AMD Radeon HD 6850 Review | 118 Data compared

The TechSpot review of the HIS Radeon HD 6850 and 6870 IceQ X Turbo cards highlights their superior cooling, featuring a 9.2cm silent fan that reduces temperatures by up to 14% compared to reference models. These factory-overclocked cards offer strong performance, with the HD 6870 Turbo X reaching 975MHz, and demonstrate excellent Crossfire scaling, rivaling high-end single and dual-GPU setups. However, the premium pricing places them in competition with faster cards, such as the Radeon HD 6950, which often offers better value. Additionally, the custom cooler neglects memory and VRM components, and the pre-overclocked nature leaves limited headroom for further manual tuning.

The XFX Radeon HD 6850 1GB is a budget-friendly graphics card priced at £149.98 in the UK and $189.99 in the US, designed to compete directly with the GeForce GTX 460 1GB. While it retains the identical underlying performance, specifications, and 775MHz stock core clock of the AMD reference card, XFX replaced the original radial design with a custom cooler featuring a central 92mm fan and an aluminum heatsink. In performance benchmarks across several games, the card traded blows evenly with the GTX 460 1GB. Additionally, it displayed strong overclocking headroom by reaching maximum Catalyst limits—boosting the GPU core to 850MHz and memory to 1.2GHz—which yielded a noticeable jump in minimum frame rates. The core benefits of this graphics card include its highly competitive pricing and an extended five-year warranty package. Furthermore, XFX's custom thermal setup acts as a functional pro by successfully reducing load GPU temperatures by 10°C compared to the reference model. However, these thermal gains introduce severe acoustic and power consumption cons. The reviewer noted that the fan operates with a loud, aggressive hum resembling a hairdryer...

The ATI Radeon HD 6850 1GB introduces the 40nm "Barts Pro" architecture, featuring 980 stream processors, 12 SIMD engines, and 48 texture units clocked at 775MHz. Built as a conservative, budget-friendly mid-range upgrade over the older Evergreen generation, it pairs its GPU core with 1GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit interface, delivering a memory bandwidth of 128 GB/sec. On the positive side, the card offers an efficient and highly appealing physical layout, requiring only a single 6-pin PCI-E power connector while maintaining a very low maximum power draw of 127W and an idle draw of just 19W. Furthermore, its entry price of roughly £150 makes it a highly competitive value option against Nvidia's competing GeForce GTX 460 variants. However, the architecture relies on iterative, small refinements rather than groundbreaking design leaps. A notable drawback is its limited tessellation performance; the HD 6850 features only a single tessellation unit, severely lagging behind Nvidia's Fermi-based cards, which pack up to 7 tessellation units in the same tier. Additionally, its geometry performance scaling relies solely on a modest frequency bump over the...

The TechPowerUp review of the AMD Radeon HD 6850 CrossFire highlights an impressive 50% to 80% performance increase, establishing an outstanding price-to-performance ratio for mid-range, 40 nm "Barts" GPUs. Key advantages include excellent power efficiency, as the setup often draws less power under load than a single NVIDIA GTX 470, alongside robust DisplayPort 1.2 and HDMI 1.4a connectivity. Conversely, the review notes limitations, including a restriction to 2-way CrossFire only, with no option for tri- or quad-GPU configurations. Reference cards are criticized for subpar cooling and high noise levels, coupled with poor stock overclocking potential, while the setup carries inherent multi-GPU issues like potential micro-stuttering or dependency on specific driver profiles.

The WSGF review concludes that the AMD Radeon HD 6870 and HD 6850 are highly competitive, efficient mid-range cards, offering powerful performance with mature Eyefinity support for multi-monitor setups. Key advantages highlighted include low noise, cool operation, and excellent value, positioning them as ideal upgrades from older, lower-tier hardware. Conversely, the review notes the confusing 6000-series naming scheme, which represents a refinement of mid-range technology rather than a significant high-end leap. A notable drawback is that these cards are not intended for enthusiasts, with the review recommending that high-end users wait for the subsequent Radeon HD 6900 series.

