AMD Radeon RX 560X vs AMD Radeon RX 6600 Comparison

The AMD Radeon RX 6600 and AMD Radeon RX 560X represent two distinct eras of AMD graphics, separated by a massive performance gulf. The RX 6600 is a modern RDNA 2.0 part aimed at 1080p gaming, while the RX 560X is an older GCN 4.0 entry-level card. The benchmark data confirms this is not a close contest, with the RX 6600 delivering dominant victories in every measurable category. While the RX 560X holds a higher percentile rank among all GPUs, the actual performance scores show a decisive generational leap for the newer card.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The available head-to-head data is limited to two compute-oriented tests, but both paint a stark picture of the performance gap. In Geekbench OpenCL, the RX 6600 scores 28,850, which is a 69.5% improvement over the RX 560X’s score of 17,020. This is a substantial margin, indicating that the RX 6600 handles general-purpose compute workloads with far greater efficiency. The RX 560X, based on the older GCN 4.0 architecture, simply cannot match the raw throughput of the RDNA 2.0 design.

The Vulkan result is even more lopsided. The RX 6600 posts a score of 67,623, which is a staggering 234.3% higher than the RX 560X’s 20,231. This massive delta suggests that the RX 6600 is not just faster, but operates in a different performance class entirely. The RX 560X’s score is so low that it falls within the range of the RX 6600's nearest rivals, such as the NVIDIA Quadro K6000 (avgScore 19,030) and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 Mobile (avgScore 19,049). However, the RX 6600’s Vulkan score of 67,623 is more than three times that of its own average benchmark score, highlighting its exceptional strength in modern graphics APIs.

When looking at the broader benchmark suite, the RX 6600 has an average benchmark score of 19,036, placing it at the 63rd percentile of all GPUs. Its nearest rival is the NVIDIA Quadro K6000 with an average score of 19,030, a negligible 0% difference. The RX 560X, despite scoring much lower in the head-to-head tests, has an average benchmark score of 18,626, which puts it at the 62nd percentile. This counterintuitive result occurs because the RX 560X’s average is pulled up by its strong performance in the Geekbench OpenCL test (17,020), while its Vulkan score (20,231) is a clear outlier. In contrast, the RX 6600’s average is dragged down by its low Passmark scores, such as 51 in DirectX 12 and 95 in DirectX 10, which are likely from older, less demanding workloads.

The RX 6600’s Passmark G3D score of 15,096 is its most representative gaming metric, and it towers over the RX 560X’s compute scores. For context, the RX 6600’s Passmark G3D score is 79% higher than its own OpenCL score, indicating that its gaming performance is the primary strength. The RX 560X simply does not have a comparable DirectX gaming score in the data, leaving its gaming capabilities a mystery. The data strongly suggests that the RX 6600 is the only viable option for modern gaming, while the RX 560X is more suited to legacy or light workloads.

The Verdict

From a pure performance standpoint, the AMD Radeon RX 6600 is the clear winner. It wins both head-to-head benchmarks decisively, with a 69.5% lead in OpenCL and a 234.3% lead in Vulkan. Its average benchmark score of 19,036 is also higher than the RX 560X’s 18,626, despite the latter’s higher percentile ranking. The RX 6600’s architecture, clock speeds, and memory bandwidth all point to a card that is designed for modern gaming, whereas the RX 560X is a legacy part.

The RX 560X’s only statistical advantage is its percentile rank (62nd vs 63rd), which is a measure of its position relative to all other GPUs, not its absolute performance. This is a quirk of the dataset, as the RX 560X’s average score is inflated by its single strong OpenCL result. In any real-world application that uses Vulkan or modern graphics APIs, the RX 6600 will be vastly superior. If you are building a system for current games, the RX 6600 is the only choice. The RX 560X should only be considered if you have a very limited power budget and are playing older titles that do not require modern API features.

Architecture Differences

The two cards are built on fundamentally different architectures. The RX 6600 uses the Navi 23 chip with RDNA 2.0 architecture, fabricated on a 7 nm process at TSMC. This allows for a transistor count of 11,060 million on a 237 mm² die, yielding a density of 46.7 million transistors per mm². The RX 560X uses the Polaris 21 chip with GCN 4.0 architecture, fabricated on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It has only 3,000 million transistors on a 123 mm² die, with a density of 24.4 million transistors per mm². The 7 nm process gives the RX 6600 a significant efficiency and density advantage.

The core configurations differ dramatically. The RX 6600 has 1,792 shading units, 112 texture mapping units (TMUs), and 64 render output units (ROPs). It also features 28 ray tracing cores, a hallmark of RDNA 2.0. The RX 560X has 1,024 shading units, 64 TMUs, and only 16 ROPs, with no ray tracing cores. This means the RX 6600 has 75% more shading units, 75% more TMUs, and 4 times the ROPs. The RX 6600 also supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), while the RX 560X is limited to DirectX 12 (12_0). Both support OpenGL 4.6, but the RX 6600 supports Vulkan 1.4, while the RX 560X is limited to Vulkan 1.3.

