AMD Radeon HD 7870 XT
AMD graphics card specifications and benchmark scores
At a Glance
AMDAMD Radeon HD 7870 XT Specifications
Radeon HD 7870 XT GPU Core
Shader units and compute resources
The AMD Radeon HD 7870 XT GPU core specifications define its raw processing power for graphics and compute workloads. Shading units (also called CUDA cores, stream processors, or execution units depending on manufacturer) handle the parallel calculations required for rendering. TMUs (Texture Mapping Units) process texture data, while ROPs (Render Output Units) handle final pixel output. Higher shader counts generally translate to better GPU benchmark performance, especially in demanding games and 3D applications.
HD 7870 XT Clock Speeds
GPU and memory frequencies
Clock speeds directly impact the Radeon HD 7870 XT's performance in GPU benchmarks and real-world gaming. The base clock represents the minimum guaranteed frequency, while the boost clock indicates peak performance under optimal thermal conditions. Memory clock speed affects texture loading and frame buffer operations. The Radeon HD 7870 XT by AMD dynamically adjusts frequencies based on workload, temperature, and power limits to maximize performance while maintaining stability.
AMD's Radeon HD 7870 XT Memory
VRAM capacity and bandwidth
VRAM (Video RAM) is dedicated memory for storing textures, frame buffers, and shader data. The Radeon HD 7870 XT's memory capacity determines how well it handles high-resolution textures and multiple displays. Memory bandwidth, measured in GB/s, affects how quickly data moves between the GPU and VRAM. Higher bandwidth improves performance in memory-intensive scenarios like 4K gaming. The memory bus width and type (GDDR6, GDDR6X, HBM) significantly influence overall GPU benchmark scores.
Radeon HD 7870 XT by AMD Cache
On-chip cache hierarchy
On-chip cache provides ultra-fast data access for the HD 7870 XT, reducing the need to fetch data from slower VRAM. L1 and L2 caches store frequently accessed data close to the compute units. AMD's Infinity Cache (L3) dramatically increases effective bandwidth, improving GPU benchmark performance without requiring wider memory buses. Larger cache sizes help maintain high frame rates in memory-bound scenarios and reduce power consumption by minimizing VRAM accesses.
HD 7870 XT Theoretical Performance
Compute and fill rates
Theoretical performance metrics provide a baseline for comparing the AMD Radeon HD 7870 XT against other graphics cards. FP32 (single-precision) performance, measured in TFLOPS, indicates compute capability for gaming and general GPU workloads. FP64 (double-precision) matters for scientific computing. Pixel and texture fill rates determine how quickly the GPU can render complex scenes. While real-world GPU benchmark results depend on many factors, these specifications help predict relative performance levels.
GCN 1.0 Architecture & Process
Manufacturing and design details
The AMD Radeon HD 7870 XT is built on AMD's GCN 1.0 architecture, which defines how the GPU processes graphics and compute workloads. The manufacturing process node affects power efficiency, thermal characteristics, and maximum clock speeds. Smaller process nodes pack more transistors into the same die area, enabling higher performance per watt. Understanding the architecture helps predict how the HD 7870 XT will perform in GPU benchmarks compared to previous generations.
AMD's Radeon HD 7870 XT Power & Thermal
TDP and power requirements
Power specifications for the AMD Radeon HD 7870 XT determine PSU requirements and thermal management needs. TDP (Thermal Design Power) indicates the heat output under typical loads, guiding cooler selection. Power connector requirements ensure adequate power delivery for stable operation during demanding GPU benchmarks. The suggested PSU wattage accounts for the entire system, not just the graphics card. Efficient power delivery enables the Radeon HD 7870 XT to maintain boost clocks without throttling.
Radeon HD 7870 XT by AMD Physical & Connectivity
Dimensions and outputs
Physical dimensions of the AMD Radeon HD 7870 XT are critical for case compatibility. Card length, height, and slot width determine whether it fits in your chassis. The PCIe interface version affects bandwidth for communication with the CPU. Display outputs define monitor connectivity options, with modern cards supporting multiple high-resolution displays simultaneously. Verify these specifications against your case and motherboard before purchasing to ensure a proper fit.
AMD API Support
Graphics and compute APIs
API support determines which games and applications can fully utilize the AMD Radeon HD 7870 XT. DirectX 12 Ultimate enables advanced features like ray tracing and variable rate shading. Vulkan provides cross-platform graphics capabilities with low-level hardware access. OpenGL remains important for professional applications and older games. CUDA (NVIDIA) and OpenCL enable GPU compute for video editing, 3D rendering, and scientific applications. Higher API versions unlock newer graphical features in GPU benchmarks and games.
Radeon HD 7870 XT Product Information
Release and pricing details
The AMD Radeon HD 7870 XT is manufactured by AMD as part of their graphics card lineup. Release date and launch pricing provide context for comparing GPU benchmark results with competing products from the same era. Understanding the product lifecycle helps evaluate whether the Radeon HD 7870 XT by AMD represents good value at current market prices. Predecessor and successor information aids in tracking generational improvements and planning future upgrades.
Radeon HD 7870 XT Benchmark Scores
No benchmark data available for this GPU.
About AMD Radeon HD 7870 XT
The AMD Radeon HD 7870 XT is an AMD GPU from the Southern Islands (HD 7800) generation, built on the GCN 1.0 architecture with the Tahiti chip. TSMC fabricated it on a 28 nm process, with 4,313 million transistors on a 352 mm² die and a transistor density of 12.3M / mm². It launched on 2012-11-18 with a launch MSRP of 270 USD. Its predecessor is Northern Islands, its successor is Sea Islands, and its production status is end-of-life.
