AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT vs AMD Radeon RX 6600 Comparison

The AMD Radeon RX 6600 and the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT represent two distinct generations of AMD's Radeon architecture, and the benchmark data shows a clear split in their strengths. The RX 5700 XT, an older RDNA 1.0 part, wins the majority of the recorded tests, taking 8 out of 11 head-to-head matchups, while the RX 6600, built on newer RDNA 2.0, secures 3 wins. However, the margin of victory in the RX 6600's wins is often dramatic, suggesting that the newer architecture has specific advantages that the older card cannot match. The average benchmark score in the database places the RX 6600 at 19036, which is significantly higher than the RX 5700 XT's 16361, a difference that underscores the overall performance shift despite the older card's individual test victories.

Where Each One Wins

The data indicates that the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT is the more consistent performer in traditional DirectX rasterization workloads. It wins the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, which is a demanding modern benchmark, and also takes the PassMark DirectX 12, DirectX 9, and DirectX 10 tests. Its lead in the 3DMark Steel Nomad test is substantial, at 30.1% over the RX 6600. In the PassMark G3D test, which is a general measure of gaming performance, the RX 5700 XT also comes out ahead, scoring 16277 compared to the RX 6600's 15096, a 7.3% advantage. For gamers prioritizing maximum frame rates in standard DirectX 12 or older DirectX titles, the data clearly favors the RX 5700 XT.

Conversely, the AMD Radeon RX 6600 claims its victories in compute and API-specific scenarios that highlight its newer feature set. Its most striking win is in the Geekbench OpenCL test, where it scores 28850 against the RX 5700 XT's 9524, a massive 202.9% difference. This indicates a substantial advantage in raw compute throughput for the RX 6600. It also wins the Geekbench Metal test by a solid 18.4% margin, which is relevant for cross-platform or macOS-oriented workloads. In the PassMark DirectX 11 test, the RX 6600 again shows its strength with a 31% lead, suggesting that its architecture handles this API more efficiently than the older card. The use-case split is therefore clear: the RX 5700 XT is the choice for established DirectX gaming, while the RX 6600 excels in compute-heavy tasks and newer API implementations.

Architecture Differences

The two cards are built on the same 7 nm process at TSMC, but they represent different architectural generations. The RX 6600 is based on the RDNA 2.0 architecture, while the RX 5700 XT uses the original RDNA 1.0. This is the fundamental difference that explains their divergent benchmark results. The RDNA 2.0 architecture introduces dedicated ray tracing cores, with the RX 6600 featuring 28 of them, a hardware feature entirely absent from the RX 5700 XT. This makes the RX 6600 compliant with DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), whereas the RX 5700 XT only supports DirectX 12 (12_1).

The transistor counts and die sizes tell a story of architectural efficiency. The RX 6600 uses 11,060 million transistors on a 237 mm² die, resulting in a transistor density of 46.7M per mm². The RX 5700 XT has fewer transistors, 10,300 million, but on a larger 251 mm² die, yielding a lower density of 41.0M per mm². This suggests that the RDNA 2.0 architecture in the RX 6600 packs more logic into a smaller area, a key factor in its improved performance per watt and compute capabilities. The RX 6600 also has a significantly different memory subsystem, using a 128-bit bus for 8 GB of GDDR6, while the RX 5700 XT uses a wider 256-bit bus for its 8 GB of GDDR6. This results in the RX 5700 XT having double the memory bandwidth at 448.0 GB/s compared to the RX 6600's 224.0 GB/s, a critical advantage for high-resolution gaming.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

Examining the head-to-head results provides a detailed picture of where each card struggles and excels. The largest single victory for the RX 5700 XT is in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, where it scores 2134 against the RX 6600's 1492. This 30.1% lead is a strong indicator of the older card's ability in a modern, heavy DirectX 12 load. The RX 5700 XT also wins in the PassMark DirectX 12 test by 20.3%, scoring 64 to the RX 6600's 51. In the older DirectX 9 API, the RX 5700 XT maintains its lead with a 12.8% advantage (226 vs. 197), and it edges out the RX 6600 in DirectX 10 by 2.1% (97 vs. 95).

