GeForce GTX 650 vs Radeon HD 7870 XT

Full comparison of specs, performance and benchmarks

Aggregate performance score

We've compared GTX 650 and HD 7870 XT across specs and all relevant benchmarks.

HD 7870 XT outperforms GTX 650 by ~6% on the catalog index; this is not a measured FPS gain.+6%

Scores are normalized on the Head to Head scale. Higher is better. How is this calculated?

H2HBench Data Quality

Low confidence
Specifications: Field verification not recordedVerified gaming results: 0Estimated / unverified results: 32Price record updated: Sep 6, 2026

Limited verified data

H2HBench Verdict

Higher catalog score: GeForce GTX 650 (~16%)

The score difference is not a measured FPS improvement.

Reasons to consider GTX 650

  • Lower stated power consumption
  • Lower recorded market price
  • Recorded feature support: OpenCL 3.0, CUDA 3.0 · Not supported

Reasons to consider HD 7870 XT

  • Higher catalog performance index
  • Recorded feature support: OpenCL 1.2 · Not supported
Low confidence

Catalog metrics radar

Axes with missing data are hidden; every value uses a fixed scale.

H2H
Performance
Efficiency
Price / performance
Memory capacity
Performance
3234
Efficiency
10057
Price / performance
100100
Memory capacity
5656
Missing values are never replaced with zero or an average.Model: H2H 2026.07 fixed scale.

Graphics card ranking

Full ranking →

The ranking is recalculated automatically from catalog data.

Positions 144–149of 321
GTX 650not in TOP100position in the GPU ranking
HD 7870 XTnot in TOP100position in the GPU ranking

Which should you choose?

Two practical conclusions based on community votes and gaming value.

COMMUNITY CHOICE

Radeon HD 7870 XT

142 likes

Head to Head visitors currently choose this model more often.

BEST PRICE / PERFORMANCE

GeForce GTX 650

Price $23.00

Based on catalog performance per unit of current market price, not measured FPS.

Overview

Scores are calculated from specifications, performance, and efficiency.

CategoryGTX 650HD 7870 XT
GamesDirectX, OpenCL, and Vulkan performance
32
34Better
Professional applications3D modeling, video editing, and rendering
29
31Better
AI and machine learningMachine-learning and AI capabilities
27
28Better
Power efficiencyPower consumption across workloads
100Better
57
Head to Head scoreOverall catalog score
52Better
45

Specifications

The better numeric value is highlighted in green, taking the metric direction into account.

SpecificationGTX 650HD 7870 XT
DisplayPort
Device class
Max monitors
Max resolution
USB Type-C
DirectX
Vulkan
OpenGL
TFLOPSBetter
Power consumptionBetter
Memory type
Clock speedBetter
Base clockBetter
Boost clockBetter
VRAMBetter
Memory frequencyBetter
Memory busBetter
Power connector
Release date
Architecture
Thickness
Memory bandwidthBetter
Interface
Power consumptionBetter
Process node
Recommended PSUBetter
LengthBetter
Compute API
Launch priceBetter
Shader units / coresBetter
Die sizeBetter
Memory cache
Transistor countBetter
Upscaling
HDMI

Gaming FPS

Available results are shown separately; missing data is not treated as zero.

The Gaming FPS section compares GTX 650 and HD 7870 XT across curated H2H Lab game presets. The useful signal is not only average FPS, but also how each device behaves at 1440p and 4K, how memory capacity and bus width affect heavy textures, and whether the game engine favors raster performance, ray tracing, or driver maturity.

GTX 650HD 7870 XT
Verified externalEstimatedSources ↗
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

1080p High
160 FPS
177 FPS
1080p Ultra
111 FPS
121 FPS
1440p Ultra
61 FPS
66 FPS
4K Ultra
21 FPS
24 FPS
Game1080p High1080p Ultra1440p Ultra4K Ultra
Counter-Strike 2GTX 650160 FPSHD 7870 XT177 FPSGTX 650111 FPSHD 7870 XT121 FPSGTX 65061 FPSHD 7870 XT66 FPSGTX 65021 FPSHD 7870 XT24 FPS
Cyberpunk 2077GTX 650103 FPSHD 7870 XT115 FPSGTX 65088 FPSHD 7870 XT96 FPSGTX 65044 FPSHD 7870 XT48 FPSGTX 65014 FPSHD 7870 XT16 FPS
Forza Horizon 5GTX 650131 FPSHD 7870 XT144 FPSGTX 65083 FPSHD 7870 XT91 FPSGTX 65055 FPSHD 7870 XT60 FPSGTX 65032 FPSHD 7870 XT35 FPS
Hogwarts LegacyGTX 65085 FPSHD 7870 XT94 FPSGTX 65070 FPSHD 7870 XT76 FPSGTX 65040 FPSHD 7870 XT43 FPSGTX 65015 FPSHD 7870 XT16 FPS
Average FPSGTX 650120 FPSHD 7870 XT133 FPSGTX 65088 FPSHD 7870 XT96 FPSGTX 65050 FPSHD 7870 XT54 FPSGTX 65021 FPSHD 7870 XT23 FPS

H2H workload indices

Comparable internal indices on a fixed 0–100 scale.

IndexGTX 650HD 7870 XTDifference
H2H Raster IndexH2H Index / 10032346%
H2H Compute IndexH2H Index / 10036373%
H2H Rendering IndexH2H Index / 10039403%
H2H Memory Workload IndexH2H Index / 10056560%
H2H Efficiency IndexH2H Index / 1001005755%

These are versioned H2H calculated indices derived from normalized catalog data. They are not results from a third-party benchmark.

