AMD Radeon RX 7600 review: Finally, a good, affordable graphics card

Now this is a graphics card launch we will lastly reward.

AMD’s new $269 Radeon RX 7600 (launching May 25) delivers unbelievable 1080p gaming that may preserve even a excessive refresh price monitor well-fed in a tiny, quiet, extremely power-efficient package deal. Better but, whereas Nvidia continues to push both stagnant generational performance upgrades or exorbitant prices for its rival GeForce RTX 40-series graphics playing cards, AMD’s funds champion delivers a large step-up in body charges for $60 lower than its predecessor’s launch worth.

Budget gaming requires compromise, and the Radeon RX 7600 isn’t good at ray tracing, particularly since picture upsampling applied sciences like FSR 2.0 and Nvidia’s DLSS don’t look nice at 1080p decision. Don’t get it twisted although; aside from the ferociously highly effective (and dear) RTX 4090 and Radeon RX 7900 XTX flagships, this modest GPU is the primary of this era price taking note of—and the primary new sub-$300 graphics card to get enthusiastic about because the pandemic threw the world into chaos. Seriously.

Let’s go.

What are the AMD Radeon RX 7600’s specs and options?

AMD constructed the Radeon RX 7600 utilizing the identical RDNA 3 graphics cores that debuted within the flagship 7900-series GPUs. This new structure gives devoted AI accelerators, AV1 encoding, DisplayPort 2.1 (RTX 40-series has 1.4a), second-generation ray tracing and Infinity Cache {hardware}, and extra.

One distinction between this and the RX 7900-series? While the extra superior GPUs use a cutting-edge chiplet design that flanks the primary die with reminiscence controllers, this funds chip sticks to a standard single 6-nanometer die (204mm2) that packs every thing in.

AMD

As you may see, the Radeon RX 7600 packs in additional {hardware} for a lower cost than the older (still-good) Radeon RX 6600. Memory and GPU clock speeds are up, stream processor and RT accelerator counts are up, and AI accelerators make their debut as a part of AMD’s AI push. Spoiler alert: The Radeon RX 7600 delivers a correct generational efficiency improve, in contrast to Nvidia’s $400 GeForce RTX 4060 Ti.

Like the 4060 Ti (and the Radeon RX 6600 earlier than it), the Radeon RX 7600 is outfitted with 8GB of GDDR6 reminiscence and a slender 128-bit bus. That means this graphics card actually is constructed for 1080p gaming—an affordable expectation for an reasonably priced graphics card like this. You can definitely play at 1440p decision should you dial again some settings, however it could hit its limits shortly with the way in which fashionable video games have been gobbling up VRAM. AMD’s on-die Infinity Cache helps preserve issues buzzing at 1080p as effectively. Bumping as much as 1440p will lead to extra information being despatched over that pokey 128-bit bus. You gained’t need that. (We delve right into a wonky dialogue about reminiscence capability, bus widths, and on-die cache configurations within the specifications section of our RTX 4060 Ti review.)

The Radeon RX 7600 ought to play the overwhelming majority of video games at Ultra settings and excessive body charges simply high-quality at 1080p decision, however some particularly memory-hungry video games could require minor graphics tuning to suit contained in the 8GB reminiscence buffer. PCWorld contributor Keith May has been testing the customized Sapphire Pulse Radeon RX 7600 and studies that Hogwarts Legacy and The Last of Us—two of the worst VRAM offenders—soar at High settings whereas nonetheless trying spectacular. Again, it’s an affordable compromise at this worth level. (It isn’t at $400, Nvidia.) You can see his evaluation within the video above.

Brad Chacos/IDG

When requested concerning the 8GB capability, AMD’s Aaron Steinman stated, “We still believe (and testing supports) that even the most demanding modern games deliver a very good experience for 1080p gaming. And memory is expensive.”

This GPU attracts down barely extra juice than its predecessor however delivers a lot increased efficiency and the most effective idle energy use we’ve ever seen—it’s splendidly environment friendly. Power is provided by way of a single 8-pin connector, with no need to make use of an unsightly 12VHPWR adapter such as you do on the 4060 Ti. The reference card AMD despatched over isn’t solely an affordable two-slots thick, it’s additionally adorably tiny at simply 8 inches lengthy. Despite the pint-sized cooler, the reference card runs damned close to silent—one other testomony to the 7600 GPU’s effectivity.

