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ATI Radeon HD 5850 Review | 118 Data compared

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  • Avg. price: ~£220
  • VRAM: 1 GB
  • Memory bus width: 256 bit
  • Thermal Design Power (TDP): 151 W

ATI Radeon HD 5850 review. Compare 118 technical specifications and user reviews to see how it ranks among graphics cards and if it is worth buying.

3.5

Overall score

What it is: An overall evaluation of the graphics card's quality, based on technical analyses and user reviews.

When it matters: When you need a quick reference to identify the best graphics cards on the market.

Score components:

90.0%

3.0

Technical Score

10.0%

7.5

User score

Poor
3.0

Technical Score

What it is: An assessment of the graphics card's technical performance, covering key areas such as gaming and rendering performance, ray tracing, memory configuration, power efficiency, cooling, connectivity, features, and build quality.

When it matters: When you want to compare graphics cards based on technical performance and available features.

Score components:

44.0%

1.7

Performance

24.0%

2.9

Memory

12.0%

4.6

Power & Cooling

11.0%

4.1

Platform & Features

5.0%

8.6

Design

4.0%

4.0

Connectivity & Media

Poor
7.5

User score

What it is: A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the graphics card.

When it matters: When you want to understand how a graphics card performs in real use and how reliable it is in terms of performance, temperatures, noise, stability, and long-term ownership.

Score components:

70.0%

9.6

User reviews

30.0%

2.5

Popularity

User score:
United Kingdom
amazon
4.8
(8)
amazon
5.0
(2)
amazon
4.0
(1)
amazon
5.0
(1)
United States
Amazon_logo.png
4.8
(10)

(Reviews last updated: June 2026)

Very good
  • 2.8
    Gaming

    Score components:

    45.0%

    1.0

    Floating-point performance

    25.0%

    1.0

    VRAM

    20.0%

    ?

    Ray tracing cores / units

    10.0%

    5.2

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 3.7
    Video editing

    Score components:

    35.0%

    7.0

    AV1 encode

    30.0%

    1.0

    VRAM

    20.0%

    1.0

    Floating-point performance

    15.0%

    5.2

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 2.1
    1080p

    Score components:

    55.0%

    1.0

    Floating-point performance

    25.0%

    1.0

    VRAM

    10.0%

    ?

    Ray tracing cores / units

    10.0%

    5.2

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 2.3
    1440p

    Score components:

    50.0%

    1.0

    Floating-point performance

    30.0%

    1.0

    VRAM

    15.0%

    ?

    Ray tracing cores / units

    5.0%

    5.2

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 2.6
    4K

    Score components:

    40.0%

    1.0

    Floating-point performance

    35.0%

    1.0

    VRAM

    20.0%

    ?

    Ray tracing cores / units

    5.0%

    5.2

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • No image
No image

Best prices in UK

Best rankings

?

Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).
All: ranking among all products in the database.

Verdict

The ATI Radeon HD 5850, launched in September 2009, is a high-performance graphics card built on a 40nm process featuring the Cypress PRO architecture with 1440 shading units, 72 texture mapping units, and 32 ROPs. It is equipped with 1GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, delivering a core clock speed of 725 MHz and an effective memory bandwidth of 128 GB/s. Major pros include its groundbreaking support for DirectX 11, efficient power consumption with a 151W TDP, and Eyefinity technology for triple-monitor setups, all while offering excellent price-to-performance value compared to its predecessor. However, main cons involve its significant physical length of 241mm which can hinder case compatibility, and a cooling solution that can run notably hotter than the flagship HD 5870 due to its more compact shroud design.

Technical Specifications of ATI Radeon HD 5850

Technical Score

What it is: An assessment of the graphics card's technical performance, covering key areas such as gaming and rendering performance, ray tracing, memory configuration, power efficiency, cooling, connectivity, features, and build quality.

When it matters: When you want to compare graphics cards based on technical performance and available features.

Score components:

44.0%

1.7

Performance

24.0%

2.9

Memory

12.0%

4.6

Power & Cooling

11.0%

4.1

Platform & Features

5.0%

8.6

Design

4.0%

4.0

Connectivity & Media

3.0
ATI Radeon HD 5850 has a technical score of 3.04 points, which is lower than that of 97.3% of products in this category.
User score

What it is: A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the graphics card.

When it matters: When you want to understand how a graphics card performs in real use and how reliable it is in terms of performance, temperatures, noise, stability, and long-term ownership.

