Radeon HD 6850 vs GeForce GTX 460 SE
Radeon HD 6850
Popular choices:
GeForce GTX 460 SE
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Performance Spectrum - GPU
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. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The GeForce GTX 460 SE is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 2.6% 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.
| Insight | Radeon HD 6850 | GeForce GTX 460 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-2.6%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+2.6%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2010 / TeraScale 2 (2009−2015)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2010 / Fermi (2010−2014)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+0%) |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | Normal Efficiency |
| Case Fit | — | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon HD 6850 offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. While both GPUs are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Radeon HD 6850 holds the technical lead. Priced at $25 (vs $50), it costs 50% less, resulting in a 95% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon HD 6850 | GeForce GTX 460 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+95%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($25) | ⚠️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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Radeon HD 6850 and GeForce GTX 460 SE
Radeon HD 6850
The Radeon HD 6850 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in October 21 2010. It features the TeraScale 2 architecture. It has 960 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 127W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,938 points. Launch price was $179.
GeForce GTX 460 SE
The GeForce GTX 460 SE is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in November 15 2010. It features the Fermi architecture. The core clock speed is 650 MHz. It has 288 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 150W. Manufactured using 40 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,988 points. Launch price was $160.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 6850 scores 1,938 and the GeForce GTX 460 SE reaches 1,988 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.6% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 6850 is built on TeraScale 2 while the GeForce GTX 460 SE uses Fermi, both on a 40 nm process. Shader units: 960 (Radeon HD 6850) vs 288 (GeForce GTX 460 SE). Raw compute: 1.488 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 6850) vs 0.7488 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 460 SE).
| Feature | Radeon HD 6850 | GeForce GTX 460 SE |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 1,938 | 1,988+3% |
| Architecture | TeraScale 2 | Fermi |
| Process Node | 40 nm | 40 nm |
| Shading Units | 960+233% | 288 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 1.488 TFLOPS+99% | 0.7488 TFLOPS |
| ROPs | 32 | 32 |
| TMUs | 48 | 48 |
| L1 Cache | 192 KB | 384 KB+100% |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB | 512 KB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 6850 | GeForce GTX 460 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 1.0 (Software) | FSR 2.1 (Compatible) |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | FSR 3 (Compatible) |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | AMD Anti-Lag | Standard |
Video Memory (VRAM)
Both cards feature 1 GB of GDDR5. Bus width: 128-bit vs 128-bit.
| Feature | Radeon HD 6850 | GeForce GTX 460 SE |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 1 GB | 1 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 128-bit | 128-bit |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB | 512 KB |
Media & Encoding
Supported codecs: H.264 (Radeon HD 6850) vs H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 (GeForce GTX 460 SE).
| Feature | Radeon HD 6850 | GeForce GTX 460 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | — | UVD 4.0 |
| Decoder | — | PureVideo VP4 |
| Codecs | H.264 | H.264,MPEG-2,VC-1 |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 6850 draws 127W versus the GeForce GTX 460 SE's 150W — a 16.6% difference. The Radeon HD 6850 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Radeon HD 6850) vs 450W (GeForce GTX 460 SE). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs 2x 6-pin.
| Feature | Radeon HD 6850 | GeForce GTX 460 SE |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 127W-15% | 150W |
| Recommended PSU | 500W | 450W-10% |
| Power Connector | 2x 6-pin | 2x 6-pin |
| Length | — | 210mm |
| Height | — | 111mm |
| Slots | — | 2 |
| Temp (Load) | — | 80°C |
| Perf/Watt | 15.3+15% | 13.3 |
Value Analysis
The Radeon HD 6850 launched at $179 MSRP and currently averages $25, while the GeForce GTX 460 SE launched at $160 and now averages $50. The Radeon HD 6850 costs 50% less ($25 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 77.5 (Radeon HD 6850) vs 39.8 (GeForce GTX 460 SE) — the Radeon HD 6850 offers 94.7% better value.
| Feature | Radeon HD 6850 | GeForce GTX 460 SE |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $179 | $160-11% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $25-50% | $50 |
| Performance per Dollar | 77.5+95% | 39.8 |
| Codename | Barts | GF104 |
| Release | October 21 2010 | November 15 2010 |
| Ranking | #692 | #683 |
Top Performing GPUs
The most powerful gpus ranked by G3D Mark benchmark scores.
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