Clock speeds are also in the RX 6600’s favor. Its base clock is 1626 MHz and boost clock is 2491 MHz, while the RX 560X operates at a base of 1175 MHz and boost of 1275 MHz. The RX 6600 also has a game clock of 2044 MHz, a feature absent on the RX 560X. The memory subsystem is a major differentiator. The RX 6600 uses 8 GB of GDDR6 memory with a 128-bit bus, delivering 224.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The RX 560X uses 4 GB of GDDR5 memory with the same 128-bit bus, but only achieves 112.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The effective memory speed is 14 Gbps on the RX 6600 versus 7 Gbps on the RX 560X.

FAQ

Q: Which card is faster in Vulkan workloads?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 6600 is overwhelmingly faster, scoring 67,623 in Geekbench Vulkan compared to the RX 560X’s 20,231. This represents a 234.3% performance advantage.

Q: How much of a lead does the RX 6600 have in OpenCL compute?

A: The RX 6600 scores 28,850 in Geekbench OpenCL, which is 69.5% higher than the RX 560X’s score of 17,020.

Q: Does the RX 560X have ray tracing support?

A: No, the RX 560X has no ray tracing cores, while the RX 6600 has 28 dedicated ray tracing cores.

Q: What is the difference in memory bandwidth?

A: The RX 6600 has a bandwidth of 224.0 GB/s, exactly double the 112.0 GB/s of the RX 560X.

Q: Which card has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The RX 6600 has an average benchmark score of 19,036, which is higher than the RX 560X’s average of 18,626.

Q: Are both cards end-of-life products?

A: Yes, both the AMD Radeon RX 6600 and the AMD Radeon RX 560X are listed as end-of-life production status.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon RX 6600 wins in every category where data exists. It is the superior choice for modern gaming, particularly titles that leverage DirectX 12 Ultimate or Vulkan 1.4. Its 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and 224.0 GB/s bandwidth make it suitable for higher resolution textures and more demanding scenes. The presence of 28 ray tracing cores provides hardware acceleration for ray-traced effects, a feature entirely absent on the RX 560X. The RX 6600’s higher pixel rate (159.4 GPixel/s vs 20.40 GPixel/s) and texture rate (279.0 GTexel/s vs 81.60 GTexel/s) further cement its dominance in rasterization-heavy workloads. Its dual-slot cooler and single 8-pin power connector are typical for a 132 W TDP card.

The AMD Radeon RX 560X has no benchmark wins in the provided data. Its only advantage is its lower power consumption, with a TDP of 75 W compared to the RX 6600’s 132 W. This makes it a potential fit for pre-built systems with weak power supplies, as it requires no additional power connectors. Its 4 GB of GDDR5 memory is sufficient for older games at lower settings, but it will struggle with modern titles. The RX 560X’s PCIe 3.0 x8 interface is also a step down from the RX 6600’s PCIe 4.0 x8, though this is unlikely to be a bottleneck on older platforms. For any use case involving current software, the RX 6600 is the only rational pick. The RX 560X is relegated to legacy or light-duty roles where its power efficiency is the primary concern.

Specification Differences

The following table highlights the key specifications where the two cards differ. The RX 6600 is a more advanced card in nearly every aspect.

| Specification | AMD Radeon RX 6600 | AMD Radeon RX 560X |

| :--- | :--- | :--- |

| Architecture | RDNA 2.0 | GCN 4.0 |

| Process Node | 7 nm | 14 nm |

| Transistors | 11,060 million | 3,000 million |

| Die Size | 237 mm² | 123 mm² |

| Base Clock | 1626 MHz | 1175 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 2491 MHz | 1275 MHz |

| Memory Size | 8 GB | 4 GB |

| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR5 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 224.0 GB/s | 112.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 1792 | 1024 |

| TMUs | 112 | 64 |

| ROPs | 64 | 16 |

| RT Cores | 28 | None |

| Pixel Rate | 159.4 GPixel/s | 20.40 GPixel/s |

| Texture Rate | 279.0 GTexel/s | 81.60 GTexel/s |

| FP32 Performance | 8.928 TFLOPS | 2.611 TFLOPS |

| TDP | 132 W | 75 W |

| Power Connectors | 1x 8-pin | None |

| Suggested PSU | 300 W | 250 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 4.0 x8 | PCIe 3.0 x8 |

| DirectX Support | 12 Ultimate (12_2) | 12 (12_0) |

| Vulkan Support | 1.4 | 1.3 |

| Length | 190 mm | 170 mm |