Originally released back in 2009, these AMD Radeon HD 5800 graphics series quickly gained popularity due to their ability to fully support DirectX 11, providing a completely new level of tessellation. Released in October, the Radeon HD 5850 cards filled the lower end of the performance slot and was able to deliver great performance for its price. Originally, this Radeon HD 5850 was oriented towards users who wanted that extra punch, but didn't feel the need to go overboard with their graphics. However, for those that wish to take full advantage of the Radeon HD 5850, CrossFire is available, and considering the low price of the video cards, this should be easily accessible and set you again as top performer. - Bjorn3D

Sapphire Radeon HD 5850 Xtreme Video Card Review

With the great success of these Radeon HD 5850 series, vendors like Sapphire have decided to release an extreme and more powerful version, in order to keep up with the changes that occured in the gaming industry over the past year. And today, Sapphire announced the release of a Radeon HD 5850 Xtreme graphics card, priced at $150, though it can be bought for as low as $130 on Newegg. The card is equiped with 1440 stream processors. While the release of older graphics cards might seem redundant to some, the higher price to performance ratio of the newer Radeon HD 6850 might make some buyers lean towards older cards.

The Sapphire Radeon HD 5850 Xtreme comes in well designed packaging. The overall color scheme is nicely chosen to appeal to everyone. Their front cover clearly states the name of the product, vendor and some of the features that the card provides. The packaging uses the same avatar on front and back to support the theme. The back of the packaging expands more on the features and the compatibility of the product as well as lists some of the accolades that this card has been awarded in the past. The overall design is practically identical to that of Sapphire Radeon HD 6850, and equipped with a single 80mm fan and heatsink.

While generally people tend to look down upon previous generation video cards, the Sapphire Radeon HD 5850 Xtreme has proven itself as a worthy contender. In terms of value, the price of this card is well justified and the card should prove to be a great investment for anyone that is on a fairly low budget. For those who are not hunting after the latest games or DirectX 11 experiences, this card is highly recommended due to the ability to deliver performance rivaling that of a GeForce GTX 560 Ti but at a much lower price. Though it may seem strange to modify an older card, creating a overclocked version of a successful card is not a bad idea.

However, the look and feel of the graphics card is practically identical to that of the Radeon HD 6850, and is somewhat lacking in originality. While it might not be an major concern, it would be nice to see a new design associated with this card. The quality of the card remains on the top tier, considering that the cooling performance that was observed was outstanding. The high end components used in this card will ensure its longevity if used casually. This Sapphire Radeon HD 5850 Xtreme edition delivers good performance. Even more so, it brings an great gaming experience for a very affordable price.