Calling all PC players! Are you sick of the GPU scarcity inflicting a disruption within the space-time continuum? Are you not trying to pay out the nostril for a brand new graphics card? Well, as we speak you’re in luck. The AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT is a newly launched graphics card that lastly enters the $199 to $299 panorama. That mentioned, in comparison to a couple older GPUs, it comes with a couple of technological compromises.
The Radeon RX 580 is from 2017, for instance, however can it maintain a candle to the newcomer in 1080p efficiency? How concerning the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 from 2016? It’s a legend in its personal proper. Let’s see how the AMD RX 6500 XT compares when it comes to efficiency, pricing, and availability to those previous favorites!
Price – Like we’ve by no means seen earlier than
The battle worn AMD RX 580 and Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB are nonetheless price a fairly penny on the used market because of the “Great GPU Shortage.” They each appear to recurrently fall in that $200-$300 vary, very similar to the brand new AMD RX 6500 XT. The GTX 1060 additionally is available in a 3GB selection – which may usually be discovered for underneath $200. Much just like the 4GB 6500 XT, the decrease VRAM implies that crypto miners aren’t on this model and it is best to doubtless go for the 6GB one.
This pricing is traditionally atypical. Generally talking, you’d need a steep low cost on tech that’s 5 years previous, particularly graphics playing cards. These are additionally the entry stage playing cards of their technology, so this pricing again then was comparable or cheaper to as we speak’s pricing. We’re not even speaking a few depreciated GTX 1080 Ti right here, both! They’re price extra now, too.
Nvidia’s GTX 10-series graphics playing cards are nonetheless price a bundle in 2022.
Thiago Trevisan/IDG
Where does this go away a model spankin’ new RX 6500 XT? With pricing starting from $199 to a extra reasonable $270 or so, it’s just like the older choices above. Sounds OK, proper? Not precisely. It comes with some critical efficiency drawbacks that don’t transfer the needle forward as a lot as we’d like. However, it’s one of many few available GPUs with out insane inflated pricing.
Performance
The 6500 XT is, realistically, a medium-settings 1080p GPU. At increased settings, the constraints with its VRAM and PCIE lanes boggle it down considerably.
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In Watch Dogs Legion, medium settings nets you some good efficiency towards the older GTX 1060 and RX 580. For an entire breakdown, verify our full Radeon RX 6500 XT review.
Brad Chacos/IDG
A quick paced recreation like Gears Tactics results in a fairly shut GPU brawl. As you an see within the above graph, the Radeon RX 6500 XT barely edges out the older GPUs. It flat out loses to the older 5500 XT, which isn’t one thing you’d sometimes wish to see in a more recent product.
Keep in thoughts that these efficiency numbers are towards some GPUs courting way back to 2016 on medium settings. Nothing too spectacular right here. It’s simply sufficient efficiency.
While the 6500 XT technically does provide ray tracing, it’s nothing it is best to care about because of the efficiency ranges on show right here. This is a GPU for 1080p medium settings and when you’re conservative with these expectations, will probably be high quality in most titles.
Power and thermals
One space the place the Radeon 6500 XT gives some enhancements is within the RDNA 2 architecture’s power efficiency. While each the RX 580 and GTX 1060 aren’t any energy hogs, they’re definitely extra thirsty than the 6500 XT.
All three ought to have properly managed thermals however do consider the bodily situation of the older GPUs, particularly if you buy them used. Over time, mud and put on on the followers may cause them to function with much less effectivity, so it’s vital to ensure they’re dusted off and able to roll.
Thiago Trevisan/IDG
Important issues
While the Radeon RX 6500 XT has limitations in comparison with most fashionable GPUs, it additionally could have some benefits. First, you’ll have a model new guarantee with this GPU versus shopping for used. Secondly, it does share some nice AMD expertise with its greater brothers that will probably be helpful when gaming.
For instance, Smart Access Memory can help increase performance. Radeon Boost and FidelityFX Super Resolution also can assist achieve some additional body charges with out too many visible compromises. While the 6500 XT does have ray tracing, it’s too restricted to be usable.
Another factor to contemplate is you’ll have restricted monitor connections with solely a single HDMI and single displayport. On The RX 580 and GTX 1060, you’ll sometimes have extra. You’ll even have extra bottlenecks with the 4GB of VRAM at the side of older PCIe 3.0 rigs.
If you’re a content material creator or streamer, this GPU lacks video encoders present in most different choices.
What do you purchase?
So, when you’re out there for a price range GPU, which of those must you purchase? If you’re strictly a 1080p gamer and content material with medium settings, it’s not a foul possibility, particularly when you discover it for nearer to its $199 MSRP. Pushing visible settings past that may lead to more and more worse efficiency, although. Also, ensure you gained’t want the opposite options like extra monitor help or content material creation capabilities.
If you possibly can truly discover a good situation, pretty priced RX 580 or GTX 1060, they’re nonetheless competent for 1080p gaming. With their increased VRAM, they might even have some advantages at increased visible settings.
The actual reply right here is that it’s a troublesome market and none of those are supreme. If GPUs such because the RTX 3050/3060 or AMD 6600/6600XT had been extra out there at their “official” MSRP, they’d all be much better choices for all players. Unfortunately, they’re both bought out always or carry very excessive pricing taking them to $400, $500, and past. When you’re in search of a $200 GPU, these are simply too costly.
Retail pricing developments appear to have reached new highs in 2022 and future prospects are sophisticated for the price range GPU phase. Unfortunately, your choices come down to those restricted GPU choices for now. Best case situation is that if GPU pricing on the twond hand market developments decrease, then you definately’ll have a greater shot at one thing like a GTX 1080 Ti or RTX 2060 GPU at extra affordable pricing and gaming efficiency.
With all of that in thoughts, there’s no motive to improve to the 6500 XT if you have already got a RX 580 or GTX 1060.