H2H AI workload indices

Estimated workload profiles based on available performance and memory data.

IndexGTX 650HD 7870 XTDifference
H2H Image Generation IndexH2H Index / 10043442%
H2H ML Training IndexH2H Index / 10041435%
H2H Inference IndexH2H Index / 10039403%
H2H Local LLM IndexH2H Index / 10045462%
H2H Computer Vision IndexH2H Index / 10039403%

These are versioned H2H calculated indices derived from normalized catalog data. They are not results from a third-party benchmark.

Graphics APIs, SDKs and upscaling

SpecificationsGTX 650HD 7870 XT
DirectX11.011.1
Vulkan1.21.2
OpenGL4.64.6
UpscalingNot supportedNot supported
Compute APIOpenCL 3.0, CUDA 3.0OpenCL 1.2

Architecture and release

SpecificationsGTX 650HD 7870 XT
ArchitectureKeplerGCN 1.0
Process node28 nm28 nm
Release date20122012
Device classDesktopDesktop

GPU cores, die and clocks

SpecificationsGTX 650HD 7870 XT
Transistor count2540 million4313 millionBetter
Die size221 mm²Better352 mm²
Shader units / cores3841536Better
Base clock1058 MHzBetter975 MHz
Boost clock1058 MHzBetter975 MHz

Board size, power and compatibility

SpecificationsGTX 650HD 7870 XT
InterfacePCIe 3x16PCIe 3x16
Length147 mmBetter267 mm
ThicknessSingle-slotDual-slot
Recommended PSU250 WBetter450 W
Power connector6 pin6+6 pin

Display outputs and limits

SpecificationsGTX 650HD 7870 XT
HDMIBoard dependentHDMI 1.4a
DisplayPortDisplayPort 1.2mini-DisplayPort 1.2
USB Type-CNoNo
Max monitors34
Max resolution4096 × 21604096 × 2160

Memory and compute throughput

SpecificationsGTX 650HD 7870 XT
VRAM1 GB GDDR52 GB GDDR5Better
Memory typeGDDR5GDDR5
Memory bus128 bit256 bitBetter
TFLOPS0.8122.995Better

Other comparisons

0

Reviews and questions

Explain this comparison

Beyond percentages: causes, relevant specifications, and practical impact behind every chart.

Device AGTX 65052
Device BHD 7870 XT45
What AI will explain

Overall score, radar, FPS, synthetic tests, specifications, efficiency, and value.

Evidence details

Data coverage

Verified gaming results
0
Verified synthetic results
0
Games with verified results
0
Verified community results
0
Estimated / unverified results
32
Specifications
0 / 70

Specification record updated:

Benchmarks updated:

Price record updated:

Comparison reviewed:

Calculated scores · How is this calculated?

Scores use the catalog model and may include estimated inputs. Open each score to see its origin and the methodology.

clamp(round(performance × 0.7 + (efficiency ?? 50) × 0.2 + (value is missing ? 0 : (value − 50) × 0.2)), 0, 100)
Price evidence · View sources (6)

Verified community results

No verified community benchmarks yet.

Reviewed by

No individual editorial review is recorded for this comparison.

Comparison history

Show recorded changes (4)
  1. · Record updated: products
  2. · Record updated: products
  3. · Record updated: products
  4. · Record updated: products

Why you can trust this comparison

Origin and confidence are evaluated from the evidence attached to each value. Unverified results are identified, and specification, benchmark and price dates remain separate.

Report incorrect data

Owner experiences

Real builds, results, and community feedback.

Moderator reviewedHelpful to the communityExpert badges

Frequently asked comparison questions

Short recommendations based on performance, memory, power consumption, and intended use.

01Which is better for gaming: GTX 650 or HD 7870 XT?

GTX 650 has the higher overall gaming score, while GTX 650 offers the better price-to-performance ratio. The final choice depends on resolution and settings.

02Which is better for streaming?

GTX 650 is the stronger streaming choice thanks to performance, hardware encoding, and application support. Check AV1, H.264, and HEVC support before buying.

03Which is better for Blender?

GTX 650 is generally the better option for Blender and GPU rendering. Rendering-engine support and available VRAM also matter.

04Which is better for video editing?

GTX 650 offers more overall performance, while GTX 650 offers more memory headroom. Codecs, hardware encoders, and editor optimization can change the result.

05Which is better for neural networks and AI?

GTX 650 is the more practical option for local AI workloads. VRAM capacity, compute libraries, and framework compatibility are especially important.

06Which is better for 1080p?

GTX 650 is the most rational 1080p choice, where high frame rates and cost per frame matter most.

07Which is better for 1440p?

GTX 650 leads in combined 1440p performance. GTX 650 can be preferable for heavy textures and games with high VRAM usage.

08Which is better for 4K?

GTX 650 is preferable for 4K, where total performance, memory bandwidth, and VRAM capacity have the greatest impact.

09Which is better for a quiet PC?

GTX 650 is easier to use in a quiet build because of its lower estimated power and thermal load. Actual noise depends on the specific cooler.

10Which is better without replacing the power supply?

GTX 650 is the safer candidate because its stated power consumption is lower. Verify PSU wattage, age, and power connectors.

11Is it worth upgrading from the previous generation?

Consider upgrading to GTX 650 if your current device no longer delivers the required FPS, memory capacity, or feature support. A gain below 15–20% is usually worth waiting for a price cut.