Radeon HD 8870M vs Radeon R9 M270X

When comparing Radeon HD 8870M and Radeon R9 M270X, 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 Radeon HD 8870M and Radeon R9 M270X is the price. Does the additional cost justify the performance hit? Our comparison should help you make the right decision.

Radeon HD 8870M is a Laptop Graphics Card

Note: Radeon HD 8870M 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 8870M here:

Main Specs

  Radeon HD 8870M Radeon R9 M270X
Interface PCIe 3.0 x16 PCIe 3.0 x16
Memory type GDDR5, DDR3 GDDR5
Maximum RAM amount 2 GB 4 GB
Display Connectors No outputs No outputs
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  • Both video cards are using PCIe 3.0 x16 interface connection to a motherboard.
  • Radeon R9 M270X has 2 GB more memory, than Radeon HD 8870M.
  • Radeon HD 8870M is used in Laptops, and Radeon R9 M270X - in Desktops.
  • Radeon HD 8870M is build with GCN architecture, and Radeon R9 M270X - with GCN 1.0.
  • Both graphics cards have the same core clock speed.
  • Radeon HD 8870M and Radeon R9 M270X are manufactured by 28 nm process technology.
  • Memory clock speed of Radeon HD 8870M is 3375 MHz higher, than Radeon R9 M270X.

Game benchmarks

high / 1080p 7−8 6−7
ultra / 1080p 4−5 4−5
QHD / 1440p 0−1 0−1
low / 720p 18−20 16−18
medium / 1080p 9−10 8−9
The average gaming FPS of Radeon HD 8870M in Assassin's Creed Odyssey is 11% more, than Radeon R9 M270X.

Full Specs

  Radeon HD 8870M Radeon R9 M270X
Architecture GCN GCN 1.0
Code name Venus Venus
Type Laptop Desktop
Release date 18 December 2012 21 March 2014
Pipelines 640 640
Core clock speed 725 MHz 725 MHz
Boost Clock 775 MHz 775 MHz
Transistor count 1,500 million 1,500 million
Manufacturing process technology 28 nm 28 nm
Texture fill rate 31.00 31.00
Floating-point performance 992.0 gflops 1,536 gflops
Memory bus width 128 Bit 128 Bit
Memory clock speed 4500 MHz 1125 MHz
Memory bandwidth 72 GB/s 72 GB/s
Shared memory -
DirectX 12 (11_1)
Shader Model 5.1 5.1
OpenGL 4.6 4.4
OpenCL 1.2 Not Listed
Vulkan 1.2.131
FreeSync +
Bus support PCIe 3.0 x16
Bitcoin / BTC (SHA256) 107 Mh/s
Laptop size large
Eyefinity +
HD3D +
PowerTune +
DualGraphics +
ZeroCore +
Switchable graphics +
Mantle +
Compute units 10
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