Score components:

70.0%

9.6

User reviews

30.0%

2.5

Popularity

User score:
United Kingdom
amazon
4.8
(8)
amazon
5.0
(2)
amazon
4.0
(1)
amazon
5.0
(1)
United States
Amazon_logo.png
4.8
(10)

(Reviews last updated: June 2026)

7.5
ATI Radeon HD 5850 has a user score of 7.46 points, which is lower than that of 84% of products in this category.
Popularity
What it is: An indicator based on the number of reviews received by the graphics card.
When it matters: When you prefer a graphics card that has already been chosen and reviewed by many other users.
2.5
ATI Radeon HD 5850 has a popularity of 2.5 points, which is higher than 50.8% of products in this category.
Ratio quality/price

What it is: An indicator that combines the graphics card's overall rating with its cost.

When it matters: When you are looking for a graphics card that offers a strong balance of performance, features, and price.

Score components:

60.0%

3.5

Overall score

40.0%

9.4

Price

5.2
ATI Radeon HD 5850 has a quality-to-price ratio of 5.2 points, which is lower than 94.9% of products in this category.
3DMark Time Spy benchmark score
What it is: Benchmark result from 3DMark Time Spy, a synthetic DirectX 12 test often used as a quick gaming-performance reference.
When it matters: When you need a fast rough performance sort before digging into game-specific reviews and frame-rate data.

Importance: LOW

?
3DMark Port Royal score
What it is: Benchmark result from 3DMark Port Royal, a synthetic test focused on ray tracing performance.
When it matters: When ray tracing matters in the games you actually play and you want one quick way to separate stronger and weaker RT cards.

Importance: LOW

N/A
PassMark (G3D) result
What it is: Overall GPU performance score in PassMark G3D benchmark
When it matters: When you need one broad score to sort cards into rough performance tiers.

Importance: LOW

?
PassMark (DirectCompute) result
What it is: PassMark score for DirectCompute performance tests
When it matters: When compute workloads matter alongside gaming performance.

Importance: LOW

1,132 points
ATI Radeon HD 5850 scores 1132 points in PassMark DirectCompute, which is lower than 86.6% of graphics cards.
Floating-point performance
What it is: Theoretical floating-point compute performance of the GPU.
When it matters: When rendering, AI, or heavy compute work needs strong single-precision throughput.

Importance: LOW

2.088 TFLOPS
ATI Radeon HD 5850 delivers 2.088 TFLOPS floating-point performance, which is lower than that of 96.4% of graphics cards.
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VRAM
What it is: Total video memory available on the graphics card
When it matters: When you play at high settings, use texture mods, or work with large creative projects.

Importance: HIGH

1 GB
ATI Radeon HD 5850 has 1 GB of VRAM, which is less than 98.5% of graphics cards and equal to 1.5% of graphics cards.
Memory type
What it is: Type of graphics memory used (GDDR6, HBM2e, etc.)
When it matters: When memory technology is part of the buying decision because it affects bandwidth class, power use, and product positioning.

Importance: LOW

GDDR5
GDDR version
What it is: Generation of GDDR memory used by the graphics card.
When it matters: When you want to separate older memory generations from newer ones before comparing bandwidth, power behavior, and market tier.

Importance: LOW

GDDR5
ATI Radeon HD 5850 uses GDDR5 memory, which is older than on 85% of graphics cards and equal to 13.2% of graphics cards.
Memory bus width
What it is: Width of the memory interface bus in bits
When it matters: When you care about steadier performance at higher resolutions, heavier texture settings, or ray-traced workloads that stress memory traffic.

Importance: HIGH

256 bit
ATI Radeon HD 5850 uses a 256 bit memory bus, which is wider than that of 49.5% of graphics cards and equal to that of 36.1% of graphics cards.
Maximum memory bandwidth
What it is: Maximum data transfer rate between GPU and its memory
When it matters: When 4K gaming, ray tracing, or creator work can choke a slower memory subsystem.

Importance: HIGH

128 GB/s
ATI Radeon HD 5850 reaches 128 GB/s memory bandwidth, which is lower than that of 92.7% of graphics cards and equal to that of 0.7% of graphics cards.
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PCI Express (PCIe) version
What it is: Version of PCI Express interface supported
When it matters: When you are pairing the card with an older motherboard and want to avoid leaving bandwidth or future compatibility on the table.

