Design

AMD Radeon HD 6850 1024MB
GPU: Radeon HD 6850 (Barts) Interface: PCIe x16 GPU clock rate (ROPs/Shaders): 775/775 MHz (standard) Memory clock rate, physical (effective): 1000 (4000) MHz (standard) Memory bus: 256-bit Stream processors: 960 TMUs: 48 (BLF/TLF) ROPs: 32 Size: 250x100x33 mm PCB color: black RAMDACs/TDMS: integrated into GPU Interfaces: Dual-Link DVI, Single-Link DVI, 2 x Mini DisplayPort, HDMI Multi-GPU: SLI (Hardware)
AMD Radeon HD 6870 1024MB
GPU: Radeon HD 6870 (Barts) Interface: PCIe x16 GPU clock rate (ROPs/Shaders): 900/900 MHz (standard) Memory clock rate, physical (effective): 1050 (4200) MHz (standard) Memory bus: 256-bit Stream processors: 1120 TMUs: 56 (BLF/TLF) ROPs: 32 Size: 270x100x33 mm PCB color: black RAMDACs/TDMS: integrated into GPU Interfaces: Dual-Link DVI, Single-Link DVI, 2 x Mini DisplayPort, HDMI Multi-GPU: SLI (Hardware)

Comparison with the reference design, front view
AMD Radeon HD 6850 1024MB	Reference AMD Radeon HD 5850
AMD Radeon HD 6870 1024MB	Reference AMD Radeon HD 5870

Comparison with the reference design, rear view
AMD Radeon HD 6850 1024MB	Reference AMD Radeon HD 5850
AMD Radeon HD 6870 1024MB	Reference AMD Radeon HD 5870

We compare HD 6850/6870 with HD 5850/5870, not HD 5770, although HD 6850/6870 are called to replace the latter. The reason is that the novelties have 256-bit buses, so it's only logical to compare them with HD 5850/5870 which have similar circuitry.

Radeon HD 6870 has two 6-pin supplementary power connectors, while Radeon HD 6850 has one of those.

Both novelties can output game graphics to three monitors simultaneously, given that at least one Mini DisplayPort connector is used. Although if you only need to output the desktop (or clone the primary output), you can also use these configurations DVI+DVI+HDMI, DVI+HDMI+DP, HDMI+DP+DP.

Maximum resolutions and frequencies:

• 240 Hz maximum refresh rate
• 2048 x 1536 x 32bit @ 85Hz Max -- analog interface
• 2560 x 1600 @ 60Hz Max -- digital interface (Dual-Link DVI/HDMI)

As for the HDTV support, a review is available here.

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