GeForce 9800M GT SLI vs Radeon HD 7870M

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

GeForce 9800M GT SLI and Radeon HD 7870M are Laptop Graphics Cards

Note: GeForce 9800M GT SLI and Radeon HD 7870M are only used in laptop graphics. They have 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 9800M GT SLI or Radeon HD 7870M here:

Main Specs

  GeForce 9800M GT SLI Radeon HD 7870M
Power consumption (TDP) 130 Watt 45 Watt
Interface PCIe 3.0 x16
Memory type GDDR3 GDDR5
Maximum RAM amount 512 MB 2 GB
Display Connectors No outputs
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  • GeForce 9800M GT SLI has 188% more power consumption, than Radeon HD 7870M.
  • GeForce 9800M GT SLI has 510 GB more memory, than Radeon HD 7870M.
  • Both cards are used in Laptops.
  • GeForce 9800M GT SLI is build with G9x architecture, and Radeon HD 7870M - with GCN.
  • Core clock speed of Radeon HD 7870M is 300 MHz higher, than GeForce 9800M GT SLI.
  • GeForce 9800M GT SLI is manufactured by 65 nm process technology, and Radeon HD 7870M - by 28 nm process technology.
  • Memory clock speed of Radeon HD 7870M is 3200 MHz higher, than GeForce 9800M GT SLI.

Game benchmarks

high / 1080p 5−6 6−7
ultra / 1080p 3−4 4−5
QHD / 1440p 0−1 0−1
low / 720p 14−16 16−18
medium / 1080p 7−8 8−9
The average gaming FPS of Radeon HD 7870M in Assassin's Creed Odyssey is 28% more, than GeForce 9800M GT SLI.

Full Specs

  GeForce 9800M GT SLI Radeon HD 7870M
Architecture G9x GCN
Code name NB9E-GT2 Heathrow XT
Type Laptop Laptop
Release date 15 July 2008 24 April 2012
Pipelines 192 640
Core clock speed 500 MHz 800 MHz
Transistor count 1508 Million 1,500 million
Manufacturing process technology 65 nm 28 nm
Texture fill rate 32.00
Floating-point performance 1,024 gflops
Memory bus width 256 Bit 128 Bit
Memory clock speed 800 MHz 4000 MHz
Memory bandwidth 64 GB/s
Shared memory - -
DirectX DirectX 10, Shader 4.0 12 (11_1)
Shader Model 5.1
OpenGL 4.6
OpenCL 1.2
Vulkan 1.2.131
CUDA +
SLI options +
Laptop size large large
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