AMD RX 7600 XT evaluate: comparable efficiency, more cash Leave a comment

Critiques are a time for readability. The advertising and marketing buzz has pale, we’ve had an opportunity to check the product, and we’ve come to some understanding about it. Regardless of that, I’m nonetheless as baffled by AMD’s RX 7600 XT as I used to be when the corporate first introduced it.

In some methods, it appears like a solution to the upward pattern in costs we’ve seen among the many greatest graphics playing cards. Coming in at $330, it’s a far cry from the barrage of high-end GPUs we’ve seen with Nvidia’s current Tremendous refresh. Though the RX 7600 XT is available in at a way more inexpensive worth, and with a formidable reminiscence spec in tow, it doesn’t put up the numbers to justify its spot amongst budget-focused GPUs.

Specs

The RX 7600 XT, as you may think, is an enhanced model of the RX 7600. It comes with the XT branding to notice it’s a quicker model, in addition to a $60 worth bump over the bottom mannequin. And surprisingly, these are two of essentially the most important variations between the 2 GPUs: the identify and the value.

You’re getting the identical variety of compute models and ray accelerators, in addition to the same clock velocity. The Recreation Clock velocity, which AMD makes use of to notice the common frequency when operating video games, sees a pleasant 220MHz bump. Nevertheless, so far as most increase clock velocity goes, the XT mannequin is barely 100MHz above the bottom mannequin, which you possibly can make up for with some guide GPU overclocking.

The massive distinction in specs is the reminiscence configuration. This XT mannequin comes with 16GB of GDDR6 reminiscence, doubling the 8GB we see on the bottom mannequin. Nevertheless, AMD surprisingly opted to make use of the 128-bit reminiscence bus on the XT mannequin, together with the identical 32MB of Infinity Cache. There’s extra reminiscence capability right here, however the general reminiscence interface hasn’t modified a lot.

Along with a capability bump, AMD bumped up the facility a bit from 165 watts on the bottom mannequin to 190W on the XT mannequin. Based mostly on my testing, I think that energy bump has lots to do with the minor efficiency enhance the RX 7600 XT provides. Nevertheless, solely a choose few video games displaying the advantages of its 16GB of reminiscence.

Artificial efficiency

Let’s begin with some artificial benchmarks to put the groundwork with the RX 7600 XT. In 3DMark Time Spy, which is an getting old DirectX 11 benchmark, the XT mannequin finally ends up simply 5% quicker than the bottom mannequin. That’s 5% additional efficiency for a 22% enhance in worth. AMD’s last-gen RX 6700 XT, which is on the market for round $350 now, is available in at 11% quicker than the RX 7600 XT.

Intel’s Arc A770, which can be hovering round $300, is quicker as effectively. Intel’s GPUs present abnormally massive efficiency enhancements in 3DMark, so maintain that in thoughts for this take a look at. As for Nvidia’s $300 RTX 4060, it’s behind all of the current-gen playing cards priced at round $300. That’s a mark that the bottom RX 7600 clears, too, nevertheless.

Shifting on to a extra fashionable benchmark, the RX 7600 XT is ready to stretch its legs extra in 3DMark Port Royal. It finally ends up 9% quicker than the bottom mannequin, doubtless as a result of additional reminiscence. It is a ray tracing benchmark, and ray tracing likes a variety of VRAM.

Even so, it’s clear AMD is in second place in ray tracing general. The RTX 4060 nonetheless beats the RX 7600 XT. AMD’s personal RX 6700 XT is forward, too, regardless of the slightly lackluster ray tracing efficiency we noticed on AMD’s last-gen GPUs.

1080p gaming

At $330, the RX 7600 XT is in a category of premium 1080p GPUs. Compromises must be few and much between at this decision contemplating the asking worth. Even so, the RX 7600 XT barely manages to maneuver the needle in comparison with the $270 RX 7600. General, it’s shut to six% quicker. That’s a fantastic enchancment, even when a bit unexciting contemplating the value hike, however the profit doesn’t exist throughout most video games.

In Cyberpunk 2077, which is a recreation that has proven AMD’s current-gen GPUs in a optimistic gentle, the RX 7600 and RX 7600 XT posted an identical body charges. That’s not the one instance, both. The XT mannequin is only one body forward in Returnal, and a minor two frames forward in Horizon Zero Daybreak. 

It’s clear the additional reminiscence isn’t doing a lot in a variety of video games, however there’s some aggressive context right here, too. In a recreation like Murderer’s Creed Valhalla, you may see Nvidia’s RTX 4060 offering principally an an identical body fee for $30 much less. It’s uncommon to see Nvidia able of providing higher worth with a GPU in comparison with AMD. Much more shocking is that the RTX 4060 was a lukewarm GPU in its personal proper.

There are video games the place the RTX 4060 shoots forward, too. In Resident Evil 4, it’s a large 12% quicker than the RX 7600 XT. At the least we see some enhancements that the XT mannequin brings over the bottom mannequin on this recreation, because it supplies a good 7% enchancment.

That’s not the one recreation the place I noticed some enchancment. Crimson Lifeless Redemption 2 additionally confirmed the RX 7600 XT 7% forward of the bottom mannequin — and it even beat the RTX 4060 by double digits. Sadly, the RX 7600 XT loses out to Intel’s $300 Arc A770 on this recreation, which additionally comes with 16GB of reminiscence for video games that need it.

