Radeon HD 4870 X2 vs Radeon HD 5850

When comparing Radeon HD 4870 X2 and Radeon HD 5850, we look primarily at benchmarks and game tests. But it is not only about the numbers. Often you can find third-party models with higher clock speeds, better cooling, or a customizable RGB lighting. Not all of them will have all the features you need. Another thing to consider is the port selection. Most graphics cards have at least one DisplayPort and HDMI interface, but some monitors require DVI. Before you buy, check the TDP of the graphics card - this characteristic will help you estimate the consumption of the graphics card. You may even have to upgrade your PSU to meet its requirements. An important factor when choosing between Radeon HD 4870 X2 and Radeon HD 5850 is the price. Does the additional cost justify the performance hit? Our comparison should help you make the right decision.

Main Specs

  Radeon HD 4870 X2 Radeon HD 5850
Power consumption (TDP) 286 Watt 151 Watt
Interface PCIe 2.0 x16 PCIe 2.0 x16
Supplementary power connectors 1x 6-pin + 1x 8-pin 2x 6-pin
Memory type GDDR5 GDDR5
Maximum RAM amount 1 GB 1 GB
Display Connectors 2x DVI, 1x S-Video 2x DVI, 1x HDMI, 1x DisplayPort
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  • Radeon HD 4870 X2 has 89% more power consumption, than Radeon HD 5850.
  • Both video cards are using PCIe 2.0 x16 interface connection to a motherboard.
  • Radeon HD 4870 X2 and Radeon HD 5850 have maximum RAM of 1 GB.
  • Both cards are used in Desktops.
  • Radeon HD 4870 X2 is build with TeraScale architecture, and Radeon HD 5850 - with Terascale 2.
  • Core clock speed of Radeon HD 5850 is 25 MHz higher, than Radeon HD 4870 X2.
  • Radeon HD 4870 X2 is manufactured by 55 nm process technology, and Radeon HD 5850 - by 40 nm process technology.
  • Radeon HD 4870 X2 is 26 mm longer, than Radeon HD 5850.
  • Memory clock speed of Radeon HD 4870 X2 is 1600 MHz higher, than Radeon HD 5850.

Game benchmarks

high / 1080p 3−4 9−10
ultra / 1080p 1−2 5−6
QHD / 1440p 0−1 0−1
low / 720p 14−16 21−24
medium / 1080p 6−7 12−14
The average gaming FPS of Radeon HD 5850 in Assassin's Creed Odyssey is 100% more, than Radeon HD 4870 X2.

Full Specs

  Radeon HD 4870 X2 Radeon HD 5850
Architecture TeraScale Terascale 2
Code name R700 Cypress
Type Desktop Desktop
Release date 12 August 2008 30 September 2009
Pipelines 800 1440
Core clock speed 700 MHz 725 MHz
Transistor count 956 million 2,154 million
Manufacturing process technology 55 nm 40 nm
Texture fill rate 28.00 52.20
Floating-point performance 2x 1,120.0 gflops 2,088.0 gflops
Length 267 mm 241 mm
Memory bus width 256 Bit 256 Bit
Memory clock speed 3600 MHz 2000 MHz
Memory bandwidth 115.2 GB/s 128.0 GB/s
DirectX 10.1 (10_1) 11.2 (11_0)
Shader Model 4.1 5.0
OpenGL 3.3 4.4
OpenCL 1.1 1.2
Vulkan N/A N/A
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