HD Radeon 5000 Series "Sweet Spot"?

[wigglerthefish]

Since the 6xxx series has already been released for a while, what is the market like for the 5xxx series?

I've been looking at the 6850, Gigabyte windforce edition to be more specific. However, I stumbled upon an ASUS DirectCU 5850, that can overclock to 1000MHz core and ~1250MHz memory. With no intention to crossfire, is the 5850 better performance? Besides, "cutting-edge" performance costs a lot, when a 5850+ graphics can do the job just fine.

I'm looking for that "sweet spot" where I can get good performance for a GREAT value!

 

[Dougx1317]

6850 may be new, but it's not exactly "cutting edge". The 5850 and 6850 are both pretty similar in performance. The 6850 has a few extra features. It just depends on what these features are worth to you. It's up to you to decide what card is best for you. The 5850 is still a great card if you get a good deal.

 

[c_for]

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-radeon-hd-6870-geforce-gtx-570,2834.html

Tomshardware releases this great article once a month. There is one for cpu's also.

 

[wigglerthefish]

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-radeon-hd-6870-geforce-gtx-570,2834.html

Tomshardware releases this great article once a month. There is one for cpu's also.

I know, I've read it already, but thanks anyway.

 

[wigglerthefish]

6850 may be new, but it's not exactly "cutting edge". The 5850 and 6850 are both pretty similar in performance. The 6850 has a few extra features. It just depends on what these features are worth to you. It's up to you to decide what card is best for you. The 5850 is still a great card if you get a good deal.

My question is when you consider the raw numbers. Do they translate to performance?

5850 vs. 6850
1440 vs. 965 stream processors
1000MHz vs. 1000MHz core (overclocked of course)
1125MHz Vs. 1000MHz memory (stock)

Or similar numbers...

 

[17seconds]

 

[mactronix]

Assuming you are not interested in looking at nvidia alternatives like the GTX 560 Ti then i would just get which of the two is the cheapest/best deal where you are.
Realistically speaking your not getting anything from one your not from the other. One runs less power and the other has support for a couple of extra things but, and this is my own opinion and others might disagree but i couldnt ever see myself saying oh i wish i had the 6850 now instead of the 5850.

Mactronix

 

[Dougx1317]

My question is when you consider the raw numbers. Do they translate to performance?

5850 vs. 6850
1440 vs. 965 stream processors
1000MHz vs. 1000MHz core (overclocked of course)
1125MHz Vs. 1000MHz memory (stock)

Or similar numbers...

ATI did make some technological improvements that resulted in more power from less stream processors. You can't compare the specs of two cards that were built using different technologies. As matto17secs showed you, they are within 6% of each other in terms of performance. The 6850 is more efficient, comes with extra features, and scales better in crossfire. And at Newegg right now, the 6850 is even $5 cheaper after rebate. I think most people will tell you that the 6850 is the way to go. The only time I would recommend a 5850 is if you already had one and you wanted to crossfire or you got an amazing deal on it. So to answer your question, the 5850 is still a great card but it may not be your best option.

Cheapest 5850 vs cheapest 6850 on Newegg:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150477
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121419

Also, what resolution are you playing at, and what games/apps do you use?

 

[wigglerthefish]

ATI did make some technological improvements that resulted in more power from less stream processors. You can't compare the specs of two cards that were built using different technologies. As matto17secs showed you, they are within 6% of each other in terms of performance. The 6850 is more efficient, comes with extra features, and scales better in crossfire. And at Newegg right now, the 6850 is even $5 cheaper after rebate. I think most people will tell you that the 6850 is the way to go. The only time I would recommend a 5850 is if you already had one and you wanted to crossfire or you got an amazing deal on it. So to answer your question, the 5850 is still a great card but it may not be your best option.

Cheapest 5850 vs cheapest 6850 on Newegg:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150477
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121419

Also, what resolution are you playing at, and what games/apps do you use?

1080p. Also I mostly play fps.

 

[JDFan]

Actually with the 6xxx series ATI changed the numbering a bit and the 68xxs are now the mid level cards instead of the upper level that they were in the 58xx series so the 68xx cards fall in between the 57xx and 58xx performance levels (ie. the 6850 is a new generation and improved 5770 level card - and so performs under the 5850 card which will be replaced by the 6950 (69xx is the new high end designation that was 58xx) so it gets a bit confusing since the 5850 outperforms the 6850 even though the 6850 is a new generation of card. (that said the improvements between the generations almost makes up for the downstep in level from upper to mid level)

 

[Dougx1317]

1080p. Also I mostly play fps.

For 1080P, I would recommend you go a little higher than a 6850 if you don't plan to crossfire. It all depends on how new the games are, how high of settings you want, and how long you plan to keep the card. Crossfiring on the 6xxx series scales really well if you ever change your mind. In any case, the 6850 is a better choice than the 5850. But if you choose the 5850, you will probably be just as happy. We've discussed the pros and cons. Now the choice is up to you.