The Gaming Nexus review of the AMD Radeon HD 6850 and HD 6870 highlights these mid-range, DirectX 11 cards as exceptional, budget-friendly options that deliver strong, high-resolution gaming performance. Key strengths include AMD Eyefinity support for up to six displays, excellent power efficiency, and a compact design, with the 6850 requiring only a single 6-pin connector. However, the review notes that the cards lack the power required for enthusiast-level performance at maximum settings, and the restructured lineup causes some market confusion. Additionally, user experience with custom variants may be marred by loud, inefficient cooling fans compared to the reference designs. YouTube ·

The WSGF review of the AMD Radeon HD 6870 and HD 6850 highlights these "Barts" architecture GPUs as high-value, power-efficient cards delivering performance comparable to the 5000-series while excelling in multi-monitor, wide-screen scenarios with impressive CrossFireX scaling. While providing smooth, budget-conscious performance, the cards exhibit pros like superior power efficiency and mature Eyefinity support, alongside cons such as a 1GB VRAM bottleneck at extreme 5760x1080 resolutions and a flawed reference cooler design on the 6870.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call Of Pripyat Benchmark Performance The benchmark results for S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call Of Pripyat reveal that all four modified Radeon HD 6850 1 GB cards comfortably handle a 1680x1050 resolution test workload. However, performance strictly degrades when pushing the hardware to a standard 1920x1080 resolution with 4x anti-aliasing (AA) enabled. At this 1080p tier, Sapphire and PowerColor offer a slight advantage by maintaining a minimum of 20 frames per second (FPS), whereas the Asus and MSI variants trail slightly behind, dropping down to minimums of 19 FPS and 18 FPS respectively. When pushed to an extreme 2560x1600 resolution with AA completely disabled, the average frame rates initially make the game appear playable across the board. However, a closer look at the test logs reveals a severe con: every single card suffers from an unplayable 14–15 FPS minimum drop. Ultimately, while these modified cards bring value through third-party design variations, none of them possess the necessary raw power to handle the game's highest resolution settings reliably, making a faster GPU necessary for enthusiasts.

The Legit Reviews article evaluates the AMD Radeon HD 6850 and 6870 mid-range graphics cards, which utilize the 40nm "Barts" GPU architecture to prioritize efficiency and value over sheer transistor counts. A major pro highlighted in the review is the drastically improved performance-per-watt and power management, allowing the HD 6870 to consume less power under load than older Radeon HD 5850 and 5870 models while maintaining similar, high-end performance. Additionally, the architecture delivers notable pros such as a 24% reduced die size, excellent dual-card CrossFire scaling that draws less power than a single stock NVIDIA GTX 470, and an updated feature set including UVD 3.0, HDMI 1.4a, and Morphological Anti-Aliasing (MLAA). At launch prices of roughly $179 for the HD 6850 and $239 for the HD 6870, they offer high value and forced competitive price drops across NVIDIA’s mainstream lineup. However, the hardware does come with clear cons depending on the specific model and testing scenario. The reference cooling design on the base Radeon HD 6850 is a notable con, peaking at a hot 81°C under load, whereas third-party options...

The bit-tech.net review evaluates the ATI Radeon HD 6850 1GB as a capable mid-range graphics card that positions itself between the older HD 5770 and HD 5850, closely leaning toward the higher performance of the latter. In benchmark testing across multiple games, its primary pros include its strong gaming performance relative to its price and its notably efficient power consumption, pulling just 229W at peak load and 131W at idle. This makes it a substantial 40W more power-frugal than its direct competitor, the Nvidia GeForce GTX 460 1GB. The card shines in specific titles like Just Cause 2, where it delivers a playable minimum of 25fps at 1,920 x 1,200 with 4x AA, convincingly beating out the GTX 460 1GB. It also holds a small performance edge over Nvidia when anti-aliasing is disabled in titles like Battlefield: Bad Company 2. However, the review details prominent cons regarding the card's thermal management and its raw performance drop when anti-aliasing is toggled on. In Dirt 2, a game naturally favoring Nvidia hardware, the cut-price GTX 460 768MB and the standard 1GB variant...

The TechPowerUp review of the HIS Radeon HD 6850 1 GB highlights the card as a strong, competitively priced option for mid-range gaming based on the 40 nm Barts PRO architecture. Key advantages include its excellent performance-per-watt, low power consumption, and modern display connectivity, including DisplayPort 1.2 and HDMI 1.4a. Conversely, the review notes significant drawbacks, particularly regarding the reference cooling solution which results in higher noise levels compared to previous generation cards. Furthermore, the specific sample exhibited poor overclocking headroom, only achieving a 6% increase in core speed.

