GeForce GTX 650 Ti vs Radeon HD 5870

Speed and memory

The GeForce GTX 650 Ti and the Radeon HD 5870 are within a few percent of each other for gaming in our model, so you will not see a difference in play.

Both cards have 1 GB of video memory, so memory will not separate them.

In our estimates for popular games at 1080p on High, the biggest gap is in Fortnite (31 against 31 fps), and the smallest is in ELDEN RING (7 against 7 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 650 Ti is rated at 110 W and the Radeon HD 5870 at 188 W. With a mid-range processor that means a power supply of about 450 W for the first and 550 W for the second. A gap of 78 W shows up in heat and fan noise, and in your electricity use over a few years.

At launch the GeForce GTX 650 Ti cost $149 and the Radeon HD 5870 $379. Per dollar, the GeForce GTX 650 Ti gave more performance (1.6 points per $100 against 0.6). Current prices differ, so run the same sum on what you can actually buy today.

Which one to buy

Choose the GeForce GTX 650 Ti if you want the faster card, and it also has at least as much memory. It makes the most sense at 1440p and above, or on a monitor with a high refresh rate.

Choose the Radeon HD 5870 if the price gap matters more than the small speed difference. Whichever you pick, check reviews for the games you play, because two cards with similar scores can differ in individual titles.