Importance: LOW

2.0
ATI Radeon HD 5850 supports PCIe 2.0, which is older than on 98.4% of graphics cards and equal to 1.3% of graphics cards.
PCIe lanes
What it is: Number of PCI Express lanes used for communication
When it matters: When limited lane width could bottleneck the card in some systems.

Importance: LOW

x16
ATI Radeon HD 5850 uses x16 PCIe lanes, which is more than 31.5% of graphics cards and equal to 68.6% of graphics cards.
DirectX version
What it is: Highest supported DirectX API version
When it matters: When you play newer Windows games that depend on the latest graphics features.

Importance: LOW

?
Vulkan version
What it is: Highest supported Vulkan API version
When it matters: When modern games, emulators, or creative apps lean on Vulkan support.

Importance: LOW

N/A
OpenGL version
What it is: Highest supported OpenGL API version
When it matters: When older games or pro apps still depend on OpenGL compatibility.

Importance: LOW

4.4
ATI Radeon HD 5850 supports OpenGL 4.4, which is older than on 98.6% of graphics cards and equal to 0.6% of graphics cards.
Show more
Max displays supported
What it is: Total number of external displays supported simultaneously
When it matters: When you run a multi-monitor desk for sim racing, trading, or editing.

Importance: LOW

3
ATI Radeon HD 5850 supports up to 3 displays, which is fewer than 92.3% of graphics cards and equal to 5.8% of graphics cards.
Max digital resolution
What it is: Maximum supported digital display resolution
When it matters: When you plan to drive 4K or 8K panels at their native resolution.

Importance: LOW

?
DisplayPort outputs
What it is: Number of DisplayPort video outputs
When it matters: When your setup needs several high-refresh monitors without adapters.

Importance: LOW

1
ATI Radeon HD 5850 offers 1 DisplayPort outputs, which is fewer than 89.5% of graphics cards and equal to 8.6% of graphics cards.
DisplayPort version
What it is: Version of DisplayPort standard supported
When it matters: When your monitor setup depends on newer DisplayPort features for higher refresh rates, higher resolution, or better cable flexibility.

Importance: LOW

1.1
ATI Radeon HD 5850 supports DisplayPort 1.1, which is older than on 98.6% of graphics cards and equal to 0.1% of graphics cards.
DisplayPort link rates
What it is: Supported data link rates for DisplayPort connections
When it matters: When you are pushing high resolution and refresh rate over DisplayPort.

Importance: LOW

?
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Thermal Design Power (TDP)
What it is: Typical power consumption under full load (TDP)
When it matters: When you need a realistic idea of power draw before choosing a PSU or case.

Importance: MEDIUM

151 W
ATI Radeon HD 5850 has a TDP of 151 W, which is lower than that of 72.9% of graphics cards.
Power consumption while under peak load
What it is: Peak power draw of the graphics card under maximum load.
When it matters: When transient-heavy gaming loads could stress your power supply.

Importance: LOW

151 W
ATI Radeon HD 5850 draws 151 W under peak load, which is lower than 74.2% of graphics cards.
Recommended PSU wattage
What it is: Recommended wattage of the system power supply
When it matters: When you are checking whether your current power supply is enough.

Importance: LOW

500 W
ATI Radeon HD 5850 recommends a 500 W PSU, which is lower than that of 76.2% of graphics cards and equal to that of 9.6% of graphics cards.
Board power limit
What it is: Maximum configurable power limit for the GPU board
When it matters: When you care about how far the card can be pushed through tuning or factory power settings.

Importance: LOW

?
PCIe power spec
What it is: PCIe power delivery specification followed
When it matters: When you are checking whether the slot and external cables match the card's intended power-delivery standard.

Importance: LOW

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Size
What it is: Physical size of the GPU card
When it matters: When you need the card to fit a compact case without blocking nearby hardware.

Importance: LOW

?
Length
What it is: Physical length of the GPU card
When it matters: When front radiators or drive cages leave only limited GPU clearance.

Importance: LOW

241 mm
ATI Radeon HD 5850 is 241 mm long, which is shorter than 75% of graphics cards and equal in length to 1.6% of graphics cards.
Height
What it is: Physical height of the GPU card
When it matters: When side panels, brackets, or tight case layouts reduce vertical clearance.

Importance: LOW

111 mm
ATI Radeon HD 5850 is 111 mm tall, which is shorter than 89.6% of graphics cards and equal in height to 5.6% of graphics cards.
Slot width
What it is: Number of PCIe slots occupied by the card
When it matters: When you need room for another PCIe card or better airflow under the GPU.

