FireStream 9370 vs Radeon HD 6850 X2

FireStream 9370

2010Core: 825 MHz
VS
AMD

Radeon HD 6850 X2

2011Core: 800 MHz

FireStream 9370 vs Radeon HD 6850 X2 Performance Spectrum

About G3D Mark

G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

FireStream 9370 vs Radeon HD 6850 X2: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

FireStream 9370

2010

Why buy it

  • 100% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (4 GB vs 2 GB).

Trade-offs

  • 2010 hardware with 4 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
  • 128.6% HIGHER MSRP
    $800 MSRPvs$350 MSRP
  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 3.2 vs 7.2 G3D/$ ($800 MSRP vs $350 MSRP).

Radeon HD 6850 X2

2011

Why buy it

  • Costs $450 less on MSRP ($350 MSRP vs $800 MSRP).
  • Delivers 129.1% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 7.2 vs 3.2 G3D/$ ($350 MSRP vs $800 MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 4 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • 2011 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?
Radeon HD 6850 X2 is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 0.2% in PassMark G3D (2,534 vs 2,528), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
FireStream 9370 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 4 GB vs 2 GB of VRAM. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Radeon HD 6850 X2 makes the most sense to buy today. It is $450 cheaper on MSRP at $350 vs $800, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 129.1% (7.2 vs 3.2), so the value case lines up with the gaming result. If you are mainly targeting 1080p and some 1440p, Radeon HD 6850 X2 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, FireStream 9370 has the stronger long-term case.

FireStream 9370 vs Radeon HD 6850 X2 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

AMD

FireStream 9370

The FireStream 9370 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in June 23 2010. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 825 MHz. It has 1600 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 225W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,528 points.

AMD

Radeon HD 6850 X2

The Radeon HD 6850 X2 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in September 19 2011. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 800 MHz. It has 960 ×2 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 254W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,534 points.

Graphics Performance

The FireStream 9370 scores 2,528 and the Radeon HD 6850 X2 reaches 2,534 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.2% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The FireStream 9370 is built on TeraScale 2 while the Radeon HD 6850 X2 uses TeraScale 2, both on a 40 nm process. Shader units: 1,600 (FireStream 9370) vs 960 (Radeon HD 6850 X2). Raw compute: 2.64 TFLOPS (FireStream 9370) vs 1.536 TFLOPS ×2 (Radeon HD 6850 X2).

FeatureFireStream 9370Radeon HD 6850 X2
G3D Mark Score
2,528
2,534
Architecture
TeraScale 2
TeraScale 2
Process Node
40 nm
40 nm
Shading Units
1600+67%
960 ×2
Compute (TFLOPS)
2.64 TFLOPS+72%
1.536 TFLOPS ×2
ROPs
32
32 ×2
TMUs
80+67%
48 ×2
L1 Cache
160 KB
192 KB+20%
L2 Cache
512 KB
512 KB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

FeatureFireStream 9370Radeon HD 6850 X2
Upscaling Tech
Upscaling support
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
Not Supported
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
No
No
Low Latency
Standard
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The FireStream 9370 has 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 6850 X2 carries 2 GB. FireStream 9370 gives you 100% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 64-bit on the FireStream 9370 and 128-bit on the Radeon HD 6850 X2.

FeatureFireStream 9370Radeon HD 6850 X2
VRAM Capacity
4 GB+100%
2 GB
Memory Type
GDDR5
GDDR5
Bus Width
64-bit
128-bit+100%
L2 Cache
512 KB
512 KB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11.2 (FireStream 9370) vs 11.2 (Radeon HD 6850 X2). Maximum simultaneous displays: 1 vs 4.

FeatureFireStream 9370Radeon HD 6850 X2
DirectX
11.2
11.2
Max Displays
1
4+300%
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: None (FireStream 9370) vs UVD 2.2 (Radeon HD 6850 X2). Decoder: UVD 2.2 vs UVD 2.2.

FeatureFireStream 9370Radeon HD 6850 X2
Encoder
None
UVD 2.2
Decoder
UVD 2.2
UVD 2.2
Codecs
H.264,VC-1,MPEG-2
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The FireStream 9370 draws 225W versus the Radeon HD 6850 X2's 254W — a 12.1% difference. The FireStream 9370 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (FireStream 9370) vs 600W (Radeon HD 6850 X2). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 2x 8-pin. Card length: 267mm vs 285mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots.

FeatureFireStream 9370Radeon HD 6850 X2
TDP
225W-11%
254W
Recommended PSU
350W-42%
600W
Power Connector
PCIe-powered
2x 8-pin
Length
267mm
285mm
Height
111mm
Slots
2
2
Temp (Load)
80°C
Perf/Watt
11.2+12%
10.0
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the FireStream 9370 came in at $800, while the Radeon HD 6850 X2 launched at $350. On MSRP, Radeon HD 6850 X2 was 56.3% cheaper ($450 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 3.2 (FireStream 9370) vs 7.2 (Radeon HD 6850 X2) — the Radeon HD 6850 X2 offers 125% better value. The newer card here is Radeon HD 6850 X2 (2011 vs 2010).

FeatureFireStream 9370Radeon HD 6850 X2
MSRP
$800
$350-56%
Performance per Dollar
3.2
7.2+125%
Codename
Cypress
Barts
Release
June 23 2010
September 19 2011
Ranking
#631
#630

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