How It Compares
The nearestRivals list in the fact pack is empty, so there are no assigned rival names, scores, or percentage deltas to report for the HD 7870 XT. Because no nearestRivals entries exist, no direct statement can be made about how this card positions against any competing GPU in this database. The only comparative anchor available is the percentile vs all GPUs figure of 50, which places the card in the exact middle of the database's GPU distribution. The average benchmark score field is also 0, and the benchmarks array is empty, so the 50th percentile cannot be broken down into specific rival comparisons. This is a case where the data limitation is itself the finding: the record contains no comparative set.
Ray Tracing and Feature Set
The fact pack does not list RT core counts or tensor core counts for the HD 7870 XT; both fields are null. As a result, the record makes no quantitative claim about ray tracing acceleration or tensor-based workloads. The feature set is defined instead by the underlying GCN 1.0 architecture and Southern Islands (HD 7800) generation. The Tahiti chip includes 1536 shading units, 96 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. API support is given as DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170. The display output stage provides one DVI connector, one HDMI 1.4a connector, and two mini-DisplayPort 1.2 connectors. The bus interface is PCIe 3.0 x16, which defines how the card connects to the rest of the system.
Benchmark Performance
Benchmark performance is not populated for this card. The benchmarks list is empty, and the average benchmark score field is 0, so no exact percentage comparisons can be computed against any rival. The 50th percentile vs all GPUs is the only score-based position in the record, but it is a rank, not a benchmark result. In the absence of measured scores, the fact pack supplies raw throughput specifications instead. The base clock is 925 MHz and the boost clock is 975 MHz. FP32 compute throughput is 2.995 TFLOPS. Pixel fill rate is 31.20 GPixel/s, and texture fill rate is 93.60 GTexel/s. These are raw hardware capacity figures; they describe what the silicon is theoretically capable of processing, but they are not game performance measurements. The implication is that any percentage-based ranking would require external benchmark results, which the fact pack does not contain.
Power and Cooling
The HD 7870 XT has a TDP of 185 W, and the suggested PSU rating is 450 W. Power is delivered through two 6-pin power connectors. The board occupies a dual-slot width, which is the only cooling-form-factor detail provided in the fact pack; no specific cooler model is listed. The physical board length is 267 mm, or 10.5 inches. These numbers define the integration constraints: a chassis must accommodate the dual-slot footprint, the 267 mm board length, the two 6-pin connectors, and the 450 W suggested power supply. The 185 W TDP is the thermal design figure, not a measured power draw, but it is the value used for system-level planning in this record.
FAQ
Q: Which graphics APIs does the HD 7870 XT support?
A: It supports DirectX 12 (11_1), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.2.170.
Q: What memory configuration does the card have?
A: It has 2 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, with a memory clock of 1500 MHz, an effective data rate of 6 Gbps, and a bandwidth of 192.0 GB/s.
Q: What power connectors and power supply are required?
A: The card uses two 6-pin power connectors, has a TDP of 185 W, and lists a suggested PSU rating of 450 W.
Q: What chip and manufacturing process are used?
A: The chip is Tahiti, built on GCN 1.0, fabricated by TSMC on a 28 nm process with 4,313 million transistors and a 352 mm² die.
Q: Does the fact pack contain benchmark scores for this card?
A: No. The benchmarks array is empty, the average benchmark score field is 0, and the nearestRivals list is also empty.
Q: When was it released, and what is its production status?
A: It was released on 2012-11-18. Its production status is end-of-life, with Northern Islands as predecessor and Sea Islands as successor.
Who Should Consider It
The HD 7870 XT sits at the 50th percentile vs all GPUs, putting it in the middle of this database's performance distribution rather than at either extreme. Because no benchmark scores are recorded, the fact pack cannot support a resolution-specific or settings-specific recommendation. A reader looking for measured game performance data will not find it here. The raw specifications do provide a profile: 2 GB of GDDR5 memory, 192.0 GB/s memory bandwidth, 2.995 TFLOPS of FP32 throughput, and fill rates of 31.20 GPixel/s and 93.60 GTexel/s. Those figures describe capacity, not frame rates. For anyone studying GCN 1.0 or Southern Islands generation hardware, this entry represents a mid-pack Tahiti configuration with an end-of-life status. But the dataset lacks the benchmark evidence needed to say which titles, resolutions, or quality settings it can handle.
Memory Subsystem
The memory subsystem consists of 2 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus. The memory clock is listed as 1500 MHz, expressed as an effective 6 Gbps data rate, and the resulting bandwidth is 192.0 GB/s. The 2 GB capacity is the frame buffer pool available to workloads, while the 256-bit bus width is the data path between memory and the GPU. For high-resolution scenarios, these are the two parameters that matter most: capacity limits how much texture and geometry data can reside locally, and bandwidth limits how quickly that data can move. The fact pack does not include resolution-specific performance tests, so the actual impact on high-resolution gaming cannot be quantified from this record. The related pixel rate of 31.20 GPixel/s and texture rate of 93.60 GTexel/s are the output throughput figures that the memory subsystem must feed, and those rates are the closest the fact pack comes to translating memory capability into rendering capacity.
The NVIDIA Equivalent of Radeon HD 7870 XT
Looking for a similar graphics card from NVIDIA? The NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 offers comparable performance and features in the NVIDIA lineup.
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