CPU bottleneck check, compatible CPUs, and AI models it can run
Radeon HD 7870 / AMD made / HD 7000 / Released 2012 Also known as: HD7870 / 7870
Radeon HD 7870 (AMD, released in 2012, also listed as HD7870 / 7870) is a graphics card with a performance score of 4,200 and 2GB of VRAM, TDP 175W. If CPU compatibility and performance balance are poor, a CPU bottleneck occurs, preventing HD 7870 from reaching its full potential. In our estimate, the CPUs that pair best with HD 7870 are Intel: Core i3-3240 (estimated bottleneck: about 0%), and AMD: AMD Phenom II X4 945 (about 0%). Below are the top 10 compatible CPUs, CPUs to avoid, and generative AI models supported by this amount of VRAM.
CPUs are ordered by proximity to the ideal CPU:GPU ratio of 0.9:1. A lower bottleneck percentage means more of the GPU’s performance can be used.
The Bottleneck Checker opens with Radeon HD 7870 already selected.
HD 7870 (HD7870 / 7870) has a performance score of 4,200 points. Using the same CPU:GPU ≈ 0.9:1 standard as the checker, compatibility by CPU score is shown below.
| Example CPUs to Pair | Rating | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| AMD A8-7670K、Core i3-4160、AMD Phenom II X4 980 | Great Match: 10% or Less | Optimal balance. Nearly all of HD 7870 performance can be used |
| AMD Athlon II X4 630、AMD A6-7470K、AMD Phenom II X3 720 | Acceptable: 10–25% | Practical with no major issue. Consider a future upgrade if targeting high fps. |
| AMD Phenom II X2 560、AMD Athlon II X3 450、Core i3-560 | CPU Too Weak: Over 25% | A clear CPU bottleneck. Much of the GPU performance is wasted |
| AMD A10-7890K、Core i5-4460、AMD Phenom II X6 1055T | CPU Overkill | Likely overkill for gaming |
Note: Perceived results vary by resolution and game (GPU matters more at 4K, while CPU matters more at high-fps Full HD). For an exact estimate, use the Bottleneck Checker.
Runs Comfortably: Meets recommended VRAM / Barely Runs: Meets minimum VRAM (lower quality or quantization may be needed)
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In our estimate, the best-balanced options are Core i3-3240 for Intel (estimated bottleneck: about 0%) and AMD Phenom II X4 945 for AMD (about 0%). A CPU-to-GPU performance ratio near 0.9:1 tends to use both parts effectively. See the top 10 compatible CPUs in the table on this page.
As a guide, CPUs such as AMD Phenom II X2 560、AMD Athlon II X3 450、Core i3-560、Celeron G4930 push the bottleneck above 25% and waste much of the Radeon HD 7870 performance. On the other hand, CPUs such as AMD A10-7890K、Core i5-4460、AMD Phenom II X6 1055T are likely overkill for gaming.
Radeon HD 7870 has 2GB of VRAM. It can comfortably run about 4 models, including Stable Diffusion and LLMs (for example, Qwen 2.5 0.5B (Q4), Whisper Tiny, Whisper Base).
Radeon HD 7870 has a power draw (TDP) of 175W. Choose a power supply that covers the GPU TDP plus CPU and other component power draw, with additional headroom. Check the actual CPU pairing balance in the bottleneck diagnosis above.
Its performance score is 4,200 points. CPU balance matters for gaming, while VRAM (2GB) matters for generative AI. Use the top 10 CPU list and AI model list above to check your use case.