The reference card packs a single HDMI port and three of these speedy DisplayPort 2.1 connections. (Note that that is optionally available, nonetheless; AMD’s companions can use DisplayPort 1.4 on customized 7600 playing cards as a substitute to save cash.)

Brad Chacos/IDG

If you’re into streaming, you’ll recognize the inclusion of cutting-edge AV1 encoders, particularly now that YouTube and OBS support AV1 uploads. We tested AMD’s new RDNA 3 AV1 encoder on the Radeon RX 7900 XTX and it’s unbelievable. The Record & Stream choices in AMD’s Adrenalin software program is a complete lot higher than it was once, too, as we lined in the identical analysis by “Stream Professor” EposVox:

“AMD ships their very own recording and streaming software program with their GPUs, akin to Nvidia Shadowplay. Except, it’s far far higher than Shadowplay in virtually each approach. More settings, extra capabilities, extra options. Nvidia actually must replace Shadowplay ASAP.”

Don’t sleep on it. Don’t sleep on any of AMD’s Adrenalin Software, when you’re at it. Nvidia will get (and deserves) plenty of credit score for glorious software program options like DLSS 3, Reflex, and Nvidia Broadcast, however Team Red has some darned useful software program of its personal.

Brad Chacos/IDG

Smart Access Memory boosts efficiency on fashionable techniques extra reliably than any PC combo of Intel and Nvidia chips. A brand new Smart Access Video characteristic improves DaVinci Resolve encoding efficiency by as much as 32 % in Ryzen + Radeon techniques. FSR 2.0 provides Nvidia’s DLSS a tricky struggle, whereas Radeon Super Resolution brings the easier FSR 1.0 know-how proper inside AMD’s driver to allow you to enhance efficiency by way of upscaling in any sport. Radeon Boost and Anti-Lag preserve temperatures and latency low. You also can use Adrenalin to overclock or even undervolt your graphics card.

The one factor lacking is a DLSS 3 Frame Generation competitor, however AMD is engaged on it with FSR 3.0, scheduled to launch someday this yr.

Enough discuss. On to the benchmarks!

Our check system

We check graphics playing cards on an AMD Ryzen 5900X PC used completely for benchmarking GPUs. We check with PCIe Resizable BAR (also called Smart Access Memory on Ryzen techniques) energetic, as most fashionable gaming PCs launched within the final 4 years help the performance-boosting characteristic, both natively or by way of a motherboard firmware replace. Nvidia additionally recommends turning on the optionally available “Hardware-accelerated GPU scheduling” choice in Windows to let the RTX 40-series stretch its legs to the fullest, so we’ve made that tweak as effectively. Most of the {hardware} was supplied by the producers, however we bought the storage ourselves.

We check quite a lot of video games spanning numerous engines, genres, vendor sponsorships (Nvidia, AMD, and Intel), and graphics APIs (DirectX 9, 11, DX12, and Vulkan), to attempt to characterize a full vary of efficiency potential. Each sport is examined utilizing its in-game benchmark, sanity checked by Nvidia’s FrameView tool, on the highest potential graphics presets except in any other case famous, with VSync, body price caps, real-time ray tracing or DLSS results, and FreeSync/G-Sync disabled, together with another vendor-specific applied sciences like FidelityFX instruments or Nvidia Reflex. We’ve additionally enabled temporal anti-aliasing (TAA) to push these playing cards to their limits.

We run every benchmark at the very least 3 times and listing the typical outcome for every check. Outside of esports, we’ve restricted our benchmarks to 1440p and 1080p resolutions. With this reminiscence configuration, the Radeon RX 7600 is a 1080p graphics card, however it’s price displaying what you get at 1440p as effectively, each for sensible causes and to see how the GPU’s efficiency scales as you ramp up decision. We check options like ray tracing and DLSS in a separate part, as upscaling options like DLSS and AMD’s rival FSR tweak the look of video games to assist them run sooner. 

Usually we current our information in a sequence of per-game bar charts, however given some extreme time restraints, we’re operating our information in uncooked charts right this moment and supplementing it with further efficiency commentary as a substitute. (Hit me up on Twitter to let me know should you like it or hate it!) Those time restrictions additionally prevented us from operating new benchmark information for the $330 16GB Intel Arc A770, alas, which is one other sturdy contender on this worth section.

AMD Radeon RX 7600 1080p gaming efficiency

This is a graphics card constructed for 1080p gaming, so let’s begin there!

