GeForce GTX 580 vs Radeon HD 7870

Speed and memory

In our performance index the GeForce GTX 580 scores 4 and the Radeon HD 7870 scores 3.8, which makes the GeForce GTX 580 about 5% faster. That is a small gap, below what most people notice without a frame counter.

The GeForce GTX 580 has 1 GB of video memory and the Radeon HD 7870 has 2 GB. That difference matters at 1440p and in new games at High textures, and it can outweigh a small speed advantage as the card ages.

In our estimates for popular games at 1080p on High, the biggest gap is in Grand Theft Auto V Legacy (48 against 65 fps), and the smallest is in Fortnite (49 against 47 fps). Games that are light enough to run above 200 fps on both cards show little difference at all.

Power and value

The GeForce GTX 580 is rated at 244 W and the Radeon HD 7870 at 175 W. With a mid-range processor that means a power supply of about 650 W for the first and 550 W for the second. A gap of 69 W shows up in heat and fan noise, and in your electricity use over a few years.

At launch the GeForce GTX 580 cost $499 and the Radeon HD 7870 $349. Per dollar, the Radeon HD 7870 gave more performance (1.1 points per $100 against 0.8). Current prices differ, so run the same sum on what you can actually buy today.

Which one to buy

Choose the GeForce GTX 580 if you want the faster card, and you can accept 1 GB of memory. It makes the most sense at 1440p and above, or on a monitor with a high refresh rate.

Choose the Radeon HD 7870 if the price gap matters more than the 5% speed difference, and you value the extra video memory. Whichever you pick, check reviews for the games you play, because two cards with similar scores can differ in individual titles.