Radeon RX 6850M XT vs GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q

Place in the ranking	135	77
Place by popularity	not in top-100	not in top-100
Power efficiency	30.88	18.87
Architecture	Turing (2018−2022)	RDNA 2.0 (2020−2024)
GPU code name	TU104B	Navi 22
Market segment	Laptop	Laptop
Release date	29 January 2019 (5 years ago)	4 January 2022 (2 years ago)

Detailed specifications

General parameters such as number of shaders, GPU core base clock and boost clock speeds, manufacturing process, texturing and calculation speed. Note that power consumption of some graphics cards can well exceed their nominal TDP, especially when overclocked.

Pipelines / CUDA cores	2944	2560
Core clock speed	735 MHz	2321 MHz
Boost clock speed	1095 MHz	2581 MHz
Number of transistors	13,600 million	17,200 million
Manufacturing process technology	12 nm	7 nm
Power consumption (TDP)	80 Watt	165 Watt
Texture fill rate	201.5	413.0
Floating-point processing power	6.447 TFLOPS	13.21 TFLOPS
ROPs	64	64
TMUs	184	160
Tensor Cores	368	no data
Ray Tracing Cores	46	40

Form factor & compatibility

Information on compatibility with other computer components. Useful when choosing a future computer configuration or upgrading an existing one. For desktop graphics cards it's interface and bus (motherboard compatibility), additional power connectors (power supply compatibility).

Laptop size	large	large
Interface	PCIe 3.0 x16	PCIe 4.0 x16
Supplementary power connectors	no data	None

VRAM capacity and type

Parameters of VRAM installed: its type, size, bus, clock and resulting bandwidth. Integrated GPUs have no dedicated video RAM and use a shared part of system RAM.

Memory type	GDDR6	GDDR6
Maximum RAM amount	8 GB	12 GB
Memory bus width	256 Bit	192 Bit
Memory clock speed	1500 MHz	2000 MHz
Memory bandwidth	384.0 GB/s	384.0 GB/s
Shared memory	-	-

Connectivity and outputs

Types and number of video connectors present on the reviewed GPUs. As a rule, data in this section is precise only for desktop reference ones (so-called Founders Edition for NVIDIA chips). OEM manufacturers may change the number and type of output ports, while for notebook cards availability of certain video outputs ports depends on the laptop model rather than on the card itself.

Display Connectors	No outputs	No outputs
G-SYNC support	+	-

Supported technologies

Supported technological solutions. This information will prove useful if you need some particular technology for your purposes.

VR Ready

no data

API compatibility

List of supported 3D and general-purpose computing APIs, including their specific versions.

DirectX	12 Ultimate (12_1)	12 Ultimate (12_2)
Shader Model	6.5	6.5
OpenGL	4.6	4.6
OpenCL	1.2	2.1
Vulkan	1.2.131	1.3
CUDA	7.5	-

Synthetic benchmark performance

Non-gaming benchmark results comparison. The combined score is measured on a 0-100 point scale.

Combined synthetic benchmark score

This is our combined benchmark score. We are regularly improving our combining algorithms, but if you find some perceived inconsistencies, feel free to speak up in comments section, we usually fix problems quickly.

RTX 2080 Max-Q 36.05

RX 6850M XT 45.44
+26%

Passmark

This is the most ubiquitous GPU benchmark. It gives the graphics card a thorough evaluation under various types of load, providing four separate benchmarks for Direct3D versions 9, 10, 11 and 12 (the last being done in 4K resolution if possible), and few more tests engaging DirectCompute capabilities.

RTX 2080 Max-Q 13894

RX 6850M XT 17511
+26%

3DMark 11 Performance GPU

3DMark 11 is an obsolete DirectX 11 benchmark by Futuremark. It used four tests based on two scenes, one being few submarines exploring the submerged wreck of a sunken ship, the other is an abandoned temple deep in the jungle. All the tests are heavy with volumetric lighting and tessellation, and despite being done in 1280x720 resolution, are relatively taxing. Discontinued in January 2020, 3DMark 11 is now superseded by Time Spy.