Brad Chacos/IDG

As you may see, the Radeon RX 7600 delivers spectacular 1080p gaming even at Ultra settings, delivering 80 frames per second or extra in all video games besides the exceptionally lovely Red Dead Redemption 2 cranked to absolutely the max—and even then, it nonetheless hits the golden 60fps mark. If you exclude Counter-Strike: Global Offensive’s ludicrously excessive body charges, the Radeon RX 7600 averages 107fps throughout our suite, a correctly generational 35 % enhance over its predecessor.

Nvidia’s new $400 RTX 4060 Ti is quicker than the RX 7600 by one other 20 % on common should you’re seeking to push a high-refresh price 1080p monitor even additional, however prices $130 greater than AMD’s providing. The Radeon RX 7600 gives loads of efficiency for a complete lot much less cash—and it holds the lead in Cyberpunk 2077 efficiency right here!

Note, nonetheless, that due to its 8GB reminiscence capability, you might want to cut back graphics from Ultra to High in notably VRAM-intensive fashionable video games, similar to Hogwarts Legacy and The Last of Us. Games nonetheless look nice on High and that compromise is way more welcome in a $269 graphics card than a $400 one.

AMD Radeon RX 7600 1440p gaming efficiency

Next up: Higher decision.

Brad Chacos/IDG

The Radeon RX 7600 can undoubtedly be used to play video games at 1440p, as our testing exhibits—it averages 75fps+ throughout our suite, solely dipping under 60fps in Cyberpunk 2077 and Watch Dogs Legion. But the 8GB of VRAM and tiny 128-bit bus means you’ll already have to drop graphics settings in plenty of fashionable video games (together with Watch Dogs), and reminiscence calls for are solely getting increased.

Note how the Radeon RX 6700 XT (which has 12GB and a 256-bit bus for $350 on the road) overtakes the brand new 7600 in Cyberpunk 2077 by about 10 % after falling behind it at 1080p. Averaged general, the 6700 XT was 12 % sooner than the 7600 at 1080p however leaps as much as a 20 % lead at 1440p.

The RTX 4060 Ti, the one different fashionable sub-$500 GPU obtainable to this point, is as soon as once more a lot sooner than the 7600 for way more cash, however because it has a equally skimpy reminiscence configuration, it shouldn’t be thought-about for 1440p gaming both.

AMD Radeon RX 7600 ray tracing and FSR efficiency

You don’t wish to use the Radeon RX 7600 for ray tracing, or activate FSR to extend efficiency.

Sure, this GPU packs in AMD’s second-gen RT accelerator {hardware}, which shined within the monstrous Radeon RX 7900 XTX, however as you may see within the benchmarks under, it just about sucks down right here on extra reasonably priced {hardware}, particularly with out an help from FSR picture upscaling. That stated, ray tracing is extra of a “nice to have” than a “must have” in funds GPUs.

And you shouldn’t use FSR (or DLSS) on a 1080p graphics card, in my view. As I detailed in-depth in my RTX 4060 Ti review, picture upscaling works wonders at increased 1440p and 4K resolutions, however upscaling video games to 1080p from an inner 720p (or worse, within the case of the Balanced preset examined under) decision ends in jagged, blurry visuals. It’s ugly and never price the additional frames.

Brad Chacos/IDG

We included FSR/DLSS information above so that you can reference, however suggest leaving each ray tracing and upscaling off on this card. You can allow it at decrease settings in additional frivolously ray traced video games like F1 22 and Hitman should you’d like, however we don’t suppose the hit to efficiency is well worth the visuals ray tracing offers at Medium settings. Also word that solely RTX 40-series playing cards help DLSS 3, and Watch Dogs Legion lacks FSR help, therefore the assorted “Not applicable” fields above. 

Given AMD’s poor ray tracing displaying and our recommendation to skip upscaling at this decision, the $400 GeForce RTX 4060 Ti would possibly truly be price contemplating should you want these cutting-edge lighting results—although we’d suggest ready to see how the $300 RTX 4060 handles when it launches in July as a substitute.

How are the Radeon RX 7600’s energy and thermals?

Just just like the RTX 4060 Ti, they’re glorious, although not as glorious as Nvidia’s effectivity.

We check energy draw by looping the F1 22 benchmark at 4K for about 20 minutes after we’ve benchmarked every thing else (to heat up the GPU) and noting the very best studying on our Watts Up Pro meter, which measures the ability consumption of our complete check system. The preliminary a part of the race, the place all competing vehicles are onscreen concurrently, tends to be probably the most demanding portion. 