The RX 6600's victories are defined by their sheer magnitude. The Geekbench OpenCL result is the standout, with the RX 6600 scoring 28850, a 202.9% increase over the RX 5700 XT's 9524. This is not a marginal win; it is a generational leap in compute performance. The RX 6600 also wins the Geekbench Metal test comfortably, 88398 to 74647, an 18.4% difference. In the PassMark DirectX 11 test, the RX 6600 posts a 31% win, scoring 152 versus 116. The Geekbench Vulkan test is the closest matchup in the entire database, with the RX 5700 XT narrowly winning by 1%, scoring 68310 to the RX 6600's 67623. The PassMark G2D test is also close, with the RX 5700 XT winning by 3.6% (922 vs. 889), and the G3D test shows a 7.3% lead for the RX 5700 XT (16277 vs. 15096). The RX 5700 XT also wins the PassMark GPU Compute test by 14.3%, scoring 7650 to the RX 6600's 6554, which is an interesting counterpoint to the RX 6600's massive OpenCL win.

FAQ

Q: Which card is faster in DirectX 12 gaming?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT is faster in the recorded DirectX 12 benchmarks. It leads by 30.1% in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test and by 20.3% in the PassMark DirectX 12 test.

Q: Does the newer architecture give the RX 6600 any advantages?

A: Yes, the RDNA 2.0 architecture in the RX 6600 provides significant wins in compute and specific API tests. It scores 202.9% higher in the Geekbench OpenCL test, 18.4% higher in Geekbench Metal, and 31% higher in PassMark DirectX 11.

Q: How do the cards compare in overall average performance?

A: The database shows the AMD Radeon RX 6600 has a higher average benchmark score of 19036, compared to the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT's average of 16361. The RX 6600 also sits in the 63rd percentile of all GPUs, while the RX 5700 XT is in the 59th percentile.

Q: Which card has more memory bandwidth?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT has significantly more memory bandwidth at 448.0 GB/s, due to its wider 256-bit memory bus. The AMD Radeon RX 6600 has a 128-bit bus and 224.0 GB/s of bandwidth.

Q: Does the RX 6600 support ray tracing?

A: Yes, the AMD Radeon RX 6600 features 28 dedicated ray tracing cores as part of its RDNA 2.0 architecture and supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2). The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT does not have any ray tracing cores.

Q: What are the power requirements for each card?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT has a higher TDP of 225 W and requires a 550 W power supply, along with a 1x 6-pin and 1x 8-pin connector setup. The AMD Radeon RX 6600 has a lower TDP of 132 W and a suggested 300 W power supply, needing only a single 8-pin connector.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ across several key specifications, reflecting their generational gap. The AMD Radeon RX 6600 uses the Navi 23 chip and RDNA 2.0 architecture, while the RX 5700 XT uses the Navi 10 chip and RDNA 1.0 architecture. The RX 6600 has a higher boost clock at 2491 MHz compared to the RX 5700 XT's 1905 MHz, and a higher game clock of 2044 MHz versus 1755 MHz. Despite this, the RX 5700 XT has more raw processing units, with 2560 shading units and 160 TMUs, compared to the RX 6600's 1792 shading units and 112 TMUs. Both cards have 64 ROPs.

The memory configuration is a major differentiator. While both have 8 GB of GDDR6, the RX 5700 XT features a 256-bit bus and 448.0 GB/s of bandwidth, while the RX 6600 is limited to a 128-bit bus and 224.0 GB/s. The RX 5700 XT also has higher texture and pixel rates in some measures, with a texture rate of 304.8 GTexel/s versus 279.0 GTexel/s for the RX 6600, although the RX 6600 has a higher pixel rate of 159.4 GPixel/s versus 121.9 GPixel/s. The RX 6600 is the only one of the two with ray tracing cores. The power profiles differ substantially, with the RX 5700 XT consuming more power at 225 W versus 132 W, and requiring a larger 550 W PSU versus 300 W. The RX 5700 XT is also a longer card at 272 mm compared to the RX 6600's 190 mm, and uses a PCIe 4.0 x16 interface, whereas the RX 6600 uses a PCIe 4.0 x8 connection. The RX 5700 XT features HDMI 2.0b outputs, while the RX 6600 has HDMI 2.1. Finally, the RX 6600 supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), while the RX 5700 XT is limited to DirectX 12 (12_1).