Radeon HD 7870 vs Pro 560X

Place in the ranking	464	407
Place by popularity	not in top-100	not in top-100
Cost-effectiveness evaluation	no data	3.00
Power efficiency	8.79	4.74
Architecture	GCN 4.0 (2016−2020)	GCN 1.0 (2011−2020)
GPU code name	Polaris 21	Pitcairn
Market segment	Mobile workstation	Desktop
Release date	16 July 2018 (6 years ago)	5 March 2012 (12 years ago)
Launch price (MSRP)	no data	$349

Cost-effectiveness evaluation

Performance to price ratio. The higher, the better.

no data

Detailed specifications

General parameters such as number of shaders, GPU core base clock and boost clock speeds, manufacturing process, texturing and calculation speed. Note that power consumption of some graphics cards can well exceed their nominal TDP, especially when overclocked.

Pipelines / CUDA cores	1024	1280
Core clock speed	1004 MHz	1000 MHz
Number of transistors	3,000 million	2,800 million
Manufacturing process technology	14 nm	28 nm
Power consumption (TDP)	75 Watt	175 Watt
Texture fill rate	64.26	80.00
Floating-point processing power	2.056 TFLOPS	2.56 TFLOPS
ROPs	16	32
TMUs	64	80

Form factor & compatibility

Information on compatibility with other computer components. Useful when choosing a future computer configuration or upgrading an existing one. For desktop graphics cards it's interface and bus (motherboard compatibility), additional power connectors (power supply compatibility).

Laptop size	large	no data
Interface	PCIe 3.0 x8	PCIe 3.0 x16
Length	no data	241 mm
Width	no data	2-slot
Supplementary power connectors	None	2x 6-pin

VRAM capacity and type

Parameters of VRAM installed: its type, size, bus, clock and resulting bandwidth. Integrated GPUs have no dedicated video RAM and use a shared part of system RAM.

Memory type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Maximum RAM amount	4 GB	2 GB
Memory bus width	128 Bit	256 Bit
Memory clock speed	1270 MHz	1200 MHz
Memory bandwidth	81.28 GB/s	153.6 GB/s
Shared memory	-	-

Connectivity and outputs

Types and number of video connectors present on the reviewed GPUs. As a rule, data in this section is precise only for desktop reference ones (so-called Founders Edition for NVIDIA chips). OEM manufacturers may change the number and type of output ports, while for notebook cards availability of certain video outputs ports depends on the laptop model rather than on the card itself.

Display Connectors	No outputs	1x DVI, 1x HDMI, 2x mini-DisplayPort
Eyefinity	-	+
HDMI	-	+

Supported technologies

Supported technological solutions. This information will prove useful if you need some particular technology for your purposes.

FreeSync

API compatibility

List of supported 3D and general-purpose computing APIs, including their specific versions.

DirectX	12 (12_0)	12 (11_1)
Shader Model	6.4	5.1
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
OpenCL	2.0	1.2
Vulkan	1.2.131	1.2.131

Synthetic benchmark performance

Non-gaming benchmark results comparison. The combined score is measured on a 0-100 point scale.

Combined synthetic benchmark score

This is our combined benchmark score. We are regularly improving our combining algorithms, but if you find some perceived inconsistencies, feel free to speak up in comments section, we usually fix problems quickly.

Pro 560X 9.56

HD 7870 12.01
+25.6%

Passmark

This is the most ubiquitous GPU benchmark. It gives the graphics card a thorough evaluation under various types of load, providing four separate benchmarks for Direct3D versions 9, 10, 11 and 12 (the last being done in 4K resolution if possible), and few more tests engaging DirectCompute capabilities.

Pro 560X 3677

HD 7870 4620
+25.6%

3DMark 11 Performance GPU

3DMark 11 is an obsolete DirectX 11 benchmark by Futuremark. It used four tests based on two scenes, one being few submarines exploring the submerged wreck of a sunken ship, the other is an abandoned temple deep in the jungle. All the tests are heavy with volumetric lighting and tessellation, and despite being done in 1280x720 resolution, are relatively taxing. Discontinued in January 2020, 3DMark 11 is now superseded by Time Spy.

Pro 560X 7590
+22.5%

HD 7870 6194

Gaming performance

Let's see how good the compared graphics cards are for gaming. Particular gaming benchmark results are measured in FPS.

Average FPS across all PC games

Here are the average frames per second in a large set of popular games across different resolutions:

900p	65−70 −29.2%	84 +29.2%
Full HD	38 −73.7%	66 +73.7%
1440p	41 −22%	50−55 +22%
4K	16 −12.5%	18−21 +12.5%

Cost per frame, $

1080p	no data	5.29
1440p	no data	6.98
4K	no data	19.39

FPS performance in popular games

Full HD
Low Preset

Counter-Strike 2	18−20 −22.2%	21−24 +22.2%
Cyberpunk 2077	18−20 −21.1%	21−24 +21.1%
Elden Ring	27−30 −29.6%	35−40 +29.6%

Full HD
Medium Preset

Battlefield 5	30−35 −25.8%	35−40 +25.8%
Counter-Strike 2	18−20 −22.2%	21−24 +22.2%
Cyberpunk 2077	18−20 −21.1%	21−24 +21.1%
Forza Horizon 4	35−40 −26.3%	45−50 +26.3%
Metro Exodus	36 +9.1%	30−35 −9.1%
Red Dead Redemption 2	36 +16.1%	30−35 −16.1%
Valorant	46 −2.2%	45−50 +2.2%

