 9800 GTX is 888 MHz higher, than Radeon HD 7870M.
  • GeForce 9800 GTX is manufactured by 65 nm process technology, and Radeon HD 7870M - by 28 nm process technology.
  • Memory clock speed of Radeon HD 7870M is 2900 MHz higher, than GeForce 9800 GTX.

Game benchmarks

high / 1080p 0−1 6−7
ultra / 1080p 4−5
QHD / 1440p 0−1 0−1
low / 720p 1−2 16−18
medium / 1080p 0−1 8−9
The average gaming FPS of Radeon HD 7870M in Assassin's Creed Odyssey is 1600% more, than GeForce 9800 GTX.

Full Specs

  GeForce 9800 GTX Radeon HD 7870M
Architecture Tesla GCN
Code name G92 Heathrow XT
Type Desktop Laptop
Release date 28 March 2008 24 April 2012
Pipelines 128 640
Core clock speed 1688 MHz 800 MHz
Transistor count 754 million 1,500 million
Manufacturing process technology 65 nm 28 nm
Texture fill rate 43.2 billion/sec 32.00
Floating-point performance 432.1 gflops 1,024 gflops
Length 10.5" (26.7 cm)
Memory bus width 256 Bit 128 Bit
Memory clock speed 1100 MHz 4000 MHz
Memory bandwidth 70.4 GB/s 64 GB/s
Shared memory -
DirectX 11.1 (10_0) 12 (11_1)
Shader Model 4.0 5.1
OpenGL 2.1 4.6
OpenCL 1.1 1.2
Vulkan N/A 1.2.131
CUDA +
CUDA cores 128
Bus support PCI-E 2.0
Height 4.376" (11.1 cm)
SLI options +
Multi monitor support +
HDMI Via Adapter
Maximum VGA resolution 2048x1536
Audio input for HDMI S/PDIF
Laptop size large
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