GeForce GTX 480M vs Radeon HD 8870M

When comparing GeForce GTX 480M and Radeon HD 8870M, 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 480M and Radeon HD 8870M is the price. Does the additional cost justify the performance hit? Our comparison should help you make the right decision.

GeForce GTX 480M and Radeon HD 8870M are Laptop Graphics Cards

Note: GeForce GTX 480M and Radeon HD 8870M 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 GTX 480M or Radeon HD 8870M here:

Main Specs

  GeForce GTX 480M Radeon HD 8870M
Power consumption (TDP) 100 Watt
Interface MXM-B (3.0) PCIe 3.0 x16
Supplementary power connectors None
Memory type GDDR5 GDDR5, DDR3
Maximum RAM amount 2 GB 2 GB
Display Connectors No outputs No outputs
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  • GeForce GTX 480M is connected by MXM-B (3.0), and Radeon HD 8870M uses PCIe 3.0 x16 interface.
  • GeForce GTX 480M and Radeon HD 8870M have maximum RAM of 2 GB.
  • Both cards are used in Laptops.
  • GeForce GTX 480M is build with Fermi architecture, and Radeon HD 8870M - with GCN.
  • Core clock speed of GeForce GTX 480M is 125 MHz higher, than Radeon HD 8870M.
  • GeForce GTX 480M is manufactured by 40 nm process technology, and Radeon HD 8870M - by 28 nm process technology.
  • Memory clock speed of Radeon HD 8870M is 3300 MHz higher, than GeForce GTX 480M.

Game benchmarks

high / 1080p 10−11 7−8
ultra / 1080p 6−7 4−5
QHD / 1440p 0−1 0−1
low / 720p 21−24 18−20
medium / 1080p 12−14 9−10
The average gaming FPS of GeForce GTX 480M in Assassin's Creed Odyssey is 30% more, than Radeon HD 8870M.

Full Specs

  GeForce GTX 480M Radeon HD 8870M
Architecture Fermi GCN
Code name N11E-GTX-A3 Venus
Type Laptop Laptop
Release date 25 May 2010 18 December 2012
Pipelines 352 640
Core clock speed 850 MHz 725 MHz
Boost Clock 775 MHz
Transistor count 3,100 million 1,500 million
Manufacturing process technology 40 nm 28 nm
Texture fill rate 18.7 billion/sec 31.00
Floating-point performance 598.4 gflops 992.0 gflops
Memory bus width 256 Bit 128 Bit
Memory clock speed 1200 MHz 4500 MHz
Memory bandwidth 76.8 GB/s 72 GB/s
Shared memory - -
DirectX 12 API 12 (11_1)
Shader Model 5.1 5.1
OpenGL 4.5 4.6
OpenCL 1.1 1.2
Vulkan N/A 1.2.131
CUDA +
Bus support PCI-E 2.0
SLI options +
Maximum VGA resolution 2048x1536
Bitcoin / BTC (SHA256) 107 Mh/s
Laptop size large large
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