RTX 5090 D vs HD 7870
Head-to-head specifications
| Metric | RTX 5090 D | HD 7870 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3DMark Time Spy | 40,000 | 896 | +4,364.3% |
| Avg FPS @ 1080p | 286 | 25 | +1,044.0% |
| Avg FPS @ 1440p | 183 | 13 | +1,307.7% |
| Avg FPS @ 4K | 105 | 7 | +1,400.0% |
| FP32 compute (TFLOPS) | 104.8 | 2.6 | +3,991.8% |
| VRAM | 32 GB GDDR7 | 2 GB GDDR5 | — |
| Memory bandwidth (GB/s) | 1,792 | 224 | +700.0% |
| TDP (W) | 575 | 175 | — |
| Launch MSRP (USD) | $2,299 | $349 | +558.7% |
- RTX 5090 D averages 183 fps at 1440p versus 13 fps — about 1308% faster.
- HD 7870 draws less power (175W vs 575W).
Verdict: RTX 5090 D or HD 7870?
RTX 5090 D advantages
- 1440p gaming (+93%)
- 4K gaming (+93%)
- Synthetic benchmark performance (+98%)
- Video memory (+94%)
- Memory bandwidth (+88%)
HD 7870 advantages
- Power efficiency (+70%)
- Affordability (+85%)
Which should you choose?
- Choose the RTX 5090 D if you game at 1440p.
- Choose the HD 7870 if you want lower power draw, heat and noise.
- Choose the RTX 5090 D if you game at 4K or drive a high-resolution display.
Value for money
RTX 5090 D delivers more performance per dollar, making it the better value of the two at their listed prices.
RTX 5090 D vs HD 7870: which should you choose?
RTX 5090 D — NVIDIA desktop graphics card (2025, Blackwell) with 32 GB of GDDR7, averaging 183 fps at 1440p; launched at $2,299.
HD 7870 — AMD desktop graphics card (2012, GCN 1.0) with 2 GB of GDDR5, averaging 13 fps at 1440p; launched at $349.
RTX 5090 D vs HD 7870: RTX 5090 D is faster for gaming. RTX 5090 D averages 183 fps at 1440p versus 13 fps — about 1308% faster. HD 7870 draws less power (175W vs 575W).
1080p, 1440p and 4K
At 1440p — the most common enthusiast resolution — the RTX 5090 D averages 183 fps against 13. At 4K (105 vs 7 fps) VRAM (32GB vs 2GB) and memory bandwidth matter more.
Power and value
Board power is 575 W versus 175 W, which affects PSU headroom, case cooling and noise. At launch MSRPs of $2,299 vs $349, weigh the frame-rate lead against price and power draw for your target resolution.
The verdict
Both are credible choices in the graphics card comparison space; the specification table above lays out every metric so you can weigh the trade-offs that matter to you. Pick the one whose strengths line up with how you will actually use it.
Frequently asked questions
Is the RTX 5090 D better than the HD 7870?
RTX 5090 D takes the overall edge, though HD 7870 wins in specific areas worth weighing. RTX 5090 D averages 183 fps at 1440p versus 13 fps — about 1308% faster.
What is the main difference between the RTX 5090 D and the HD 7870?
RTX 5090 D averages 183 fps at 1440p versus 13 fps — about 1308% faster. HD 7870 draws less power (175W vs 575W).
Which is better value?
RTX 5090 D delivers more performance per dollar, making it the better value of the two at their listed prices.
Which should I choose?
Choose the RTX 5090 D if you game at 1440p. Choose the HD 7870 if you want lower power draw, heat and noise.
Methodology
Graphics cards are compared on 3DMark Time Spy scores, average gaming frame rates at 1080p/1440p/4K, FP32 compute throughput, VRAM capacity and type, memory bandwidth, board power (TDP) and launch MSRP — plus AI workload throughput (Stable Diffusion iterations/s and local LLM tokens/s) where measured. Vintage and server GPUs without modern benchmark results are compared on specifications only, clearly labelled. Frame rates are averages across a game suite at high settings; specific titles vary.