AMD
Radeon RX 590 vs ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2
Full comparison of specs, performance and benchmarks
AMD
ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2
Aggregate performance score
We've compared RX 590 and ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 across specs and all relevant benchmarks.
↗RX 590 outperforms ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 by 32% based on our aggregate benchmark results.+32%
Scores are normalized on the Head to Head scale. Higher is better.Radeon RX 590 vs ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2: key takeaway
The comparison of RX 590 and ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 shows a 32% advantage for RX 590 in gaming performance, while ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 may still be stronger in efficiency and feature set. Use the sections below to check whether that lead comes from real FPS, specifications, efficiency, price or platform features.
SUMMARY PROFILE
Verified-metrics radar
Axes with missing data are hidden; every value uses a fixed scale.
AMDPerformance
Efficiency
Price / performance
Memory capacity
4131
6153
100100
6843
COMPARISON RESULT
RX 590 is the best overall choice
RX 590 leads in combined game performance. RX 590 offers the better price per frame, while the final choice depends on the required features, memory, and games.
RX 590 leads in the combined performance index
ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 costs less
CATALOG POSITION
Full ranking →Graphics card ranking
Positions 236–241of 317
COMPARISON VERDICT
Which should you choose?
Two practical conclusions based on community votes and gaming value.
ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2
179 likesHead to Head visitors currently choose this model more often.
ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2
100/100 · Price $159The choice is based on the price-to-performance index and launch price.
OVERALL SCORE
Overview
Scores are calculated from specifications, performance, and efficiency.
The Summary score section compares RX 590 and ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 with normalized H2H data, turning specifications, tests and value signals into practical buying context.
GamesDirectX, OpenCL, and Vulkan performance
41Better
31
Professional applications3D modeling, video editing, and rendering
36Better
29
AI and machine learningMachine-learning and AI capabilities
34Better
26
Power efficiencyPower consumption across workloads
61Better
53
Head to Head scoreOverall catalog score
56Better
49
FULL COMPARISON
Specifications
The better numeric value is highlighted in green, taking the metric direction into account.
The Specifications section compares RX 590 and ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 with normalized H2H data, turning specifications, tests and value signals into practical buying context.
DisplayPortDisplayPort 1.4a—
HDMIHDMI 2.0b—
Device classDesktopDesktop
Max resolution7680 × 43202560 × 1600
USB Type-CNoNo
DirectX12.010.1
Vulkan1.3—
OpenGL4.63.3
TFLOPS7.119Better0.528
Power consumption225 W196 WBetter
Memory typeGDDR5GDDR3
Power connector8 pin6+8 pin
Release date20182008
ArchitectureGCN 4.0TeraScale
ThicknessDual-slotDual-slot
Upscaling——
Compute APIOpenCL 2.1—
Launch price$309$159Better
Shader units / cores2304Better320
Clock speed1469 - 1545 MHzBetter825 MHz
Base clock1469 MHzBetter825 MHz
Boost clock1545 MHzBetter825 MHz
VRAM8 GB GDDR5Better1 GB GDDR3
Memory frequency8 GHzBetter1,8 GHz
Memory bus256 bit256x2 bit
Memory bandwidth256 GB/sBetter58 GB/s
InterfacePCIe 3x16PCIe 2x16
Power consumption225 W196 WBetter
Process node12 nmBetter55 nm
Recommended PSU450 W450 W
Length241 mmBetter267 mm
Die size232 mm²192 mm²Better
Memory cacheL1 16 KB, L2 2 MBL2 0.25 MBBetter
Transistor count5700 millionBetter666 million
Max monitors43
GAME TEST BENCH
Gaming FPS
Available results are shown separately; missing data is not treated as zero.
The Gaming FPS section compares RX 590 and ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 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.
