GeForce GTX 850M vs Radeon HD 6850 X2

GeForce GTX 850M

2014Core: Up to 936 MHz

Radeon HD 6850 X2

2011Core: 800 MHz

Performance Spectrum - GPU

GeForce GTX 850M

2,537

+0.1%

GeForce RTX 2070 with Max-Q Design

GeForce RTX 2060 12GB

GeForce RTX 3060 Ti

Radeon HD 6850 X2

254

2,534

0.0%

Radeon RX 470 (móvel)

Radeon RX 7400

Radeon RX 7800M

Radeon RX 9060 XT 16 GB

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. The GeForce GTX 850M is positioned at rank #68 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 850M

#22

Radeon RX 7700

MSRP: $449|Avg: $399

97%

#58

Radeon RX 550X (móvel)

MSRP: $35|Avg: $35

214%

#60

GeForce GTX 1070 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $150

194%

#61

GeForce GTX 1060 with Max-Q Design

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $100

193%

#65

GeForce GTX 1050 (Mobile)

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $50

176%

#66

Radeon RX 6300

MSRP: $60|Avg: $40

175%

#68

GeForce GTX 850M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $40

100%

#78

Radeon HD 8970M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $170

95%

#82

Arc 7-Core iGPU

MSRP: $199|Avg: N/A

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

🚀 Performance Leadership

The GeForce GTX 850M is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.1% higher G3D Mark score. This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon HD 6850 X2.

Insight	GeForce GTX 850M	Radeon HD 6850 X2
Performance	✅Leading raw performance (+0.1%)	❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.1%)
Longevity	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2014 / Maxwell (2014−2017))	🛑Obsolete Architecture (2011 / TeraScale 2 (2009−2015))
Ecosystem	Supports FSR Upscaling	Supports FSR Upscaling
VRAM	❌ Less VRAM capacity	✅ More VRAM (+0%)
Efficiency	💡 Excellent Perf/Watt	⚡ Higher Power Consumption
Case Fit	—	Standard Size (285mm)

💎 Value Proposition

The GeForce GTX 850M offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the GeForce GTX 850M holds the technical lead. Priced at $40 (vs $50), it costs 20% less, resulting in a 25.1% higher cost efficiency score.

Insight	GeForce GTX 850M	Radeon HD 6850 X2
Cost Efficiency	✅Better overall value (+25.1%)	❌Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅More affordable ($40)	⚠️Higher upfront cost ($50)

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 850M Benchmark Check

Radeon HD 6850 X2 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of GeForce GTX 850M and Radeon HD 6850 X2

GeForce GTX 850M

The GeForce GTX 850M is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 12 2014. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock speed is Up to 936 MHz. It has 640 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 45W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,537 points.

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 GeForce GTX 850M scores 2,537 and the Radeon HD 6850 X2 reaches 2,534 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 850M is built on Maxwell while the Radeon HD 6850 X2 uses TeraScale 2, both on 28 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 640 (GeForce GTX 850M) vs 960 (Radeon HD 6850 X2). Raw compute: 1.155 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 850M) vs 1.536 TFLOPS ×2 (Radeon HD 6850 X2).

Feature	GeForce GTX 850M	Radeon HD 6850 X2
G3D Mark Score	2,537	2,534
Architecture	Maxwell	TeraScale 2
Process Node	28 nm	40 nm
Shading Units	640	960 ×2+50%
Compute (TFLOPS)	1.155 TFLOPS	1.536 TFLOPS ×2+33%
ROPs	16	32 ×2+100%
TMUs	40	48 ×2+20%
L1 Cache	320 KB+67%	192 KB
L2 Cache	2 MB+300%	0.5 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 850M	Radeon HD 6850 X2
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)

Both cards feature 2 GB of GDDR5. Bus width: 128-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 2 MB (GeForce GTX 850M) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon HD 6850 X2) — the GeForce GTX 850M has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

Feature	GeForce GTX 850M	Radeon HD 6850 X2
VRAM Capacity	2 GB	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	Unknown
Bus Width	128-bit	128-bit
L2 Cache	2 MB+300%	0.5 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 11.0 (GeForce GTX 850M) vs 11.2 (Radeon HD 6850 X2). Maximum simultaneous displays: 1 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 850M	Radeon HD 6850 X2
DirectX	11.0	11.2+2%
Max Displays	1	4+300%

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 2.0 (GeForce GTX 850M) vs UVD 2.2 (Radeon HD 6850 X2). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP6 vs UVD 2.2.

Feature	GeForce GTX 850M	Radeon HD 6850 X2
Encoder	NVENC 2.0	UVD 2.2
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP6	UVD 2.2
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264,VC-1,MPEG-4 ASP,H.265	—

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 850M draws 45W versus the Radeon HD 6850 X2's 254W — a 139.8% difference. The GeForce GTX 850M is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 850M) vs 600W (Radeon HD 6850 X2). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 2x 8-pin. Card length: 0mm vs 285mm, occupying 0 vs 2 slots.

Feature	GeForce GTX 850M	Radeon HD 6850 X2
TDP	45W-82%	254W
Recommended PSU	350W-42%	600W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	2x 8-pin
Length	0mm	285mm
Height	0mm	—
Slots	0-100%	2
Temp (Load)	80°C	—
Perf/Watt	56.4+464%	10.0

💰

Value Analysis

The GeForce GTX 850M costs 20% less ($10 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 63.4 (GeForce GTX 850M) vs 50.7 (Radeon HD 6850 X2) — the GeForce GTX 850M offers 25% better value. The GeForce GTX 850M is the newer GPU (2014 vs 2011).