AMD Radeon HD 6800 Series - a series of graphics cards from AMD. This manufacturer of computer components for the entire history of its existence has been competing with the manufacturer of video cards Nvidia. This review covers the pros and cons of the AMD Radeon HD 6800 Series. Characteristics, description and test results - all this you can find below.
The advent of a series of graphics cards
AMD regularly updates its line of graphics processors and graphics cards. 2010 was no exception: the 6800 series was presented to the public. This line was created to replace the flagship video card 5870.
On October 22, AMD Radeon HD 6800 Series was presented . The feedback on the progress of the lineup was only positive. In 2010, AMD was only gaining popularity with its video cards, so everyone expected a technical breakthrough from them or at least a very good flagship series.
It was on this line that the manufacturer’s rebranding was completely over: from now on, video cards were called AMD, not ATI. This was done due to the expiration of the contract after the merger. Perhaps this decision was made to popularize not only graphic chips, but also processors from AMD. The conclusion about this is due to constant advertising and the presentation of configurations collected only on the AMD platform (processor + video card).
Let's see what the AMD Radeon HD 6800 Series line brought to the market of video cards for stationary computers, the characteristics of which will be presented later. The entire series is represented by the following video cards: HD 6850 and 6870. According to the creators themselves, the number 8 in the index no longer means belonging to the top line of graphics chips, since the 6900 series appeared.
AMD Radeon HD 6800 Series: specifications
Firstly, it is worth talking about the change in the platform. The new lineup uses the Barts processor. From the first presentation, it became clear that AMD chose a different development path than Nvidia. If the latter are constantly in pursuit of power and maximum performance, then Radeon video cards are designed to be balanced by the ratio, no matter how trite it sounds, of price and quality (performance).
Specialists from the former ATI company were often called true innovators. They set trends for the entire graphics chip market. After moving under the wing of AMD, the company took a step back. The new generation of Barts processors is even weaker than the previous on paper and in specifications. The creators went by simplifying the architecture to achieve an excellent balance between speed, reliability and performance. Barts has become simpler in structure and smaller in size. This processor is the basis for the middle class and budget graphics cards, which include the AMD Radeon HD 6800 Series. Characteristics are presented below.
Both representatives of the series (HD 6850 and 6870) support DirectX11 and version 5 shaders. The cost of video cards is 180 and 240 dollars, respectively. Compared to the productive and overclocked competitors from Nvidia, AMD boards are really budget-friendly, but the difference in performance is not so great. The amount of video memory on both cards is 1 GB. The series is a direct competitor to the GeForce GTX460 with 1 GB of RAM and the GeForce GTX470.
AMD Radeon HD 6800 Series Video Card: Specifications and Test Results
To test the line of video cards, we used the following computer configuration as a test bench: a Core i7 processor with a frequency of 3.3 GHz, 6 GB of RAM and a 64-bit Windows 7 operating system. All games used are configured for graphics quality and detail to check the maximum performance of tested video cards.
The first test game was Aliens vs. Predator It immediately becomes clear that the HD6800 series will be difficult to compete with the GeForce 460 1GB: only at a resolution of 1600x900 and lower, the board from AMD can produce playable 30 frames per second.
In the game Battlefield Bad Company 2, the situation is balanced, and the AMD Radeon HD 6800 Series does not seem such a bad decision. Technical specifications at maximum graphics and resolution settings (6850 and 6870) make it possible to overtake the GeForce by as much as 8 frames per second (30 vs. 22). Recall that the cost of an Nvidia video card is from $ 230. Using the new line from AMD is becoming more and more attractive. But, without making hasty conclusions, let's look at the following tests.
In a very demanding game, Crysis Warhead, both video cards stay adequately only at low screen resolutions. STALKER Call of Pripyat gives Nvidia a 10-fps video card. But do not forget about the significant difference in price.
Conclusion after tests
In general, the AMD Radeon HD 6800 Series graphics card shows itself worthy in all games. Drivers after the update began to support all new games, so the budget version of the graphics chip from AMD produces tolerable 25-30 frames per second in modern game projects at high graphics settings.
AMD Radeon HD 6800 Series Pros and Cons
Of the advantages of this video card, the following points can be distinguished. Firstly, good performance in most modern games. Secondly, low power consumption. You can also note the low cost, for which the buyer will get good performance and all the "chips" of top-end video cards, such as displaying images on 6 monitors, compatibility mode with similar video cards.
The disadvantages lie in the increased noise of the video card and the frankly weak cooling system. With sufficiently high loads in video games, the chip starts to overheat quickly.
Total
For those who are not chasing breakthrough capacities and high numbers in the tests, the AMD Radeon HD 6800 Series line is perfect. The characteristics of video cards allow you to safely play with high FPS at medium or close settings for the graphic component of the game. On the side of AMD video cards, there is also a low cost, compared to the Nvidia GeForce 460 and 470. But the performance differs little, so the choice of a mid-range graphics card is obvious.