Importance: LOW

2 slot/s
ATI Radeon HD 5850 occupies 2 slot/s, which is slimmer than 49.2% of graphics cards and equal in width to 47.3% of graphics cards.
Weight
What it is: Total weight of the graphics card
When it matters: When sag, bracket support, or shipping stress matters in your build.

Importance: LOW

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ATI Radeon HD 5850 vs the average graphics card

  • 23.1% lower PSU requirement
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has a lower PSU requirement than the average graphics card (500 W vs 650 W). The average graphics card has a PSU requirement of 650 W.
    What it is: Recommended wattage of the system power supply
    When it matters: When you are checking whether your current power supply is enough.

    Importance: LOW

    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has a lower PSU requirement than the average graphics card (500 W vs 650 W). The average graphics card has a PSU requirement of 650 W.500 W vs 650 W
  • 16 mm lower card height
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 is shorter than the average graphics card (111 mm vs 127 mm). The average graphics card has a height of 127 mm.
    What it is: Physical height of the GPU card
    When it matters: When side panels, brackets, or tight case layouts reduce vertical clearance.

    Importance: LOW

    ATI Radeon HD 5850 is shorter than the average graphics card (111 mm vs 127 mm). The average graphics card has a height of 127 mm.111 mm vs 127 mm
  • 29.8% lower TDP
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has a lower TDP than the average graphics card (151 W vs 215 W). The average graphics card has a TDP of 215 W.
    What it is: Typical power consumption under full load (TDP)
    When it matters: When you need a realistic idea of power draw before choosing a PSU or case.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has a lower TDP than the average graphics card (151 W vs 215 W). The average graphics card has a TDP of 215 W.151 W vs 215 W
  • 44.37 mm shorter card length
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 is shorter than the average graphics card (241 mm vs 285.37 mm). The average graphics card has a length of 285.37 mm.
    What it is: Physical length of the GPU card
    When it matters: When front radiators or drive cages leave only limited GPU clearance.

    Importance: LOW

    ATI Radeon HD 5850 is shorter than the average graphics card (241 mm vs 285.37 mm). The average graphics card has a length of 285.37 mm.241 mm vs 285.37 mm
  • 2 more DVI outputs
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has more DVI outputs than the average graphics card (2 vs 0). The average graphics card has 0 DVI outputs.
    What it is: Number of DVI display outputs available
    When it matters: When you still use an older monitor that depends on DVI.

    Importance: LOW

    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has more DVI outputs than the average graphics card (2 vs 0). The average graphics card has 0 DVI outputs.2 vs 0
  • Better FP64 ratio
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has a better FP64 ratio than the average graphics card (1:5 vs 1:64).
    What it is: Ratio of double-precision (FP64) to single-precision (FP32) performance
    When it matters: When you need to know whether FP64 is merely present or genuinely useful.

    Importance: LOW

    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has a better FP64 ratio than the average graphics card (1:5 vs 1:64).1:5 vs 1:64
  • 2.41x cheaper
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 is cheaper than the average graphics card (£220 vs £530).
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 is cheaper than the average graphics card (£220 vs £530).£220 vs £530
  • Supports multi-GPU linking
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 supports multi-GPU linking, the average graphics card does not.
    What it is: Supports NVIDIA SLI or AMD CrossFire multi-GPU setup
    When it matters: When you still run legacy multi-GPU gaming or rendering workflows.

    Importance: LOW

    ATI Radeon HD 5850 supports multi-GPU linking, the average graphics card does not.
  • Better FP64 ratio
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has a better FP64 ratio than the average graphics card (1:5 vs 1:64).
  • Supports multi-GPU linking
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 supports multi-GPU linking, the average graphics card does not.
  • 2 more DVI outputs
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has more DVI outputs than the average graphics card (2 vs 0). The average graphics card has 0 DVI outputs.
  • 23.1% lower PSU requirement
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has a lower PSU requirement than the average graphics card (500 W vs 650 W). The average graphics card has a PSU requirement of 650 W.
  • 29.8% lower TDP
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has a lower TDP than the average graphics card (151 W vs 215 W). The average graphics card has a TDP of 215 W.
  • 16 mm lower card height
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 is shorter than the average graphics card (111 mm vs 127 mm). The average graphics card has a height of 127 mm.
  • 44.37 mm shorter card length
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 is shorter than the average graphics card (241 mm vs 285.37 mm). The average graphics card has a length of 285.37 mm.

