Iris Xe Graphics MAX vs Radeon HD 5850

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.

Iris Xe Graphics MAX vs Radeon HD 5850 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.

Iris Xe Graphics MAX vs Radeon HD 5850: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Iris Xe Graphics MAX

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $244 less on MSRP ($55 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Delivers 448.4% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 35.9 vs 6.5 G3D/$ ($55 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
✅Draws 25W instead of 151W, a 126W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Less VRAM, with Unknown vs 2 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2020 hardware with Unknown of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.

Radeon HD 5850

2009

Why buy it

✅100+% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (2 GB vs Unknown).
✅Iris Xe Graphics MAX is already obsolete for modern gaming, so Radeon HD 5850 is the less risky modern option long term.

Trade-offs

❌2009 hardware with 2 GB of VRAM is already well past its comfortable zone for modern gaming, so it is hard to recommend now.
❌
443.6% HIGHER MSRP
$299 MSRPvs$55 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 6.5 vs 35.9 G3D/$ ($299 MSRP vs $55 MSRP).
❌504% higher power demand at 151W vs 25W.

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

Iris Xe Graphics MAX is the faster gaming card right now based on the synthetic data we have. It leads by 0.9% in PassMark G3D (1,972 vs 1,955), which is the best performance signal available in this matchup.

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

Radeon HD 5850 is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond. The case is simple: 2 GB vs Unknown of VRAM and the newer upscaling stack, FSR Upscaling / FSR 4 (2025) instead of no meaningful modern upscaling stack. That gives it more room for heavier textures and higher settings over time.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

Iris Xe Graphics MAX makes the most sense to buy today. It is $244 cheaper on MSRP at $55 vs $299, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 448.4% (35.9 vs 6.5), so the value case lines up with the gaming result. If you are mainly targeting 1080p, Iris Xe Graphics MAX is the easier value choice. If you care more about 1080p and some 1440p headroom, Radeon HD 5850 has the stronger long-term case.

Iris Xe Graphics MAX vs Radeon HD 5850 Technical Specifications

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

Iris Xe Graphics MAX

The Iris Xe Graphics MAX is manufactured by Intel. It was released in October 31 2020. It features the Generation 12.1 architecture. The boost clock speed is 1650 MHz. It has 768 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 25W. Manufactured using 10 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,972 points.

Radeon HD 5850

The Radeon HD 5850 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in September 30 2009. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. The core clock speed is 725 MHz. It has 1440 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 151W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,955 points. Launch price was $299.

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Graphics Performance

The Iris Xe Graphics MAX scores 1,972 and the Radeon HD 5850 reaches 1,955 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 0.9% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Iris Xe Graphics MAX is built on Generation 12.1 while the Radeon HD 5850 uses TeraScale 2, both on 10 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 768 (Iris Xe Graphics MAX) vs 1,440 (Radeon HD 5850). Raw compute: 2.534 TFLOPS (Iris Xe Graphics MAX) vs 2.088 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 5850).

Feature	Iris Xe Graphics MAX	Radeon HD 5850
G3D Mark Score	1,972	1,955
Architecture	Generation 12.1	TeraScale 2
Process Node	10 nm	40 nm
Shading Units	768	1440+88%
Compute (TFLOPS)	2.534 TFLOPS+21%	2.088 TFLOPS
ROPs	24	32+33%
TMUs	48	72+50%

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	Iris Xe Graphics MAX	Radeon HD 5850
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 Iris Xe Graphics MAX has 0 MB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 5850 carries 2 GB. Radeon HD 5850 gives you 100+% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is System on the Iris Xe Graphics MAX and 256-bit on the Radeon HD 5850.

Feature	Iris Xe Graphics MAX	Radeon HD 5850
VRAM Capacity	Shared System RAM	2 GB
Memory Type	Shared	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	System	128 GB/s
Bus Width	System	256-bit

🎬

Media & Encoding

Supported codecs: H.264,HEVC,AV1 (Iris Xe Graphics MAX) vs H.264 (Radeon HD 5850).

Feature	Iris Xe Graphics MAX	Radeon HD 5850
Encoder	QuickSync	—
Decoder	QuickSync	—
Codecs	H.264,HEVC,AV1	H.264

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Iris Xe Graphics MAX draws 25W versus the Radeon HD 5850's 151W — a 143.2% difference. The Iris Xe Graphics MAX is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 1W (Iris Xe Graphics MAX) vs 500W (Radeon HD 5850). Power connectors: Integrated vs 2x 6-pin.

Feature	Iris Xe Graphics MAX	Radeon HD 5850
TDP	25W-83%	151W
Recommended PSU	1W-100%	500W
Power Connector	Integrated	2x 6-pin
Temp (Load)	85°C	—
Perf/Watt	78.9+512%	12.9

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Iris Xe Graphics MAX came in at $55, while the Radeon HD 5850 launched at $299. On MSRP, Iris Xe Graphics MAX was 81.6% cheaper ($244 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 35.9 (Iris Xe Graphics MAX) vs 6.5 (Radeon HD 5850) — the Iris Xe Graphics MAX offers 452.3% better value. The newer card here is Iris Xe Graphics MAX (2020 vs 2009).

Feature	Iris Xe Graphics MAX	Radeon HD 5850
MSRP	$55-82%	$299
Performance per Dollar	35.9+452%	6.5
Codename	DG1	Cypress
Release	October 31 2020	September 30 2009
Ranking	#685	#682

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