GeForce GTX 860M SLI vs Radeon HD 6850 X2

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.

GeForce GTX 860M SLI vs Radeon HD 6850 X2 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

GeForce GTX 860M SLI 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.

GeForce GTX 860M SLI

2014

Why buy it

✅13.2% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅Draws 120W instead of 254W, a 134W reduction.
✅More future proof: Maxwell (2014−2017) on 28nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌2014 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 7.2 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $350 MSRP).

Radeon HD 6850 X2

2011

Why buy it

✅Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 7.2 vs 0 G3D/$ ($350 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 860M SLI across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌2011 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌111.7% higher power demand at 254W vs 120W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce GTX 860M SLI is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 13.2% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data. PassMark G3D leans toward Radeon HD 6850 X2 instead at 2,534 vs 2,500, so for this question the real-game FPS result matters more than the synthetic split.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce GTX 860M SLI is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: a 28nm process instead of 40nm and a newer 2014 generation instead of 2011. That makes it the less risky pick as game demands keep moving.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Radeon HD 6850 X2 makes the most sense today based on the pricing and value data we have for this matchup. 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, GeForce GTX 860M SLI has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce GTX 860M SLI vs Radeon HD 6850 X2 Technical Specifications

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

GeForce GTX 860M SLI

The GeForce GTX 860M SLI is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in March 12 2014. It features the Maxwell architecture. The core clock speed is 1029 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 120W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 2,500 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.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 860M SLI scores 2,500 and the Radeon HD 6850 X2 reaches 2,534 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.4% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 860M SLI is built on Maxwell while the Radeon HD 6850 X2 uses TeraScale 2, both on 28 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 1,280 (GeForce GTX 860M SLI) vs 960 (Radeon HD 6850 X2).

Feature	GeForce GTX 860M SLI	Radeon HD 6850 X2
G3D Mark Score	2,500	2,534+1%
Architecture	Maxwell	TeraScale 2
Process Node	28 nm	40 nm
Shading Units	1280+33%	960 ×2

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Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The GeForce GTX 860M SLI gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon HD 6850 X2 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

Feature	GeForce GTX 860M SLI	Radeon HD 6850 X2
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	AMD Anti-Lag

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

Both cards ship with 2 GB of GDDR5. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce GTX 860M SLI and 128-bit on the Radeon HD 6850 X2.

Feature	GeForce GTX 860M SLI	Radeon HD 6850 X2
VRAM Capacity	2 GB	2 GB
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	Unknown	Unknown
Bus Width	128-bit	128-bit

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 860M SLI draws 120W versus the Radeon HD 6850 X2's 254W — a 71.7% difference. The GeForce GTX 860M SLI is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 350W (GeForce GTX 860M SLI) vs 600W (Radeon HD 6850 X2). Power connectors: PCIe-powered vs 2x 8-pin.

Feature	GeForce GTX 860M SLI	Radeon HD 6850 X2
TDP	120W-53%	254W
Recommended PSU	350W-42%	600W
Power Connector	PCIe-powered	2x 8-pin
Length	—	285mm
Slots	—	2
Perf/Watt	20.8+108%	10.0

💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce GTX 860M SLI (2014 vs 2011).

Feature	GeForce GTX 860M SLI	Radeon HD 6850 X2
MSRP	—	$350
Codename	—	Barts
Release	March 12 2014	September 19 2011
Ranking	#457	#630

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