
Radeon HD 7700-serie vs Radeon HD 6850

Radeon HD 7700-serie
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Radeon HD 6850
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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 6850 is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 2.1% higher G3D Mark score and 100% more VRAM (1 GB vs 512 MB). This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon HD 7700-serie.
| Insight | Radeon HD 7700-serie | Radeon HD 6850 |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-2.1%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+2.1%) |
| Longevity | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2012 / GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)) | 🛑Obsolete Architecture (2010 / TeraScale 2 (2009−2015)) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | ❌ Less VRAM capacity | ✅ More VRAM (+100%) |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| 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 $35), it costs 29% less, resulting in a 42.9% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon HD 7700-serie | Radeon HD 6850 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌Lower cost efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+42.9%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($35) | ✅More affordable ($25) |
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 7700-serie and Radeon HD 6850

Radeon HD 7700-serie
The Radeon HD 7700-serie is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 9 2012. It features the GCN 1.0 architecture. The boost clock speed is 925 MHz. It has 2048 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 250W. Manufactured using 28 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 1,899 points. Launch price was $549.

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.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon HD 7700-serie scores 1,899 and the Radeon HD 6850 reaches 1,938 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.1% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon HD 7700-serie is built on GCN 1.0 while the Radeon HD 6850 uses TeraScale 2, both on 28 nm vs 40 nm. Shader units: 2,048 (Radeon HD 7700-serie) vs 960 (Radeon HD 6850). Raw compute: 3.789 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 7700-serie) vs 1.488 TFLOPS (Radeon HD 6850).
| Feature | Radeon HD 7700-serie | Radeon HD 6850 |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 1,899 | 1,938+2% |
| Architecture | GCN 1.0 | TeraScale 2 |
| Process Node | 28 nm | 40 nm |
| Shading Units | 2048+113% | 960 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 3.789 TFLOPS+155% | 1.488 TFLOPS |
| ROPs | 32 | 32 |
| TMUs | 128+167% | 48 |
| L1 Cache | 512 KB+167% | 192 KB |
| L2 Cache | 768 KB+50% | 512 KB |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
| Feature | Radeon HD 7700-serie | Radeon HD 6850 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 7700-serie comes with 512 MB of VRAM, while the Radeon HD 6850 has 1 GB. The Radeon HD 6850 offers 100% more capacity, crucial for higher resolutions and texture-heavy games. Bus width: 128-bit vs 128-bit. L2 Cache: 768 KB (Radeon HD 7700-serie) vs 512 KB (Radeon HD 6850) — the Radeon HD 7700-serie has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7700-serie | Radeon HD 6850 |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 0.5 GB | 1 GB+100% |
| Memory Type | GDDR5 | GDDR5 |
| Memory Bandwidth | Unknown | Unknown |
| Bus Width | 128-bit | 128-bit |
| L2 Cache | 768 KB+50% | 512 KB |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon HD 7700-serie draws 250W versus the Radeon HD 6850's 127W — a 65.3% difference. The Radeon HD 6850 is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 450W (Radeon HD 7700-serie) vs 500W (Radeon HD 6850). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs 2x 6-pin.
| Feature | Radeon HD 7700-serie | Radeon HD 6850 |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 250W | 127W-49% |
| Recommended PSU | 450W-10% | 500W |
| Power Connector | 1x 6-pin | 2x 6-pin |
| Perf/Watt | 7.6 | 15.3+101% |
Value Analysis
The Radeon HD 7700-serie launched at $159 MSRP and currently averages $35, while the Radeon HD 6850 launched at $179 and now averages $25. The Radeon HD 6850 costs 28.6% less ($10 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 54.3 (Radeon HD 7700-serie) vs 77.5 (Radeon HD 6850) — the Radeon HD 6850 offers 42.7% better value. The Radeon HD 7700-serie is the newer GPU (2012 vs 2010).
| Feature | Radeon HD 7700-serie | Radeon HD 6850 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $159-11% | $179 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $35 | $25-29% |
| Performance per Dollar | 54.3 | 77.5+43% |
| Codename | Tahiti | Barts |
| Release | January 9 2012 | October 21 2010 |
| Ranking | #431 | #692 |
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