Radeon HD 7850
GPU·Budget

Radeon HD 7850

AMD

G3D Mark

3,897

MSRP

$249

AVG Price

$50

March 5 2012
130 Watt
GCN 1.0 (2012−2020)

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.

Overview

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.

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.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance benchmarks.

Technical Analysis

Detailed breakdown of Radeon HD 7850 specifications and capabilities.

Graphics Performance

The Radeon HD 7850 scores 3,897 in the G3D Mark benchmark (the standard measure of rasterization GPU performance), placing it in the Entry Level tier as a Legacy generation graphics card. It is built on the GCN 1.0 (2012−2020) architecture (codename: Pitcairn), manufactured on a 28 nm process— smaller process nodes improve power efficiency and transistor density. It packs 1024 shader units (the primary compute units for rendering pixels), 64 TMUs (texture mapping units), and 32 ROPs (render output units that handle final pixel output). Raw FP32 compute power: 1.761 TFLOPS — this measures the theoretical peak floating-point performance. Boost clock reaches 1000 MHz.

SpecificationRadeon HD 7850
G3D MarkPassMark 3D graphics benchmark score3,897
ArchitectureGPU microarchitecture generationGCN 1.0 (2012−2020)
CodenameInternal GPU die codenamePitcairn
Manufacturing ProcessFabrication node — smaller = more efficient28 nm
Shader UnitsCore compute units for rendering/compute1024
TMUsTexture Mapping Units — handle texture sampling64
ROPsRender Output Units — final pixel/color blending32
Boost ClockMaximum GPU frequency under load1000 MHz
Compute (FP32)Peak single-precision floating-point performance1.761 TFLOPS
Texture Fill RateTextures processed per second55.04 GTexel/s
PCIe InterfaceCPU↔GPU data link generationPCIe 3.0 x16
Transistor Count2,800 million
Performance RankPosition in global GPU performance ranking#503
💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The Radeon HD 7850 is equipped with 2 GB of GDDR5 video memory connected via a 256-bit memory bus, delivering 153.6 GB/s of bandwidth. Memory operates at 8 Gbps effective speed.

SpecificationRadeon HD 7850
VRAM SizeVideo memory capacity — more = better for high-res textures2 GB
VRAM TypeMemory technology generationGDDR5
Memory BusWidth of data path — wider = more bandwidth256-bit
Memory SpeedEffective memory data rate8 Gbps
BandwidthMaximum data throughput between GPU and VRAM153.6 GB/s
L1 Cache256 kB
L2 Cache512 kB

Advanced Features & APIs

The Radeon HD 7850 supports modern upscaling and frame generation technologies: FidelityFX Super Resolution — these can dramatically boost effective FPS by generating intermediate frames or upscaling from lower internal resolution. Graphics API support: DirectX 12— latest API versions enable the most advanced rendering features like ray tracing and mesh shaders.

SpecificationRadeon HD 7850
FSR Frame Generation❌ Not Supported
AMD Fluid Motion Frames❌ Not Supported
FidelityFX Super Resolution✅ Supported
DirectXMicrosoft graphics API version12
Compute APIGPGPU framework (CUDA/ROCm/OpenCL)OpenCL 1.2
Multi-GPUSLI/CrossFire/NVLink supportCrossFire
🖥️

Display & Media

Display outputs: DVIx 0, HDMIx 1, DisplayPortx 2 — supports up to 4 simultaneous displays. Hardware encoder: VCE 1.0, decoder: UVD 3.1— dedicated hardware for video encoding/decoding accelerates streaming, recording, and video playback. Supported codecs: H.264.

SpecificationRadeon HD 7850
0 PortsNumber of 0 display connectorsDVIx
1 PortsNumber of 1 display connectorsHDMIx
2 PortsNumber of 2 display connectorsDisplayPortx
Max DisplaysMaximum simultaneously connected monitors4
Hardware EncoderVideo encoding engine versionVCE 1.0
Hardware DecoderVideo decoding engine versionUVD 3.1
CodecsSupported video compression formatsH.264
🔌

Power & Dimensions

The Radeon HD 7850 draws 130 Watt under load (TDP) — a 500W PSU minimum is recommended. Power connector: 1x 6-pin. Physical size: 210mm long, occupying 2 expansion slots— verify your case has clearance before purchasing.

SpecificationRadeon HD 7850
TDPPower consumption under load130 Watt
Recommended PSUMinimum power supply wattage500W
Power ConnectorRequired PCIe power cable type1x 6-pin
Card LengthGPU card length — check case clearance210mm
Slot WidthExpansion slots occupied2-slot
💰

Value Analysis

At an average price of $50 (MSRP: $249), the Radeon HD 7850 delivers 78 G3D Mark points per dollar. Overall performance ranking position: #503 among all indexed GPUs.

SpecificationRadeon HD 7850
MSRPManufacturer's Suggested Retail Price$249
Avg Price (30d)Average market price over the last 30 days$50
Performance RankPosition in global GPU performance ranking#503
Release DateMarch 5 2012
Release Year2012

Similar Performance

Graphics cards with benchmark scores closest to the current hardware, grouped by manufacturer.

Our Recommendation for Radeon HD 7850

Suggested pairings based on performance balance

Compare Radeon HD 7850

See how this GPU stacks up against similar alternatives

Compare with other GPUs