The Alphr review highlights the AMD Radeon HD 6850 as a highly optimized mid-range graphics card that successfully hits the "sweet spot" for budget-conscious consumers. Priced competitively at £127 exc VAT (£149 retail), this dual-slot card features a re-architected design running on a 775MHz core clock, 1GB of GDDR5 RAM, and a 256-bit memory bus. Despite dropping its stream processor count down to 960 (compared to the 1,600 found on the older HD 5850), its restructured quad complex shader blocks allow it to do more with less. In terms of pros, the card delivers excellent value for the money, outperforming its main rival, the Nvidia GeForce GTX 460, in standard benchmarks by managing an average of 33fps in Crysis at 1,920 x 1,080 on Very High settings. Additionally, it boasts excellent thermal and power efficiency, peaking at a manageable 83°C with a total system power draw of 248W, which is noticeably lower than equivalent Nvidia configurations. TechPowerUp However, the review details a few notable cons regarding raw speed and high-end capabilities. The most unusual drawback is that due to its...

The MSI R6850 Cyclone Power Edition is a highly competitive, factory-overclocked graphics card priced affordably at £140 ($189). Built on a custom 21.5cm PCB, it features an upgraded 7 -phase power layout with Super Ferrite Chokes to enhance stability. The core clock is boosted by 11 percent to 860MHz, and the 1GB GDDR5 memory is overclocked to an effective 4.4GHz, providing a substantial out-of-the-box performance increase over stock models. Its cooling system relies on a signature 90mm central fan and two nickel-plated heatpipes that curve around aluminum fins to dissipate heat directly over the card. The primary advantages of this card include its aggressive factory overclock, premium power circuitry, and an upgraded custom cooler offered at one of the lowest price points for a Radeon HD 6850. However, the design comes with notable drawbacks; the open-air cooler dumps hot air back into the PC case rather than exhausting it out the rear. Additionally, it features a non-functional, vestigial 'Performance/Silence' toggle switch, and it is strictly limited to dual-card setups due to having only a single CrossFire connector.

Based on the review, this roundup evaluates four modified, third-party Radeon HD 6850 1 GB graphics cards—from Asus, MSI, PowerColor, and Sapphire—against the reference design to see how custom cooling, bundled software, and factory overclocks impact performance. Testing is conducted on a high-end, overclocked Intel Core i7-980X system running Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit and AMD Catalyst 10.10 drivers. The review measures performance across several demanding DirectX 10 and 11 games, including Aliens Vs. Predator, Crysis, and S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat, while evaluating real-world factors like global power consumption via a Kill A Watt meter and acoustics using a sound level meter. The primary pros of these modified boards include enhanced value through custom, quieter cooling solutions and specialized vendor software, like Asus's overclocking tools and MSI's Afterburner. Factory-overclocked variants, such as the Sapphire Toxic and PowerColor PCS+, also unlock immediate performance advantages out of the box. On the downside, the baseline performance differences between the four cards are highly competitive and minimal, making it difficult to justify a premium price over the cheapest available model. Additionally, early user feedback highlights...

The bit-tech ATI Radeon HD 6850 1GB Review highlights the graphics card as a highly capable mid-range model that successfully reshapes market pricing. Priced between £135 and £155, it directly rivals the Nvidia GeForce GTX 460 1GB, offering nearly inseparable gaming performance within a few frames per second of its competitor. While it does not deliver a revolutionary performance leap over the previous generation, its core strength lies in its aggressive value, positioning it significantly cheaper than the older Radeon HD 5830. It serves as an excellent counterweight to Nvidia's mid-range dominance, driving a beneficial holiday price war for consumers. The review breaks down distinct pros and cons for the stock-cooled reference card: Pros: The card boasts excellent value for money, earning a 9/10 value sub-score. It features low power consumption, pulling only 229W at load compared to the GTX 460's 270W. Additionally, it supports unique features like single-card multi-monitor setups. Cons: The stock-cooled reference model runs notably hot, registering 4°C warmer than the GTX 460. It lacks Nvidia-exclusive features like PhysX hardware acceleration. Furthermore, the raw performance jump is...