By far, although, the largest enchancment for the RX 7600 XT is The Final of Us Half One. There’s a 26% enchancment in common efficiency, and all of it comes right down to the additional VRAM. I embrace this recreation in my take a look at suite as a VRAM take a look at, and it’s precisely for conditions like this. You’ll be able to see how essential that additional capability will be.

That stated, it’s solely certainly one of many elements in a closing shopping for resolution. The power of the bottom RX 7600 wasn’t that it was the quickest round — it was that it got here in at $270, undercutting all of the competitors whereas providing aggressive efficiency. The RX 7600 XT lands in a a lot completely different spot. At $330, AMD is now asking a premium over the RTX 4060 and Arc A770 and not using a clear efficiency benefit.

1440p gaming

Up at 1440p, the RX 7600 XT reveals a bigger enchancment over the bottom model, climbing as much as 13%. That is sensible given {that a} increased decision will stress VRAM extra, however as soon as once more, The Final of Us Half One is the outlier right here. For aggressive efficiency, the RX 7600 XT lands on the identical spot because the RTX 4060 and three% behind the Arc A770, whereas costing $30 extra.

As soon as once more, we see a large bounce in The Final of Us Half One. This time round, the RX 7600 XT is round 28% quicker than the bottom mannequin. It even outpaces the RTX 4060 Ti, which is a $400 graphics card.

That’s the place the reward ends, nevertheless. In Murderer’s Creed Valhalla, the RX 7600 XT posted an identical efficiency to the bottom mannequin, and it was a body behind the RTX 4060. Returnal reveals this identical dynamic at play, although Intel’s Arc A770 is ready to take the lead on this title with a body fee above 60 frames per second (fps).

There are video games the place the RX 7600 XT is ready to present some enchancment over the bottom mannequin, nevertheless. Forza Horizon 5 is one instance, with the XT mannequin offering an uplift of round 7%. Nevertheless, the RTX 4060 provides an identical efficiency for much less cash. Equally, in Crimson Lifeless Redemption 2, the XT mannequin is forward of the bottom model by near 10%. However the Arc A770 is ready to declare a small win, as soon as once more for much less cash.

Outcomes with Horizon Zero Daybreak and Cyberpunk 2077 aren’t as optimistic. In Horizon Zero Daybreak, there’s no enchancment with the XT mannequin, with the RTX 4060 as soon as once more taking a win over AMD. Worse, in Cyberpunk 2077, the XT mannequin was really half a body behind the bottom model. To be clear, you need to take that as an identical efficiency, nevertheless it’s a very good showcase of how comparable the XT and non-XT variations of this GPU are in lots of video games.

Ray tracing and upscaling

One space that advantages from additional VRAM is ray tracing, and the RX 7600 XT reveals off that dynamic completely. You’ll be able to see in Cyberpunk 2077 (above) how large of a bounce the XT mannequin supplies over the bottom model, and that’s definitely an element when trying on the how the 2 fashions examine general.

It’s sufficient to get AMD again within the struggle in terms of ray tracing, however Nvidia and Intel are nonetheless leagues forward right here. Even at 1080p, the place the RTX 4060 and Arc A770 are creeping in on console-like body charges, the RX 7600 XT struggles to keep up 25 fps. The RX 7600 XT is a win in AMD’s personal lineup, nevertheless it’s nonetheless shedding the ray tracing battle general.

Cyberpunk 2077 is a stress take a look at, however the efficiency delta between the RX 7600 XT and the competitors makes a giant distinction in different video games. In Resident Evil 4, the RX 7600 XT can’t handle a 60 fps common, even at 1080p, whereas the RTX 4060 and Arc A770 soar previous that mark.

Returnal reveals a extra optimistic view of the cardboard, however the perfect lead to ray tracing for the RX 7600 XT is just matching the competitors. That’s not a great place to be in.

Though the RX 7600 XT succeeds in comparison with its predecessor in terms of ray tracing, it falls too quick in comparison with the competitors from Intel and Nvidia. The additional VRAM helps, however we’d like a extra highly effective GPU general for AMD to compete at this worth. It’s charging a premium over the Arc A770 and RTX 4060, in spite of everything, and that premium definitely isn’t justified wby ray tracing.

That stated, the RX 7600 XT has a small benefit over these two GPUs. It helps AMD’s Fluid Movement Frames, which supplies body technology by way of AMD’s driver. It’s inferior to Nvidia’s DLSS 3.5, nevertheless it’s a fast shortcut to additional efficiency.

Sadly for the XT mannequin, the bottom RX 7600 additionally helps this function. Contemplating that, and the clear worth problem with the XT mannequin, it’s nonetheless not profitable the day in ray tracing.

Do you have to purchase the RX 7600 XT?

It might sound like splitting hairs, however the RX 7600 XT must be $300. It’s too costly at $330. Even at $30 greater than the competitors, AMD is declaring that it has a transparent, plain benefit over the Arc A770 and RTX 4060. And the numbers simply don’t again that up.

If something, the RX 7600 XT pushes patrons towards a GPU just like the RX 6700 XT, Arc A770, or RTX 4060. The RX 7600 was capable of squeeze by attributable to its low pricing in comparison with the competitors, however the RX 7600 XT doesn’t uphold that custom.

There are some advantages of the RX 7600 XT, significantly in these VRAM-heavy titles like The Final of Us Half One. Nevertheless, the RX 7600 XT makes a variety of concessions to attain increased efficiency in that small subset of video games, and most PC avid gamers are higher off with one other GPU priced at round $300.

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