G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, raw graphics performance, VRAM, feature set, power efficiency, pricing context, and long-term value so you can see which GPU actually makes more sense.

GeForce GTX 580

2010

Why buy it

✅9.8% more average FPS across 39 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (3 GB vs 2 GB).

Trade-offs

❌Very weak future-proofing: 2010-era hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌
43% HIGHER MSRP
$499 MSRPvs$349 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 9.3 vs 13.1 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs $349 MSRP).
❌22% higher power demand at 244W vs 200W.
❌10.8% longer card at 267mm vs 241mm.

Radeon HD 7870

2012

Why buy it

✅Costs $150 less on MSRP ($349 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 40.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 13.1 vs 9.3 G3D/$ ($349 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Draws 200W instead of 244W, a 44W reduction.
✅Measures 241mm instead of 267mm, a 26mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 580 across 39 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 3 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2012-era hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.

GeForce GTX 580

2010

Radeon HD 7870

2012

Why buy it

✅9.8% more average FPS across 39 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅50% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (3 GB vs 2 GB).

Why buy it

✅Costs $150 less on MSRP ($349 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Delivers 40.9% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 13.1 vs 9.3 G3D/$ ($349 MSRP vs $499 MSRP).
✅Draws 200W instead of 244W, a 44W reduction.
✅Measures 241mm instead of 267mm, a 26mm shorter card that is more SFF-friendly.

Trade-offs

❌Very weak future-proofing: 2010-era hardware with 3 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.
❌
43% HIGHER MSRP
$499 MSRPvs$349 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 9.3 vs 13.1 G3D/$ ($499 MSRP vs $349 MSRP).
❌22% higher power demand at 244W vs 200W.
❌10.8% longer card at 267mm vs 241mm.

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 580 across 39 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 3 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌Very weak future-proofing: 2012-era hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already obsolete for modern gaming and is hard to recommend today.

Quick Answers

So, is GeForce GTX 580 better than Radeon HD 7870?

Yes. GeForce GTX 580 is the better GPU overall here. You are getting 9.8% more average FPS across 39 tracked games in our benchmark data, 1.4% higher PassMark G3D performance, and 3 GB vs 2 GB of VRAM. It also comes from 2010 instead of 2012, which helps its case as the more complete modern gaming card.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce GTX 580 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more VRAM at 3 GB instead of 2 GB and the stronger feature stack with no meaningful modern upscaling stack instead of FSR upscaling. That extra memory headroom makes it the safer pick for newer games, heavier textures, and higher settings over time.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper card?

GeForce GTX 580 is the smarter buy by a wide margin. GeForce GTX 580 is about 43.0% more expensive on MSRP at $499 MSRP versus $349 MSRP, and you are getting 9.8% more estimated average FPS across 39 tracked games in our benchmark data and 1.4% higher G3D Mark. Radeon HD 7870 really only makes sense now as a very cheap stopgap or a used-market placeholder.

When does Radeon HD 7870 make more sense than GeForce GTX 580?

Yes. Radeon HD 7870 is still an excellent gaming GPU in 2026: it is still comfortable for 1080p and decent for 1440p, though 4K is more situational. It makes more sense if your priority is newer architecture, lower power draw (200W vs 244W), and staying closer to $349 MSRP more than squeezing out the extra headroom of GeForce GTX 580. The trade-off is that GeForce GTX 580 currently gives you 1.4% higher G3D Mark and 9.8% more estimated average FPS across 39 tracked games in our benchmark data. Radeon HD 7870 still holds the G3D-per-dollar lead, so the performance win comes with a real value premium.

Games Benchmarks

Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 9800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.

Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.

GeForce GTX 580 Benchmark Check

Radeon HD 7870 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 580	Radeon HD 7870
1080p
low	80 FPS	80 FPS
medium	65 FPS	65 FPS
high	52 FPS	51 FPS
ultra	34 FPS	33 FPS
1440p
low	67 FPS	67 FPS
medium	55 FPS	55 FPS
high	39 FPS	39 FPS
ultra	25 FPS	25 FPS
4K
low	24 FPS	24 FPS
medium	23 FPS	23 FPS
high	15 FPS	15 FPS
ultra	13 FPS	13 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 580 Open Radeon HD 7870

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	GeForce GTX 580	Radeon HD 7870
1080p
low	132 FPS	118 FPS
medium	103 FPS	87 FPS
high	81 FPS	67 FPS
ultra	59 FPS	42 FPS
1440p
low	91 FPS	66 FPS
medium	65 FPS	45 FPS
high	52 FPS	33 FPS
ultra	39 FPS	22 FPS
4K
low	42 FPS	24 FPS
medium	32 FPS	16 FPS
high	29 FPS	13 FPS
ultra	23 FPS	9 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 580 Open Radeon HD 7870