Full HD
High Preset

Battlefield 5	44 +12.8%	35−40 −12.8%
Counter-Strike 2	18−20 −22.2%	21−24 +22.2%
Cyberpunk 2077	18−20 −21.1%	21−24 +21.1%
Dota 2	46 +7%	40−45 −7%
Elden Ring	27−30 −29.6%	35−40 +29.6%
Far Cry 5	42 −11.9%	45−50 +11.9%
Fortnite	55−60 −23.2%	65−70 +23.2%
Forza Horizon 4	35−40 −26.3%	45−50 +26.3%
Grand Theft Auto V	33 −30.3%	40−45 +30.3%
Metro Exodus	23 −43.5%	30−35 +43.5%
PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS	34 −165%	90−95 +165%
Red Dead Redemption 2	10 −210%	30−35 +210%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt	27−30 −24.1%	35−40 +24.1%
Valorant	21 −124%	45−50 +124%
World of Tanks	86 −93%	160−170 +93%

Full HD
Ultra Preset

Battlefield 5	31 −25.8%	35−40 +25.8%
Counter-Strike 2	18−20 −22.2%	21−24 +22.2%
Cyberpunk 2077	18−20 −21.1%	21−24 +21.1%
Dota 2	69 +60.5%	40−45 −60.5%
Far Cry 5	37 −27%	45−50 +27%
Forza Horizon 4	35−40 −26.3%	45−50 +26.3%
PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS	70−75 −21.6%	90−95 +21.6%
Valorant	26 −80.8%	45−50 +80.8%

1440p
High Preset

Dota 2	12−14 −33.3%	16−18 +33.3%
Elden Ring	12−14 −38.5%	18−20 +38.5%
Grand Theft Auto V	12−14 −41.7%	16−18 +41.7%
PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS	45−50 −50%	65−70 +50%
Red Dead Redemption 2	8−9 −25%	10−11 +25%
World of Tanks	57 −49.1%	85−90 +49.1%

1440p
Ultra Preset

Battlefield 5	18−20 −33.3%	24−27 +33.3%
Counter-Strike 2	10−11 −10%	10−12 +10%
Cyberpunk 2077	7−8 −28.6%	9−10 +28.6%
Far Cry 5	24 −12.5%	27−30 +12.5%
Forza Horizon 4	21−24 −33.3%	27−30 +33.3%
Metro Exodus	18−20 −38.9%	24−27 +38.9%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt	10−12 −36.4%	14−16 +36.4%
Valorant	19 −57.9%	30−33 +57.9%

4K
High Preset

Counter-Strike 2	4−5 −75%	7−8 +75%
Dota 2	13 −69.2%	21−24 +69.2%
Elden Ring	6−7 −33.3%	8−9 +33.3%
Grand Theft Auto V	13 −69.2%	21−24 +69.2%
Metro Exodus	7 +0%	7−8 +0%
PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS	26 −34.6%	35−40 +34.6%
Red Dead Redemption 2	6−7 −33.3%	8−9 +33.3%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt	13 −69.2%	21−24 +69.2%
World of Tanks	30 −16.7%	35−40 +16.7%

4K
Ultra Preset

Battlefield 5	9 −22.2%	10−12 +22.2%
Counter-Strike 2	4−5 −75%	7−8 +75%
Cyberpunk 2077	2−3 −50%	3−4 +50%
Dota 2	20−22 −10%	21−24 +10%
Far Cry 5	12 −25%	14−16 +25%
Fortnite	10−11 −30%	12−14 +30%
Forza Horizon 4	12−14 −33.3%	16−18 +33.3%
Valorant	9−10 −33.3%	12−14 +33.3%

This is how Pro 560X and HD 7870 compete in popular games:

HD 7870 is 29% faster in 900p
HD 7870 is 74% faster in 1080p
HD 7870 is 22% faster in 1440p
HD 7870 is 13% faster in 4K

Here's the range of performance differences observed across popular games:

in Dota 2, with 1080p resolution and the Ultra Preset, the Pro 560X is 60% faster.
in Red Dead Redemption 2, with 1080p resolution and the High Preset, the HD 7870 is 210% faster.

All in all, in popular games:

Pro 560X is ahead in 5 tests (8%)
HD 7870 is ahead in 57 tests (90%)
there's a draw in 1 test (2%)

Pros & cons summary

Performance score	9.56	12.01
Recency	16 July 2018	5 March 2012
Maximum RAM amount	4 GB	2 GB
Chip lithography	14 nm	28 nm
Power consumption (TDP)	75 Watt	175 Watt

Pro 560X has an age advantage of 6 years, a 100% higher maximum VRAM amount, a 100% more advanced lithography process, and 133.3% lower power consumption.

HD 7870, on the other hand, has a 25.6% higher aggregate performance score.

The Radeon HD 7870 is our recommended choice as it beats the Radeon Pro 560X in performance tests.

Be aware that Radeon Pro 560X is a mobile workstation card while Radeon HD 7870 is a desktop one.

Should you still have questions concerning choice between the reviewed GPUs, ask them in Comments section, and we shall answer.