RX 590ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2
Verified H2HCommunity VerifiedEstimatedPredicted
Black Myth: Wukong
1080p High
23 FPSEstimated 66%
18 FPSEstimated 64%
1080p Ultra
19 FPSEstimated 66%
15 FPSEstimated 64%
1440p Ultra
13 FPSEstimated 64%
8 FPSEstimated 58%
4K Ultra
5 FPSEstimated 57%
5 FPSEstimated 55%
Black Myth: WukongRX 59023 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X218 FPSEstimated 64%RX 59019 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X215 FPSEstimated 64%RX 59013 FPSEstimated 64%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X28 FPSEstimated 58%RX 5905 FPSEstimated 57%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X25 FPSEstimated 55%
Call of Duty: WarzoneRX 59023 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X218 FPSEstimated 64%RX 59019 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X215 FPSEstimated 64%RX 59013 FPSEstimated 64%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X28 FPSEstimated 58%RX 5905 FPSEstimated 57%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X25 FPSEstimated 55%
Counter-Strike 2RX 590191 FPSEstimated 74%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2153 FPSEstimated 72%RX 590134 FPSEstimated 74%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2107 FPSEstimated 72%RX 59097 FPSEstimated 72%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X260 FPSEstimated 66%RX 59032 FPSEstimated 65%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X223 FPSEstimated 63%
Cyberpunk 2077RX 590123 FPSEstimated 74%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X298 FPSEstimated 72%RX 590106 FPSEstimated 74%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X285 FPSEstimated 72%RX 59070 FPSEstimated 72%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X244 FPSEstimated 66%RX 59021 FPSEstimated 65%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X215 FPSEstimated 63%
Forza Horizon 5RX 590155 FPSEstimated 80%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2124 FPSEstimated 78%RX 590101 FPSEstimated 74%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X280 FPSEstimated 72%RX 59087 FPSEstimated 72%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X254 FPSEstimated 66%RX 59046 FPSEstimated 65%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X233 FPSEstimated 63%
God of War RagnarökRX 59023 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X218 FPSEstimated 64%RX 59019 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X215 FPSEstimated 64%RX 59013 FPSEstimated 64%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X28 FPSEstimated 58%RX 5905 FPSEstimated 57%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X25 FPSEstimated 55%
Hogwarts LegacyRX 590101 FPSEstimated 74%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X280 FPSEstimated 72%RX 59084 FPSEstimated 74%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X267 FPSEstimated 72%RX 59063 FPSEstimated 72%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X239 FPSEstimated 66%RX 59022 FPSEstimated 65%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X215 FPSEstimated 63%
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024RX 59023 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X218 FPSEstimated 64%RX 59019 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X215 FPSEstimated 64%RX 59013 FPSEstimated 64%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X28 FPSEstimated 58%RX 5905 FPSEstimated 57%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X25 FPSEstimated 55%
Monster Hunter WildsRX 59023 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X218 FPSEstimated 64%RX 59019 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X215 FPSEstimated 64%RX 59013 FPSEstimated 64%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X28 FPSEstimated 58%RX 5905 FPSEstimated 57%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X25 FPSEstimated 55%
StarfieldRX 59023 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X218 FPSEstimated 64%RX 59019 FPSEstimated 66%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X215 FPSEstimated 64%RX 59013 FPSEstimated 64%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X28 FPSEstimated 58%RX 5905 FPSEstimated 57%ATI Radeon HD 3870 X25 FPSEstimated 55%
HEAD TO HEAD · CALCULATED INDEX
H2H workload indices
Comparable internal indices on a fixed 0–100 scale.
The Benchmarks section compares RX 590 and ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 with normalized H2H data, turning specifications, tests and value signals into practical buying context.
H2H Raster IndexH2H Index / 100413128%
H2H Compute IndexH2H Index / 100473238%
H2H Rendering IndexH2H Index / 100493436%
H2H Memory Workload IndexH2H Index / 100684345%
H2H Efficiency IndexH2H Index / 100615314%
These are versioned H2H calculated indices derived from normalized catalog data. They are not results from a third-party benchmark.
HEAD TO HEAD · CALCULATED INDEX
H2H AI workload indices
Estimated workload profiles based on available performance and memory data.