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	GeForce GTX 580	Radeon HD 7870
1080p
low	209 FPS	206 FPS
medium	167 FPS	164 FPS
high	139 FPS	137 FPS
ultra	104 FPS	103 FPS
1440p
low	156 FPS	154 FPS
medium	125 FPS	123 FPS
high	104 FPS	103 FPS
ultra	78 FPS	77 FPS
4K
low	104 FPS	103 FPS
medium	83 FPS	82 FPS
high	70 FPS	69 FPS
ultra	52 FPS	51 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 580 Open Radeon HD 7870

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	GeForce GTX 580	Radeon HD 7870
1080p
low	157 FPS	138 FPS
medium	116 FPS	112 FPS
high	100 FPS	96 FPS
ultra	84 FPS	82 FPS
1440p
low	118 FPS	101 FPS
medium	89 FPS	83 FPS
high	76 FPS	72 FPS
ultra	60 FPS	57 FPS
4K
low	70 FPS	59 FPS
medium	50 FPS	46 FPS
high	39 FPS	36 FPS
ultra	28 FPS	26 FPS

Open GeForce GTX 580 Open Radeon HD 7870

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 580 and Radeon HD 7870

GeForce GTX 580

The GeForce GTX 580 is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in November 9 2010. It features the Fermi 2.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 772 MHz. It has 512 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 244W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,634 points. Launch price was $499.

Radeon HD 7870

The Radeon HD 7870 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in March 5 2012. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The core clock speed is 1000 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 200W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 4,568 points. Launch price was $349.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 580 scores 4,634 and the Radeon HD 7870 reaches 4,568 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 580 is built on Fermi 2.0 while the Radeon HD 7870 uses GCN 1.0, both on 40 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 512 (GeForce GTX 580) vs 1,280 (Radeon HD 7870). Raw compute: 1.581 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 580) vs 2.56 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7870).

Feature	GeForce GTX 580	Radeon HD 7870
G3D Mark Score	4,634+1%	4,568
Architecture	Fermi 2.0	GCN 1.0
Process Node	40 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	512	1280+150%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.581 TFLOPS	2.56 TFLOPS+62%
ROPs	48+50%	32
TMUs	64	80+25%
L1 Cache	1 MB+223%	0.31 MB
L2 Cache	768 KB+50%	512 KB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 580 gives access to NVIDIA DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), widely regarding as the superior upscaling method for image quality. The Radeon HD 7870 relies on FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution), which is capable but generally slightly noisier than DLSS in motion.

Feature	GeForce GTX 580	Radeon HD 7870
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 580 comes with 3 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 7870 has 2 GB. The GeForce GTX 580 offers 50% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 192 GB/s (GeForce GTX 580) vs 153.6 GB/s (Radeon HD 7870) — a 25% advantage for the GeForce GTX 580. Bus width: 384-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 768 KB (GeForce GTX 580) vs 512 KB (Radeon HD 7870) — the GeForce GTX 580 has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 580	Radeon HD 7870
VRAM Capacity	3 GB+50%	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	192 GB/s+25%	153.6 GB/s
Bus Width	384-bit+50%	256-bit
L2 Cache	768 KB+50%	512 KB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (11_0) (GeForce GTX 580) vs 12 (11_1) (Radeon HD 7870). Vulkan: N/A vs 1.2. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 6.

Feature	GeForce GTX 580	Radeon HD 7870
DirectX	12 (11_0)	12 (11_1)
Vulkan	N/A	1.2
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
Max Displays	2	6+200%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: None (GeForce GTX 580) vs VCE 1.0 (Radeon HD 7870). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP4 vs UVD 4.0. Supported codecs: H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GeForce GTX 580) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (Radeon HD 7870).

Feature	GeForce GTX 580	Radeon HD 7870
Encoder	None	VCE 1.0
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP4	UVD 4.0
Codecs	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1	H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 580 draws 244W versus the Radeon HD 7870's 200W — a 19.8% difference. The Radeon HD 7870 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 550W (GeForce GTX 580) vs 500W (Radeon HD 7870). Power connectors: 6-pin + 8-pin vs 2x 6-pin. Card length: 267mm vs 241mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 85 C vs 80°C.

Feature	GeForce GTX 580	Radeon HD 7870
TDP	244W	200W-18%
Recommended PSU	550W	500W-9%
Power Connector	6-pin + 8-pin	2x 6-pin
Length	267mm	241mm
Height	111mm	111mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	85 C	80°C-6%
Perf/Watt	19.0	22.8+20%

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 580 launched at $499 MSRP, while the Radeon HD 7870 launched at $349. The Radeon HD 7870 costs 30.1% less ($150 savings) on MSRP. Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 9.3 (GeForce GTX 580) vs 13.1 (Radeon HD 7870) — the Radeon HD 7870 offers 40.9% better value. The Radeon HD 7870 is the newer GPU (2012 vs 2010).