GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU vs Radeon HD 7850

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU

2023Core: 2310 MHzBoost: 2535 MHz
RTX family
·····
VS
AMD

Radeon HD 7850

2012Boost: 1000 MHz
Similar parts
·······

GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU vs Radeon HD 7850 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.

GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU vs Radeon HD 7850 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 RTX 4060 Laptop GPU vs Radeon HD 7850: 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 RTX 4060 Laptop GPU

2023

Why buy it

  • 296.3% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Access to a newer frame-generation stack with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • 300% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 2 GB).
  • Better long-term bet: Ada Lovelace (2022−2024) on 5nm gives it a newer hardware base for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

  • Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 0 vs 15.7 G3D/$ (Unknown MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
  • 23.1% higher power demand at 160W vs 130W.

Radeon HD 7850

2012

Why buy it

  • Delivers 100+% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 15.7 vs 0 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs Unknown MSRP).
  • Draws 130W instead of 160W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower average FPS than GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
  • Less VRAM, with 2 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
  • No equivalent frame-generation stack like DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023).
  • 2012 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?
GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 296.3% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 346.5% in PassMark G3D (17,400 vs 3,897), so the answer here is pretty clean.
Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?
GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 8 GB vs 2 GB of VRAM, native frame generation with DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation (2023), while Radeon HD 7850 has no comparable frame-generation support, a 5nm process instead of 28nm, and 34 vs 0 ray-tracing units. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.
Which GPU is the better buy today?
Radeon HD 7850 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 7850 is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and lighter 1440p headroom, GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU has the stronger long-term case.

GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU vs Radeon HD 7850 Technical Specifications

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

NVIDIA

GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU

The GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in May 18 2023. It features the Ada Lovelace architecture. The core clock ranges from 2310 MHz to 2535 MHz. It has 4352 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 160W. Manufactured using 5 nm process technology. It features 34 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 17,400 points. Launch price was $399.

AMD

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

In G3D Mark, the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU scores 17,400 versus the Radeon HD 7850's 3,897 — the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU leads by 346.5%. The GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU is built on Ada Lovelace while the Radeon HD 7850 uses GCN 1.0, both on 5 nm vs 28 nm. Shader units: 4,352 (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU) vs 1,024 (Radeon HD 7850). Raw compute: 22.06 TFLOPS (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU) vs 1.761 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7850). Boost clocks: 2535 MHz vs 1000 MHz.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPURadeon HD 7850
G3D Mark Score
17,400+346%
3,897
Architecture
Ada Lovelace
GCN 1.0
Process Node
5 nm
28 nm
Shading Units
4352+325%
1024
Compute (TFLOPS)
22.06 TFLOPS+1153%
1.761 TFLOPS
Boost Clock
2535 MHz+154%
1000 MHz
ROPs
48+50%
32
TMUs
136+113%
64
L1 Cache
4.3 MB+1620%
0.25 MB
L2 Cache
32 MB+6300%
0.5 MB

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

The clearest feature edge for the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU is support for DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation. In games that support it, that can smooth out motion and lift perceived FPS. The Radeon HD 7850 does not have comparable native support in the same tier.The GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU gets NVIDIA DLSS, which still tends to look cleaner in motion. The Radeon HD 7850 leans on FSR, which is flexible and widely supported, but usually a bit rougher at the same settings.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPURadeon HD 7850
Upscaling Tech
DLSS 3.5 Super Resolution
FSR Upscaling / FSR 4
Frame Generation
DLSS 3.5 + Frame Generation
Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction
Yes (DLSS 3.5)
No
Low Latency
NVIDIA Reflex
AMD Anti-Lag
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU has 8 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 7850 carries 2 GB. GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU gives you 300% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bandwidth: 256 GB/s (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU) vs 153.6 GB/s (Radeon HD 7850) — a 66.7% advantage for the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU. Memory bus width is 128-bit on the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU and 256-bit on the Radeon HD 7850. L2 Cache: 32 MB (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU) vs 0.5 MB (Radeon HD 7850) — the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPURadeon HD 7850
VRAM Capacity
8 GB+300%
2 GB
Memory Type
GDDR6
GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth
256 GB/s+67%
153.6 GB/s
Bus Width
128-bit
256-bit+100%
L2 Cache
32 MB+6300%
0.5 MB
🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12 Ultimate (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU) vs 12 (Radeon HD 7850). Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPURadeon HD 7850
DirectX
12 Ultimate
12
Max Displays
4
4
🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC (8th Gen) (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU) vs VCE 1.0 (Radeon HD 7850). Decoder: NVDEC (5th Gen) vs UVD 3.1. Supported codecs: H.264,HEVC,AV1,VP9 (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU) vs H.264 (Radeon HD 7850).

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPURadeon HD 7850
Encoder
NVENC (8th Gen)
VCE 1.0
Decoder
NVDEC (5th Gen)
UVD 3.1
Codecs
H.264,HEVC,AV1,VP9
H.264
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU draws 160W versus the Radeon HD 7850's 130W — a 20.7% difference. The Radeon HD 7850 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 650W (GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU) vs 500W (Radeon HD 7850). Power connectors: Mobile vs 1x 6-pin.

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPURadeon HD 7850
TDP
160W
130W-19%
Recommended PSU
650W
500W-23%
Power Connector
Mobile
1x 6-pin
Length
210mm
Slots
0-100%
2
Temp (Load)
80°C
Perf/Watt
108.8+263%
30.0
💰

Value Analysis

The newer card here is GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU (2023 vs 2012).

FeatureGeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPURadeon HD 7850
MSRP
$249
Codename
AD106
Pitcairn
Release
May 18 2023
March 5 2012
Ranking
#59
#503

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.