Total
Overall
Performance
Platform & Features
Connectivity & Media
Power & Cooling
Design
  • 62.2% lower base clock speed
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has a lower base GPU clock than the average graphics card (725 MHz vs 1,920 MHz). The average graphics card has a base GPU clock of 1,920 MHz.
  • 22 fewer compute units
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has fewer compute units than the average graphics card (18 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 compute units.
  • 86.1% lower texture rate
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has a lower texture rate than the average graphics card (52.2 GTexel/s vs 376.8 GTexel/s). The average graphics card has a texture rate of 376.8 GTexel/s.
  • 112 fewer TMUs
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has fewer TMUs than the average graphics card (72 vs 184). The average graphics card has 184 TMUs.
  • 86% lower pixel rate
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has a lower pixel rate than the average graphics card (23.2 GPixel/s vs 165.2 GPixel/s). The average graphics card has a pixel rate of 165.2 GPixel/s.
  • 32 fewer ROPs
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has fewer ROPs than the average graphics card (32 vs 64). The average graphics card has 64 ROPs.
  • 90.9% lower FP32 performance
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has a lower FP32 performance than the average graphics card (2.1 TFLOPS vs 22.86 TFLOPS). The average graphics card has FP32 performance of 22.86 TFLOPS.
  • 91% lower compute throughput
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has a lower compute throughput than the average graphics card (2.1 TFLOPS vs 23.105 TFLOPS). The average graphics card has compute throughput of 23.105 TFLOPS.
  • 76.1% lower compute score
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has a lower compute score than the average graphics card (1,132 points vs 4,745 points). The average graphics card has a compute score of 4,745 points.
  • 2,912 fewer FP32 units
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has fewer FP32 units than the average graphics card (1,440 vs 4,352). The average graphics card has 4,352 FP32 units.
  • 11 GB less VRAM
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has fewer VRAM than the average graphics card (1 GB vs 12 GB). The average graphics card has 12 GB VRAM.
  • 78.9% slower memory speed
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has a lower effective memory speed than the average graphics card (4,000 MHz vs 19,000 MHz). The average graphics card reaches an effective memory speed of 19,000 MHz.
  • 71.4% lower memory bandwidth
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has a lower memory bandwidth than the average graphics card (128 GB/s vs 448 GB/s). The average graphics card has a memory bandwidth of 448 GB/s.
  • 42.9% slower VRAM clock
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has a lower VRAM clock than the average graphics card (1,000 MHz vs 1,750 MHz). The average graphics card runs its VRAM at 1,750 MHz.
  • 93.8% smaller L1 cache
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has fewer L1 cache than the average graphics card (8 vs 128). The average graphics card has 128 L1 cache.
  • 8x larger process node
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has a higher process node than the average graphics card (40 nm vs 5 nm). The average graphics card uses a process node of 5 nm.
  • Older PCIe version
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 supports an older PCIe version than the average graphics card (2 vs 4.0).
  • 14 older
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 was released earlier than the average graphics card (2,009 vs 2,023).
  • No XeSS support
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 does not support XeSS, the average graphics card does.
  • No mesh shaders
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 does not support mesh shaders, the average graphics card does.
  • Worse SAM support
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 offers worse SAM support than the average graphics card (no vs yes).
  • Older OpenCL version
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 supports an older OpenCL version than the average graphics card (1.2 vs 3.0).
  • Older shader model
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 supports an older shader model than the average graphics card (5 vs 6.8).
  • Older OpenGL version
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 supports an older OpenGL version than the average graphics card (4.4 vs 4.6).
  • 90.2% fewer transistors
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has fewer transistors than the average graphics card (2,154 million vs 21,900 million). The average graphics card has 21,900 million transistors.
  • 2 fewer DisplayPort outputs
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has fewer DisplayPort outputs than the average graphics card (1 vs 3). The average graphics card has 3 DisplayPort outputs.
  • No AV1 encoding
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 does not support AV1 encoding, the average graphics card does.
  • 1 fewer displays supported
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 supports fewer displays than the average graphics card (3 vs 4). The average graphics card supports 4 displays.
  • No AV1 decoding
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 does not support AV1 decoding, the average graphics card does.
  • Older HDMI version
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 supports an older HDMI version than the average graphics card (1.3a vs 2.1).
  • Older DisplayPort version
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 supports an older DisplayPort version than the average graphics card (1.1 vs 1.4a).
  • Not VR ready
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 is not VR ready, while the average graphics card is.
  • Narrower decode codec support
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 supports narrower hardware decode codec support than the average graphics card (H.264 vs H.264/H.265/AV1/VP9).
  • 2 fewer fans
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has fewer fans than the average graphics card (1 vs 3).
  • No fan stop
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 does not support fan stop, the average graphics card does.
  • 2.45x higher idle power draw
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has a higher idle power draw than the average graphics card (27 W vs 11 W). The average graphics card has an idle power draw of 11 W.
  • 7 dB noisier under load
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has a higher load noise level than the average graphics card (42 dB vs 35 dB). The average graphics card has a load noise level of 35 dB.
  • No backplate
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 does not include a backplate, the average graphics card does.
  • No RGB lighting
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 does not include RGB lighting, the average graphics card does.
  • 8x larger process node
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has a higher process node than the average graphics card (40 nm vs 5 nm). The average graphics card uses a process node of 5 nm.
    What it is: Size of the manufacturing process in nanometers
    When it matters: When process node differences may affect power, heat, and overall efficiency.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has a higher process node than the average graphics card (40 nm vs 5 nm). The average graphics card uses a process node of 5 nm.40 nm vs 5 nm
  • 11 GB less VRAM
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has fewer VRAM than the average graphics card (1 GB vs 12 GB). The average graphics card has 12 GB VRAM.
    What it is: Total video memory available on the graphics card
    When it matters: When you play at high settings, use texture mods, or work with large creative projects.