RTX 2080 Max-Q 27973

RX 6850M XT 42016
+50.2%

3DMark Fire Strike Graphics

Fire Strike is a DirectX 11 benchmark for gaming PCs. It features two separate tests displaying a fight between a humanoid and a fiery creature made of lava. Using 1920x1080 resolution, Fire Strike shows off some realistic graphics and is quite taxing on hardware.

RTX 2080 Max-Q 20703

RX 6850M XT 33901
+63.7%

3DMark Cloud Gate GPU

Cloud Gate is an outdated DirectX 11 feature level 10 benchmark that was used for home PCs and basic notebooks. It displays a few scenes of some weird space teleportation device launching spaceships into unknown, using fixed resolution of 1280x720. Just like Ice Storm benchmark, it has been discontinued in January 2020 and replaced by 3DMark Night Raid.

RTX 2080 Max-Q 117764

RX 6850M XT 172972
+46.9%

3DMark Time Spy Graphics

RTX 2080 Max-Q 7923

RX 6850M XT 11837
+49.4%

Gaming performance

Let's see how good the compared graphics cards are for gaming. Particular gaming benchmark results are measured in FPS.

Average FPS across all PC games

Here are the average frames per second in a large set of popular games across different resolutions:

Full HD	115 −26.1%	145 +26.1%
1440p	85 −2.4%	87 +2.4%
4K	46 −45.7%	67 +45.7%

FPS performance in popular games

Full HD
Low Preset

Cyberpunk 2077

60−65

−158%

160
+158%

Full HD
Medium Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey	81 −16%	90−95 +16%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla	60−65 −156%	159 +156%
Battlefield 5	142 +0%	140−150 +0%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare	95 +6.7%	85−90 −6.7%
Cyberpunk 2077	60−65 −119%	136 +119%
Far Cry 5	117 +25.8%	90−95 −25.8%
Far Cry New Dawn	139 +27.5%	100−110 −27.5%
Forza Horizon 4	271 +33.5%	200−210 −33.5%
Hitman 3	75−80 −25%	95−100 +25%
Horizon Zero Dawn	150−160 −17.6%	180−190 +17.6%
Metro Exodus	137 +0%	130−140 +0%
Red Dead Redemption 2	95 −5.3%	100−105 +5.3%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider	174 +3.6%	160−170 −3.6%
Watch Dogs: Legion	120−130 −8.9%	130−140 +8.9%

Full HD
High Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey	75−80 −22.1%	90−95 +22.1%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla	60−65 −110%	130 +110%
Battlefield 5	130 −9.2%	140−150 +9.2%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare	92 +3.4%	85−90 −3.4%
Cyberpunk 2077	60−65 −71%	106 +71%
Far Cry 5	90 −3.3%	90−95 +3.3%
Far Cry New Dawn	102 −6.9%	100−110 +6.9%
Forza Horizon 4	223 +9.9%	200−210 −9.9%
Hitman 3	75−80 −25%	95−100 +25%
Horizon Zero Dawn	150−160 −17.6%	180−190 +17.6%
Metro Exodus	120 −14.2%	130−140 +14.2%
Red Dead Redemption 2	64 −56.3%	100−105 +56.3%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider	120−130 −101%	259 +101%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt	75−80 −22.7%	90−95 +22.7%
Watch Dogs: Legion	120−130 −8.9%	130−140 +8.9%

Full HD
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey	56 −67.9%	90−95 +67.9%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla	60−65 −80.6%	112 +80.6%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare	71 −25.4%	85−90 +25.4%
Cyberpunk 2077	60−65 −40.3%	87 +40.3%
Far Cry 5	67 −38.8%	90−95 +38.8%
Forza Horizon 4	180−190 −10.9%	200−210 +10.9%
Hitman 3	75−80 −25%	95−100 +25%
Horizon Zero Dawn	150−160 −17.6%	180−190 +17.6%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider	120−130 −76%	227 +76%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt	78 −56.4%	122 +56.4%
Watch Dogs: Legion	120−130 +49.4%	83 −49.4%

