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The Radeon HD 5850 was a lower-cost, reduced-configuration sibling to AMD’s HD 5870, aimed at high-end gaming when it launched in 2009. In TechSpot’s launch-era testing it delivered a strong result in one high-resolution synthetic benchmark, but that result is historical—not a guide to how the card performs in today’s games. AMD now lists the HD 5850 under legacy support, with no additional Windows legacy-driver releases planned.
How the Radeon HD 5850 was configured
AMD’s 2010 annual filing records the HD 5850 launch with 1GB of GDDR5 memory. The more detailed specifications below describe the particular HIS reference-style board reviewed by TechSpot, not every partner card.
| Specification | Reviewed HIS sample |
|---|---|
| Memory | 1GB GDDR5 |
| Core clock | 725 MHz |
| Stream processors | 1,440 |
| Texture units | 72 |
| Render backends (ROPs) | 32 |
| Board length | 24 cm |
| PCIe power connectors | Two 6-pin connectors |
| Maximum board power figure | 151 W, as reported for the reviewed board; this is not a whole-PC wall-power measurement |
Partner designs can change the cooler, dimensions, clock settings and power connectors. TechSpot’s Steven Walton described the 40 nm GPU’s 725 MHz clock as an aggressive core speed for its design. TechSpot’s HD 5850 review provides the test-board details.
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How it performed in its 2009 review
TechSpot’s clearest directly comparable result was Futuremark 3DMark Vantage at 2560×1600. In that test, the HD 5850 scored 19% higher than Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 285 and 11% lower than AMD’s dual-GPU Radeon HD 4870 X2.
#1 Best Overall
- ASUS EAH5850 DirectCU Radeon HD 5850 1GB GDDR5 PCI Express Video Card General Features:
- ATI Radeon HD 5850 graphics processing unit (GPU) 1440 stream processors 72 texture units
- 725 MHz core clock 1 GB GDDR5 memory 256-bit memory interface
- 1000 MHz memory clock (4000 MHz effective) PCI Express 2.1 x16 interface
- ATI TeraScale 2 Unified Processing Architecture
Those percentages belong to one synthetic benchmark and one test setup: an Intel Core i7-965 Extreme Edition overclocked to 3.70 GHz, 6GB of DDR3, Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit and ATI Catalyst 9.10. They do not establish the same advantage in every game, nor do they compare the card with modern GPUs. Read the figures as a snapshot of its position among high-end cards at launch, not as a current performance ranking. TechSpot’s benchmark results and test notes give the full context.
Temperature, noise and power in the test
TechSpot measured its HIS sample at 83°C under load and described it as quieter than the GeForce GTX 285, GTX 295 and Radeon HD 4870 X2 in that review. This is a result for that card and test environment; age, dust, fan wear, case airflow and partner-board cooler design can all affect a used card’s behavior.
The review reported a 151 W maximum power figure for the board. That figure is not a complete system’s power draw from the wall, and it does not by itself specify a suitable power supply for a particular PC. The reviewed sample used two 6-pin PCIe power connectors, so confirm that the exact card and PSU have compatible connectors and capacity before installation.
Does the HD 5850 support DirectX 11?
Yes. AMD’s product support listing identifies the ATI Radeon HD 5850 as a Radeon HD 5000 Series component and lists DirectX 11 support, as well as DisplayPort, Dual Link DVI and HDMI outputs. That feature listing does not guarantee compatibility with every current game, operating system, display or application. AMD’s Radeon HD 5850 support page is the current reference for its posted specifications and support status.
Rank #3
- ATI Radeon HD 5870 1GB DDR5 PCI Express Dual DVI Video Card General Features:
- ATI Radeon HD 5870 graphics processor 1600 stream processors 80 texture units 850 MHz core clock
- 1 GB GDDR5 memory 256-bit memory interface 1200 MHz memory clock PCI Express 2.1 x16 interface
- ATI TeraScale 2 Unified Processing Architecture ATI Stream Technology ATI PowerPlay
- ATI CrossFireX multi-GPU support
What AMD’s legacy status means today
AMD labels the card’s support model as legacy and says no additional driver releases are planned for the listed Windows legacy drivers. That is a statement about AMD’s driver plans, not proof that an existing installation will fail or that every operating system lacks a usable driver. Before relying on the card, check the exact OS and software you intend to run against AMD’s posted driver information and the application’s GPU requirements.
For a used replacement or period-correct build, verify the exact partner model rather than relying on the reference-style sample’s measurements. Check card length against the case, connector type and availability against the PSU, display outputs against the monitor, and the seller’s return terms. Current prices, stock and individual card condition are not established here.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Interface: PCI Express 2.1 x16
- Video Memory: GDDR5 (1GB)
- Engine Clock: 4000 MHz (1000 MHz GDDR5)
- Graphics Engine: ATI Radeon HD 5770
- Dimensions: 14 inches x 5 inches x 2 inches
Rank #4
- 512MB DDR2 memory
- DirectX 10.1
- Multi-monitor productivity
- AGP 2.0 8x support
- 3 year limited Warranty
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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