GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design vs Radeon HD 7850

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. The GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design is positioned at rank #66 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Balanced cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design

#19

Radeon RX 5600

MSRP: $229|Avg: $150

98%

#22

Radeon RX 7700

MSRP: $449|Avg: $399

94%

#56

Radeon RX 550X (móvel)

MSRP: $35|Avg: $35

207%

#58

GeForce GTX 1070 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $150

188%

#59

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $100

188%

#63

GeForce GTX 1050 (Mobile)

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

171%

#64

Radeon RX 6300

MSRP: $60|Avg: $40

169%

#66

GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

100%

#68

GeForce GTX 850M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $40

97%

#78

Radeon HD 8970M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $170

93%

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Performance Comparison

About G3D Mark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

⚠️ Generational Difference

The GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design is significantly newer (2018 vs 2012). The GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design likely supports modern features like Ray Tracing, Tensor Cores, and DLSS/FSR upscaling, which act as force multipliers for performance. The Radeon HD 7850 lacks this hardware feature set, limiting its longevity in modern titles despite any raw power similarities.

🚀 Performance Leadership

The GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.7% higher G3D Mark score and 100% more VRAM (4 GB vs 2 GB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon HD 7850.

Insight	GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design	Radeon HD 7850
Performance	✅Leading raw performance (+0.7%)	❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.7%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2018 / Pascal (2016−2021))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	✅ More VRAM (+100%)	❌ Less VRAM capacity
Efficiency	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt	⚡ Higher Power Consumption
Case Fit	—	📏 Compact / SFF Friendly

💎 Value Proposition

The GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Although it costs $50 (vs $50), its significant performance lead justifies the premium, offering 0.7% better value per dollar than the Radeon HD 7850.

Insight	GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design	Radeon HD 7850
Cost Efficiency	✅Better overall value (+0.7%)	❌Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 7800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.

Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.

GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design Benchmark Check

Radeon HD 7850 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design and Radeon HD 7850

GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design

The GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in January 3 2018. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1152 MHz to 1417 MHz. It has 768 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 75W. Manufactured using 14 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,925 points.

Radeon HD 7850

The Radeon HD 7850 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in March 5 2012. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1000 MHz. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 130W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 3,897 points. Launch price was $249.

⚡

Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design scores 3,925 and the Radeon HD 7850 reaches 3,897 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.7% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design is built on Pascal while the Radeon HD 7850 uses GCN 1.0, both on 14 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 768 (GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design) vs 1,024 (Radeon HD 7850). Raw compute: 2.177 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design) vs 1.761 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7850). Boost clocks: 1417 MHz vs 1000 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design	Radeon HD 7850
G3D Mark Score	3,925	3,897
Architecture	Pascal	GCN 1.0
Process Node	14 nm	28 nm
Shading Units	768	1024+33%
Compute (TFLOPS)	2.177 TFLOPS+24%	1.761 TFLOPS
Boost Clock	1417 MHz+42%	1000 MHz
ROPs	32	32
TMUs	48	64+33%
L1 Cache	288 KB+13%	256 KB
L2 Cache	1 MB+100%	0.5 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design	Radeon HD 7850
Upscaling Tech	FSR 2.1 (Compatible)	FSR 1.0 (Software)
Frame Generation	FSR 3 (Compatible)	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	Standard	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design comes with 4 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 7850 has 2 GB. The GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Memory bandwidth: 80 GB/s (GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design) vs 153.6 GB/s (Radeon HD 7850) — a 92% advantage for the Radeon HD 7850. Bus width: 128-bit vs 256-bit. L2 Cache: 1 MB (GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon HD 7850) — the GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design	Radeon HD 7850
VRAM Capacity	4 GB+100%	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	80 GB/s	153.6 GB/s+92%
Bus Width	128-bit	256-bit+100%
L2 Cache	1 MB+100%	0.5 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 (12_1) (GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design) vs 12 (Radeon HD 7850). Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design	Radeon HD 7850
DirectX	12 (12_1)	12
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (6th Gen) (GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design) vs VCE 1.0 (Radeon HD 7850). Decoder: NVDEC (3rd Gen) vs UVD 3.1. Supported codecs: H.264,H.265 (HEVC),VP9 (GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design) vs H.264 (Radeon HD 7850).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design	Radeon HD 7850
Encoder	NVENC (6th Gen)	VCE 1.0
Decoder	NVDEC (3rd Gen)	UVD 3.1
Codecs	H.264,H.265 (HEVC),VP9	H.264

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design draws 75W versus the Radeon HD 7850's 130W — a 53.7% difference. The GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design) vs 500W (Radeon HD 7850). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 1x 6-pin.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design	Radeon HD 7850
TDP	75W-42%	130W
Recommended PSU	350W-30%	500W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	1x 6-pin
Length	—	210mm
Slots	0-100%	2
Temp (Load)	70°C	—
Perf/Watt	52.3+74%	30.0

💰

Value Analysis

Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 78.5 (GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design) vs 77.9 (Radeon HD 7850) — the GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design offers 0.8% better value. The GeForce GTX 1050 with Max-Q Design is the newer GPU (2018 vs 2012).