The Detailed comparison section compares RX 590 and ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 with normalized H2H data, turning specifications, tests and value signals into practical buying context.
H2H Image Generation IndexH2H Index / 100533638%
H2H ML Training IndexH2H Index / 100523636%
H2H Inference IndexH2H Index / 100493436%
H2H Local LLM IndexH2H Index / 100563838%
H2H Computer Vision IndexH2H Index / 100493533%
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
The Graphics APIs, SDKs and upscaling section compares RX 590 and ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 with normalized H2H data, turning specifications, tests and value signals into practical buying context.
DirectX12.010.1
Vulkan1.3—
OpenGL4.63.3
Upscaling——
Compute APIOpenCL 2.1—
Architecture and release
The Architecture and release section compares RX 590 and ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 with normalized H2H data, turning specifications, tests and value signals into practical buying context.
ArchitectureGCN 4.0TeraScale
Process node12 nmBetter55 nm
Release date20182008
Device classDesktopDesktop
GPU cores, die and clocks
The Core layout and clocks section compares RX 590 and ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 with normalized H2H data, turning specifications, tests and value signals into practical buying context.
Transistor count5700 millionBetter666 million
Die size232 mm²192 mm²Better
Shader units / cores2304Better320
Base clock1469 MHzBetter825 MHz
Boost clock1545 MHzBetter825 MHz
Board size, power and compatibility
The Form factor and compatibility section compares RX 590 and ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 with normalized H2H data, turning specifications, tests and value signals into practical buying context.
InterfacePCIe 3x16PCIe 2x16
Length241 mmBetter267 mm
ThicknessDual-slotDual-slot
Recommended PSU450 W450 W
Power connector8 pin6+8 pin
Display outputs and limits
The Display outputs section compares RX 590 and ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 with normalized H2H data, turning specifications, tests and value signals into practical buying context.
HDMIHDMI 2.0b—
DisplayPortDisplayPort 1.4a—
USB Type-CNoNo
Max monitors43
Max resolution7680 × 43202560 × 1600
Memory and compute throughput
The VRAM capacity and bandwidth section compares RX 590 and ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 with normalized H2H data, turning specifications, tests and value signals into practical buying context.
VRAM8 GB GDDR5Better1 GB GDDR3
Memory typeGDDR5GDDR3
Memory bus256 bit256x2 bit
TFLOPS7.119Better0.528
HEAD TO HEAD · DISCOVER
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AI EXPLAIN · HEAD TO HEAD
Explain this comparison
Beyond percentages: causes, relevant specifications, and practical impact behind every chart.
What AI will explain
Overall score, radar, FPS, synthetic tests, specifications, efficiency, and value.
REAL CONFIGURATIONS
Owner experiences
Real builds, results, and community feedback.
♢Moderator reviewed☆Helpful to the community🏅Expert badges
Frequently asked comparison questions
Short recommendations based on performance, memory, power consumption, and intended use.
01Which is better for gaming: RX 590 or ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2?+
RX 590 has the higher overall gaming score, while RX 590 offers the better price-to-performance ratio. The final choice depends on resolution and settings.
02Which is better for streaming?+
RX 590 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?+
RX 590 is generally the better option for Blender and GPU rendering. Rendering-engine support and available VRAM also matter.
04Which is better for video editing?+
RX 590 offers more overall performance, while RX 590 offers more memory headroom. Codecs, hardware encoders, and editor optimization can change the result.
05Which is better for neural networks and AI?+
RX 590 is the more practical option for local AI workloads. VRAM capacity, compute libraries, and framework compatibility are especially important.
06Which is better for 1080p?+
RX 590 is the most rational 1080p choice, where high frame rates and cost per frame matter most.
07Which is better for 1440p?+
RX 590 leads in combined 1440p performance. RX 590 can be preferable for heavy textures and games with high VRAM usage.
08Which is better for 4K?+
RX 590 is preferable for 4K, where total performance, memory bandwidth, and VRAM capacity have the greatest impact.
09Which is better for a quiet PC?+
ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 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?+
ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 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 RX 590 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.