    Importance: HIGH

    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has fewer VRAM than the average graphics card (1 GB vs 12 GB). The average graphics card has 12 GB VRAM.1 GB vs 12 GB
  • 2 fewer fans
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has fewer fans than the average graphics card (1 vs 3).
    What it is: Total number of cooling fans
    When it matters: When you compare cooler designs and want one more clue about thermal potential.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has fewer fans than the average graphics card (1 vs 3).1 vs 3
  • 62.2% lower base clock speed
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has a lower base GPU clock than the average graphics card (725 MHz vs 1,920 MHz). The average graphics card has a base GPU clock of 1,920 MHz.
    What it is: Base operating frequency of the GPU core under standard conditions
    When it matters: When you want to understand the card's guaranteed starting frequency instead of looking only at optimistic boost figures.

    Importance: HIGH

    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has a lower base GPU clock than the average graphics card (725 MHz vs 1,920 MHz). The average graphics card has a base GPU clock of 1,920 MHz.725 MHz vs 1920 MHz
  • 22 fewer compute units
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has fewer compute units than the average graphics card (18 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 compute units.
    What it is: Total number of shader multiprocessors or compute units
    When it matters: When you want a better sense of the GPU's overall parallel hardware resources before relying on game benchmarks alone.

    Importance: HIGH

    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has fewer compute units than the average graphics card (18 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 compute units.18 vs 40
  • 86.1% lower texture rate
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has a lower texture rate than the average graphics card (52.2 GTexel/s vs 376.8 GTexel/s). The average graphics card has a texture rate of 376.8 GTexel/s.
    What it is: Number of textured pixels the GPU can process per second
    When it matters: When fast texture handling matters in high-refresh gaming workloads.

    Importance: HIGH

    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has a lower texture rate than the average graphics card (52.2 GTexel/s vs 376.8 GTexel/s). The average graphics card has a texture rate of 376.8 GTexel/s.52.2 GTexel/s vs 376.8 GTexel/s
  • 112 fewer TMUs
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has fewer TMUs than the average graphics card (72 vs 184). The average graphics card has 184 TMUs.
    What it is: Total count of texture mapping units on the GPU
    When it matters: When texture-heavy gaming performance matters and you want extra hardware context behind texture-rate claims.

    Importance: HIGH

    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has fewer TMUs than the average graphics card (72 vs 184). The average graphics card has 184 TMUs.72 vs 184
  • 86% lower pixel rate
    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has a lower pixel rate than the average graphics card (23.2 GPixel/s vs 165.2 GPixel/s). The average graphics card has a pixel rate of 165.2 GPixel/s.
    What it is: Number of pixels the GPU can render per second
    When it matters: When you play at high resolutions or care about older raster-heavy games.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    ATI Radeon HD 5850 has a lower pixel rate than the average graphics card (23.2 GPixel/s vs 165.2 GPixel/s). The average graphics card has a pixel rate of 165.2 GPixel/s.23.2 GPixel/s vs 165.2 GPixel/s
Total
Overall
Performance
Memory
Platform & Features
Connectivity & Media
Power & Cooling
Design

Graphic comparison of ATI Radeon HD 5850 and

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Third-party reviews

United Kingdom
amazon
4.8
8 Reviews
amazon
5.0
2 Reviews
amazon
4.0
1 Reviews
amazon
5.0
1 Reviews
United States
Amazon_logo.png
4.8
10 Reviews

(Reviews last updated: June 2026)

What customers like about ATI Radeon HD 5850?