Full HD
Epic Preset

Red Dead Redemption 2

−22%

100−105
+22%

1440p
High Preset

Battlefield 5	88 +0%	85−90 +0%
Far Cry New Dawn	69 +1.5%	65−70 −1.5%

1440p
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey	47 −4.3%	45−50 +4.3%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla	35−40 −118%	85 +118%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare	40−45 −26.2%	50−55 +26.2%
Cyberpunk 2077	27−30 −104%	55 +104%
Far Cry 5	51 −2%	50−55 +2%
Forza Horizon 4	224 −8%	240−250 +8%
Hitman 3	45−50 −28.3%	55−60 +28.3%
Horizon Zero Dawn	75−80 −28.6%	95−100 +28.6%
Metro Exodus	65−70 −20.6%	80−85 +20.6%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider	85−90 −93%	166 +93%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt	50−55 −33.3%	65−70 +33.3%
Watch Dogs: Legion	180−190 −13.2%	200−210 +13.2%

1440p
Epic Preset

Red Dead Redemption 2

60−65

−24.2%

75−80
+24.2%

4K
High Preset

Battlefield 5	41 −12.2%	45−50 +12.2%
Far Cry New Dawn	40 +2.6%	35−40 −2.6%
Hitman 3	27−30 −27.6%	35−40 +27.6%
Horizon Zero Dawn	170−180 −14%	190−200 +14%
Metro Exodus	36 −63.9%	55−60 +63.9%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt	53 −35.8%	72 +35.8%

4K
Ultra Preset

Assassin's Creed Odyssey	31 +0%	30−35 +0%
Assassin's Creed Valhalla	21−24 −114%	47 +114%
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare	21−24 −31.8%	27−30 +31.8%
Cyberpunk 2077	10−12 −136%	26 +136%
Far Cry 5	27 +0%	27−30 +0%
Forza Horizon 4	50−55 −26%	60−65 +26%
Shadow of the Tomb Raider	45−50 −91.7%	92 +91.7%
Watch Dogs: Legion	18−20 −33.3%	24−27 +33.3%

4K
Epic Preset

Red Dead Redemption 2

30−35

−28.1%

40−45
+28.1%

This is how RTX 2080 Max-Q and RX 6850M XT compete in popular games:

RX 6850M XT is 26% faster in 1080p
RX 6850M XT is 2% faster in 1440p
RX 6850M XT is 46% faster in 4K

Here's the range of performance differences observed across popular games:

in Watch Dogs: Legion, with 1080p resolution and the Ultra Preset, the RTX 2080 Max-Q is 49% faster.
in Cyberpunk 2077, with 1080p resolution and the Low Preset, the RX 6850M XT is 158% faster.

All in all, in popular games:

RTX 2080 Max-Q is ahead in 10 tests (14%)
RX 6850M XT is ahead in 57 tests (79%)
there's a draw in 5 tests (7%)

Pros & cons summary

Performance score	36.05	45.44
Recency	29 January 2019	4 January 2022
Maximum RAM amount	8 GB	12 GB
Chip lithography	12 nm	7 nm
Power consumption (TDP)	80 Watt	165 Watt

RTX 2080 Max-Q has 106.3% lower power consumption.

RX 6850M XT, on the other hand, has a 26% higher aggregate performance score, an age advantage of 2 years, a 50% higher maximum VRAM amount, and a 71.4% more advanced lithography process.

The Radeon RX 6850M XT is our recommended choice as it beats the GeForce RTX 2080 Max-Q in performance tests.

Should you still have questions concerning choice between the reviewed GPUs, ask them in Comments section, and we shall answer.