The AMD Radeon HD 6870 and 6850 graphics cards demonstrate excellent cost-to-performance efficiency and power management within the mid-range GPU market. Architecture enhancements allow the higher-end HD 6870 to outperform the previous-generation, more expensive HD 5850 despite having fewer shaders. Meanwhile, the budget-friendly Sapphire HD 6850 delivers performance nearly equal to the HD 5850 at a highly competitive speculative price point of £150. Both cards establish top-tier "bang4buck" and "bang4watt" value metrics against competing NVIDIA GeForce models like the GTX 460 and GTX 470. A primary pro of these cards is their superior energy efficiency, with the HD 6850 drawing only 97W under load, yielding the highest overall efficiency score in the group. They also offer exceptional retail value, as the HD 6850 claims a 1.006 "bang4buck" rating and the HD 6870 sits at 0.963. On the downside, the HD 6870 can be outpaced in pure normalized gaming performance by a price-reduced NVIDIA GeForce GTX 470. Additionally, the raw shading hardware has been reduced compared to older Radeon designs, meaning performance relies heavily on a high 900MHz clock speed to...

The AMD Radeon HD 6850 is a second-generation DirectX 11 graphics card that delivers playable frame rates for most contemporary games, operating with notably low noise production and minimal power consumption. However, its initial market entry was heavily challenged by stiff competition, specifically finding itself sandwiched between Nvidia's GeForce GTX 460 variants. While it serves as a viable option for users prioritizing AMD-specific features like Eyefinity, it faces raw performance limitations due to a reduced shader count that a marginal frequency increase over its predecessors cannot fully overcome. From a value perspective, the card lags behind its direct competitors, making it a tough sell against the better bargain offered by the 768MB GTX 460 or the superior performance of the 1GB GTX 460. On the positive side, the card's pricing became more attractive after post-launch adjustments, and its thermal performance is manageable despite the stock cooler reaching a heavy 81 ∘ C 8 1 ∘ C under full load. Ultimately, the review concludes that the HD 6850 is a decent but non-essential purchase, highly vulnerable to further price cuts from...

The Techgage review finds that the AMD Radeon HD 6870 and HD 6850 ("Barts") offer an excellent performance-to-price ratio, successfully competing with Nvidia's GTX 460 and 470 in gaming benchmarks. Key advantages include superior power efficiency, improved geometry throughput, and a strong set of display outputs including HDMI 1.4a. Conversely, the review notes high, near-90°C core temperatures under load with the reference cooler. Further drawbacks include reduced core specifications compared to the older HD 5000 series and a sub-optimal reference cooler shroud design on the HD 6870 that lacks proper air ventilation.

The HotHardware AMD Radeon HD 6870 and 6850 Review details the debut of AMD's "Barts" architecture, marking the official retirement of the ATI brand in favor of unified AMD branding. Built on a refined 40nm process rather than a die shrink, this generation overhauls internal efficiency to deliver 5800-series class performance in 25% less silicon area. The Radeon HD 6870 ($239 MSRP) features a 900MHz clock and 1,120 Stream Processors, while the lower-tier Radeon HD 6850 ($179 MSRP) features a 775MHz clock and 960 Stream Processors. Both cards feature a 1GB GDDR5 configuration and dual-slot designs targeted primarily at mainstream PC gamers. The pros highlighted in the review include aggressive, highly competitive pricing, relatively low power consumption, and quiet, cool reference-card acoustics. The architecture introduces substantial features like an updated image quality engine featuring Morphological Anti-Aliasing, smoother Anisotropic Filtering transitions, an upgraded Unified Video Decoder (UVD 3), Eyefinity display capabilities, and a massively enhanced tessellation engine that provides up to a 27% performance leap over previous generations. On the downside, the cons include confusing nomenclature; despite the higher "6800" numbering,...

This Tom’s Hardware review evaluates the launch of AMD’s Radeon HD 6850 ($180) and HD 6870 ($240) graphics cards (codenamed "Barts"), assessing how they stack up against older AMD hardware and a highly aggressive pricing counter-strategy from Nvidia. To accurately reflect the retail market where most partner cards feature factory overclocks, the testers benchmarked the competing Nvidia GeForce GTX 460 1 GB at a slightly boosted core clock of 708 MHz (up from the 675 MHz reference speed). The comprehensive testing environment utilized an Intel Core i7-920 processor overclocked to 3.61 GHz, 6 GB of DDR3 memory, and a Thermaltake 1200W power supply to run a diverse suite of synthetics and games, including Metro 2033, StarCraft 2, and Civilization V. A notable pro of the Radeon HD 6800-series is its exceptional value proposition, offering impressive mid-range performance for around the $200 mark and forcing Nvidia into permanent, massive price cuts on their GTX 460 and GTX 470 models. However, a prominent con highlighted by consumers and the testing layout is AMD's confusing generational naming convention; despite being named part of...