  • Excellent value for money, offering high-end performance at a mid-range price point.
  • Support for DirectX 11, providing future-proofing with features like hardware tessellation.
  • High energy efficiency with lower power consumption compared to its performance level and competitors.
  • Quiet operation, especially during idle and standard 2D tasks.
  • Advanced feature set including ATI Eyefinity for multi-monitor setups and HDMI bitstreaming for high-def audio.
  • Compact PCB design compared to the larger HD 5870, allowing it to fit easily into most mid-sized computer cases.

What customers dislike about ATI Radeon HD 5850?

  • Severe availability issues at launch, making it difficult for many users to find in stock.
  • Price inflation occurred early on due to limited supply, temporarily affecting its value proposition.
  • Cooling performance is slightly less efficient than the HD 5870, leading to higher operating temperatures under heavy load.
  • Initial performance gains were less significant for users already owning high-end cards from the previous generation (e.g., HD 4850).

Expert reviews

H
hothardware.com
30/09/2009
AMD ATI Radeon HD 5850 Performance Review

The ATI Radeon HD 5850 is a significant graphical upgrade over the previous-generation Radeon HD 4870, built on a 40nm manufacturing process using 2.15 billion transistors. It features 1,440 stream processors, a 725MHz GPU clock speed, a 1000MHz memory clock speed (4Gbps data rate), and a 256-bit memory interface yielding 128GB/s of peak bandwidth. Physically, the card is 9 inches...Read more

T
techradar.com
10/06/2010
ATI Radeon HD 5850 review If you would like to explore this specific generation further, I can find articles tracking how the ATI Radeon HD 5850 perfo...

The ATI Radeon HD 5850 is a highly capable, cut-down version of AMD's "Cypress" architecture that offers excellent value by retaining most of its flagship sibling's core specifications. It features 1,440 stream shaders, 72 texture units, and all 32 render output units, which are only minor reductions compared to the higher-end 5870. Additionally, it boasts 1GB of GDDR5 graphics...Read more

T
techgage.com
16/11/2009
ASUS Radeon EAH5850 - Techgage

The Techgage review praises the ASUS Radeon EAH5850 as an exceptional "best bang for the buck" component based on AMD's reference design, offering high gaming performance that often outpaces the more expensive NVIDIA GTX 285 in titles like World in Conflict. Pros include excellent thermal performance, low power consumption, DirectX 11 support, and strong overclocking potential...Read more

H
hothardware.com
30/09/2009
AMD ATI Radeon HD 5850 Performance Review

The HotHardware AMD ATI Radeon HD 5850 Performance Review introduces AMD's more affordable, pared-down version of its DirectX 11 flagship, the Radeon HD 5870. Priced competitively at $259, the card is built on a 40nm process with 2.15 billion transistors, featuring a lower clocked 725 MHz engine, 1,440 stream processors, 72 texture units, and 1 GB of GDDR5 memory delivering 128...Read more

T
tomshardware.com
30/09/2009
Radeon HD 5850: Knocking Down GTX 295 In CrossFire

The Radeon HD 5850 review highlights the card's position as a highly capable and appealing high-end option. Priced around $310 due to limited availability, it targets Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 285—a single-GPU powerhouse AMD previously struggled to rival—while a CrossFire pairing of two 5850s aims to directly outperform Nvidia’s $500 flagship dual-GPU card, the GeForce GTX 295. Built on...Read more

T
techradar.com
10/06/2010
ATI Radeon HD 5850 review Would you like to see benchmarks comparing this card to its successor, the HD 6850? Copy

The ATI Radeon HD 5850 is reviewed as a highly capable, cut-down version of AMD’s flagship HD 5870 graphics card, offering a compelling balance of performance and value. Priced around £225 (roughly £85 cheaper than the 5870), it aims to deliver near-flagship framerates without the premium price tag, making it an appealing option for cost-conscious PC enthusiasts. The card is packed...Read more

