Radeon HD 6850 vs Radeon HD 5850
Radeon HD 6850
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Radeon HD 5850
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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 Radeon HD 5850 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 0.9% higher G3D Mark score and 100% more VRAM (2 GB vs 1 GB). 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 | Radeon HD 5850 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-0.9%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+0.9%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2010 / TeraScale 2 (2009−2015)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2009 / TeraScale 2 (2009−2015)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) |
| Efficiency | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption |
| Case Fit | — | — |
💎 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 $30), it costs 17% less, resulting in a 19% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon HD 6850 | Radeon HD 5850 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+19%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($25) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($30) |
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 Radeon HD 5850
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.
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.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 6850 scores 1,938 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 Radeon HD 6850 is built on TeraScale 2 while the Radeon HD 5850 uses TeraScale 2, both on a 40 nm process. Shader units: 960 (Radeon HD 6850) vs 1,440 (Radeon HD 5850). Raw compute: 1.488 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 6850) vs 2.088 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 5850).
| Feature | Radeon HD 6850 | Radeon HD 5850 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 1,938 | 1,955 |
| Architecture | TeraScale 2 | TeraScale 2 |
| Process Node | 40 nm | 40 nm |
| Shading Units | 960 | 1440+50% |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 1.488 TFLOPS | 2.088 TFLOPS+40% |
| ROPs | 32 | 32 |
| TMUs | 48 | 72+50% |
| L1 Cache | 192 KB+33% | 144 KB |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB | 512 KB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 6850 | Radeon HD 5850 |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 1.0 (Software) | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| Frame Generation | Not Supported | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | AMD Anti-Lag | AMD Anti-Lag |
Video Memory (VRAM)
The Radeon HD 6850 comes with 1 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 5850 has 2 GB. The Radeon HD 5850 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 256-bit.
| Feature | Radeon HD 6850 | Radeon HD 5850 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 1 GB | 2 GB+100% |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | 128 GB/s |
| Bus Width | 128-bit | 256-bit+100% |
| L2 Cache | 512 KB | 512 KB |
Media & Encoding
Supported codecs: H.264 (Radeon HD 6850) vs H.264 (Radeon HD 5850).
| Feature | Radeon HD 6850 | Radeon HD 5850 |
|---|---|---|
| Codecs | H.264 | H.264 |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 6850 draws 127W versus the Radeon HD 5850's 151W — a 17.3% difference. The Radeon HD 6850 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 500W (Radeon HD 6850) vs 500W (Radeon HD 5850). Power connectors: 2x 6-pin vs 2x 6-pin.
| Feature | Radeon HD 6850 | Radeon HD 5850 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 127W-16% | 151W |
| Recommended PSU | 500W | 500W |
| Power Connector | 2x 6-pin | 2x 6-pin |
| Perf/Watt | 15.3+19% | 12.9 |
Value Analysis
The Radeon HD 6850 launched at $179 MSRP and currently averages $25, while the Radeon HD 5850 launched at $299 and now averages $30. The Radeon HD 6850 costs 16.7% less ($5 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 77.5 (Radeon HD 6850) vs 65.2 (Radeon HD 5850) — the Radeon HD 6850 offers 18.9% better value. The Radeon HD 6850 is the newer GPU (2010 vs 2009).
| Feature | Radeon HD 6850 | Radeon HD 5850 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $179-40% | $299 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $25-17% | $30 |
| Performance per Dollar | 77.5+19% | 65.2 |
| Codename | Barts | Cypress |
| Release | October 21 2010 | September 30 2009 |
| Ranking | #692 | #682 |
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