This isn’t a worst-case check; it is a GPU-bound sport operating at a GPU-bound decision to gauge efficiency when the graphics card is sweating onerous. If you’re enjoying a sport that additionally hammers the CPU, you might see increased general system energy attracts. Consider your self warned.

Brad Chacos/IDG

Yes, the Radeon RX 7600 consumes about 15 % extra energy than its predecessor at peak underneath load, however it delivers a whopping 35 % common efficiency enhance in return—an excellent outcome. By distinction, the RTX 4060 Ti is simply sooner than the RTX 3060 Ti by single digit share factors. And whereas we thought the ultra-low idle energy measurements of the RTX 4060 Ti have been bonkers, AMD does barely higher right here. You like to see it from each camps!

We check thermals by leaving GPU-Z open throughout the F1 22 energy draw check, noting the very best most temperature on the finish.

The tiny AMD reference RX 7600 hits a lot increased temperatures than the opposite GPUs we examined, however don’t be fooled: 75 levels Celsius remains to be lots cool for a graphics card, and in alternate for the upper temps, AMD provides you damned close to completely silent noise ranges. The reference Radeon RX 7600 ran quieter than another GPU we examined right here and was just about inaudible over the remainder of our system followers. Quiet followers provide a significantly better day-to-day expertise than unnecessarily low warmth ranges, and the reference card’s diminutive design can match into much more PCs than the opposite, longer playing cards. I’ll take it!

Should you purchase the Radeon RX 7600?

If you’re in search of a graphics card with low energy and sufficient oomph to energy a excessive refresh price 1080p monitor, the $269 Radeon RX 7600 is a spectacular choice. It’s a superb reasonably priced graphics card. It can deal with 1440p gaming as effectively, however the 8GB VRAM capability and tiny reminiscence bus width means it can wrestle extra at that decision as video games change into extra demanding.

Some video games are already too demanding, with titles like Hogwarts Legacy and The Last of Us already blowing previous the 8GB reminiscence capability even at 1080p. In our experiential testing, dropping settings to High ends in a extremely playable expertise that appears and runs nice. That’s acceptable on an reasonably priced GPU just like the RX 7600, however unacceptable on a $400 graphics card like Nvidia’s new RTX 4060 Ti, which gives an identical reminiscence configuration.

At 1080p decision, the RTX 4060 Ti runs about 20 % sooner than the Radeon RX 7600 on common, however for 48 % extra money. Considering that the Radeon RX 7600 delivers already-exceptional 1080p gaming efficiency, it’s a no brainer.

Brad Chacos/IDG

Unless you wish to play ray traced video games. The Radeon RX 7600’s second-gen RT accelerators provide principally unplayable efficiency on this funds card. Considering that picture upsampling applied sciences like FSR and DLSS look horrible at 1080p decision, you may’t use these to claw again efficiency after flipping on ray tracing—your sport will look worse even with these fancy rays flying round, although ray tracing is extra of a “nice to have” than “must have” at this worth. If you need ray tracing and DLSS 3’s Frame Generation capabilities, you would possibly take into account the 4060 Ti, however I’d counsel ready to see how the $299 RTX 4060 performs when it launches in July.

Alternatively, should you don’t care about DLSS 3 and ray tracing, however need a beefier reminiscence setup for higher future-proofing and the power to dabble in additional 1440p video games, the last-gen Radeon RX 6700 XT gives 12GB and an enormous 256-bit for simply $350 on the road lately. That’s $80 greater than the budget-friendly Radeon RX 7600, nonetheless (although it’s sooner as effectively). If you might want to save much more cash, the Radeon RX 6600 stays a high-quality choice for 1080p/60Hz gaming at round $200. Both last-gen playing cards lack the newer GPU’s AV1 encoding, AI accelerators, and DisplayPort 2.1 capabilities, if that issues to you, however in any other case provide characteristic parity.

But after years of wandering in a GPU wasteland, and months of tolerating Nvidia’s stagnant-to-downright–exorbitant RTX 40-series releases, the Radeon RX 7600 is a breath of contemporary air. It gives a really generational efficiency uplift (35 %) for much less cash than its predecessor (18 %), together with fashionable options like AV1 encoding and DisplayPort 2.1, all wrapped in a tiny, silent, reasonably priced package deal. It’s the one GPU we’ve been enthusiastic about this era other than flagships promoting for quadruple digits.

The Radeon RX 7600 is the graphics card that players on a funds have been begging for eternally. Go purchase it…except you need ray tracing.