T
techspot.com
09/10/2009
HIS Radeon HD 5850 Review

The TechSpot review of the HIS Radeon HD 5850 highlights the card as an exceptional value, offering roughly 85-90% of the flagship HD 5870's performance for $260. Featuring a 40nm process, 1GB GDDR5, and DirectX 11 support, it outperforms competitors like the GeForce GTX 285 in key benchmarks while maintaining a compact 24cm PCB. Key pros include this high price-to-performance...Read more

T
techpowerup.com
02/10/2009
HIS Radeon HD 5850 1 GB Review - TechPowerUp

The TechPowerUp HIS Radeon HD 5850 1 GB review highlights the card as an exceptional value, utilizing a 40 nm Cypress PRO GPU, 1,440 shading units, and 1,024 MB of GDDR5 to deliver strong performance that trails the HD 5870 by only 15%. Key advantages include superior power efficiency, top-tier acoustic levels, and massive overclocking potential via Volterra voltage control,...Read more

L
legitreviews.com
29/09/2009
ATI Radeon HD 5850 CrossFire Video Card Review

The Legit Reviews article examines the ATI Radeon HD 5850 graphics card, evaluating both single-card performance and a dual-card CrossFire configuration against contemporary rivals. Positioned as a more affordable alternative to the flagship Radeon HD 5870, the HD 5850 launches at a highly competitive price of $259. It utilizes the same foundational GPU architecture as its larger...Read more

G
guru3d.com
29/09/2009
Radeon HD 5850 review (CrossfireX) - Guru3D

The Radeon HD 5850 1024MB launches as a highly compelling, cost-effective alternative to its more expensive sibling, the Radeon HD 5870, balancing price and performance for high-end gaming. Priced competitively at 259 USD, it positions itself to go neck-to-neck against the 349 USD GeForce GTX 285. The review explores both standalone GPU capabilities and multi-GPU scalability via...Read more

M
m.hexus.net
30/09/2009
AMD ATI Radeon HD 5850 single-card and multi-GPU evaluation

The HEXUS.net evaluation of the AMD ATI Radeon HD 5850 1,024MB details a highly favourable, scaled-down alternative to the range-topping HD 5870 flagship. Measuring 243mm long, 111mm high, and 35mm deep, this more cost-efficient graphics card matches the size of the older HD 4890 board but is a telling 30mm shorter and roughly 100g lighter (at 860g) than its larger sibling....Read more

W
wsgf.org
25/04/2010
ATI Radeon 5850 & 5830 Review - WSGF If you would like to explore this card further, please let me know if you want me to search for its original MSRP...

The WSGF review of the ATI Radeon HD 5850 and 5830 highlights the 5850 as an excellent value, providing linear, high-end performance near the 5870 for multi-monitor Eyefinity setups. Conversely, the 5830 is criticized for its reduced 1,120 shader count and 175-watt TDP, which, despite a higher core clock, often results in inferior performance compared to the 5850 and sometimes the...Read more

H
hardwareluxx.de
06/05/2011
Test: Sapphire Radeon HD 5850 und Radeon HD 5830 Xtreme

The Hardwareluxx review evaluates the Sapphire Radeon HD 5850 Xtreme and HD 5830 Xtreme, two revived graphics cards built on AMD’s 40-nm RV870 architecture to offer budget-friendly alternatives to the AMD Radeon HD 6000 series. Technically identical to AMD's older reference models, the HD 5850 variant features 1,440 stream processors and a 725 MHz clock speed, while the HD 5830 has...Read more

(Translated)Show original
G
gamestar.de
26/05/2010
Sapphire Radeon HD 5850 Toxic - GameStar ComputerBase

The Sapphire Radeon HD 5850 Toxic is a factory-overclocked graphics card featuring increased clock rates of 765/4,500 MHz (up from the standard 725/4,000 MHz) while retaining a 1.0 GB GDDR5 memory configuration. To combat the additional heat generated by the overclock, Sapphire equipped the card with a custom cooler that performs exceptionally well, keeping temperatures at a stable...Read more

(Translated)Show original
N
noticias3d.com
09/11/2009
Gigabyte ATi Radeon HD 5850

The Noticias3D review evaluates the Gigabyte ATi Radeon HD 5850 (GV-R585D5-1GD-B), a high-end, dual-slot graphics card built on the 40nm Cypress Pro architecture with 1GB GDDR5 memory. The review highlights its status as the second most powerful single-GPU offering from AMD/ATi at the time, positioning it just below the flagship HD 5870. While it operates at slightly reduced...Read more

(Translated)Show original

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