AMD Radeon RX 570X vs AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The recorded benchmark data presents a strikingly one-sided comparison. Across the three shared tests in the database, the AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT claims victory in every single instance. The AMD Radeon RX 570X does not secure a single win in any of the overlapping benchmarks. This is not a case of nuanced trade-offs or workload-dependent preferences; the newer RDNA 2 part simply outclasses the older GCN 4 product in all measured scenarios.

The RX 6500 XT’s dominance is most pronounced in the PassMark G3D test, which is a general indicator of 3D graphics performance. Here, the RX 6500 XT scores 9608 against the RX 570X’s 1923, a gap of 80 percent in favor of the newer card. This is a massive differential that suggests fundamental architectural advantages rather than minor clock speed improvements. In the Geekbench OpenCL compute test, the RX 6500 XT again leads with 48289 versus 38939, a 19.4 percent advantage. Even in the 2D graphics test, PassMark G2D, the RX 6500 XT edges ahead with 815 versus 750, an 8 percent margin.

The data implies that users looking for raw 3D rendering performance, compute workloads, or even basic 2D desktop acceleration would find the RX 6500 XT to be the superior choice. The RX 570X, while functional, appears to be a legacy product that cannot keep pace with modern workloads. Its only potential advantage lies in its larger memory pool of 8 GB versus 4 GB, which could matter in specific memory-bound scenarios, but the benchmark results do not reflect any test where that capacity translates into a win.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs represent vastly different design philosophies and technological eras. The RX 570X is built on the Polaris 20 chip, utilizing the GCN 4.0 architecture, which was introduced during the Polaris generation (RX 500X series). It is manufactured on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries, with a die size of 232 mm² and 5,700 million transistors. The transistor density is 24.6 million per mm², a figure that reflects the older, less efficient process technology.

In contrast, the RX 6500 XT uses the Navi 24 chip based on the RDNA 2.0 architecture, belonging to the Navi II (RX 6000) generation. It is built on a much more advanced 6 nm process at TSMC, with a die size of only 107 mm². Despite having slightly fewer transistors at 5,400 million, the RX 6500 XT achieves a transistor density of 50.5 million per mm², more than double that of the RX 570X. This density advantage is a direct result of the newer process node, enabling more functionality in a smaller physical footprint.

The architecture differences extend to feature support. The RX 6500 XT includes 16 ray tracing cores, whereas the RX 570X has none. The RX 6500 XT also supports DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), while the RX 570X is limited to DirectX 12 (12_0). Vulkan support is also newer on the RX 6500 XT, with version 1.4 compared to 1.3 on the RX 570X. These are not minor spec sheet differences; they represent a generational leap in rendering capabilities, particularly for games that leverage ray tracing or the latest graphics APIs.

The memory subsystems are also fundamentally different. The RX 570X uses 8 GB of GDDR5 on a 256-bit bus, delivering 224.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The RX 6500 XT uses 4 GB of GDDR6 on a 64-bit bus, offering 143.9 GB/s. While the RX 570X has a wider bus and more memory, the RX 6500 XT’s faster GDDR6 memory runs at 18 Gbps effective versus 7 Gbps effective, partially compensating for the narrower interface. However, the bandwidth deficit is real, and it is surprising that the RX 6500 XT still manages to win all benchmarks despite this limitation.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The PassMark G3D test provides the most dramatic separation. The RX 6500 XT scores 9608, while the RX 570X manages only 1923. The delta is 80 percent in favor of the RX 6500 XT. This is not a marginal improvement; it is a complete generational stomping. The G3D test typically stresses fill rate, shader complexity, and texture throughput, all areas where the RDNA 2 architecture excels. The RX 6500 XT’s pixel rate of 90.08 GPixel/s and texture rate of 180.2 GTexel/s dwarf the RX 570X’s 39.81 GPixel/s and 159.2 GTexel/s, respectively, which explains the massive score disparity.

In the Geekbench OpenCL test, which measures compute performance, the RX 6500 XT again leads with 48289 versus 38939, a 19.4 percent advantage. This is a closer contest, but still a clear win. The RX 6500 XT’s FP32 throughput of 5.765 TFLOPS is higher than the RX 570X’s 5.095 TFLOPS, and its FP16 performance is more than double at 11.53 TFLOPS versus 5.095 TFLOPS. The RX 6500 XT also has a higher boost clock of 2815 MHz versus 1244 MHz on the RX 570X, which contributes to its compute superiority.

The PassMark G2D test is the least dramatic, with the RX 6500 XT scoring 815 versus 750, an 8 percent lead. While 2D performance is rarely a deciding factor for gamers, it is still noteworthy that the newer card wins even here. The RX 6500 XT’s higher base clock of 2310 MHz versus 1168 MHz likely contributes to its better 2D responsiveness.

The RX 570X’s only potential saving grace is its 8 GB memory capacity. However, the recorded data shows no benchmark where this capacity translates into a win. The RX 6500 XT’s 4 GB limit may be a concern for future games, but within the measured tests, it is not a liability.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ across nearly every core specification. The RX 570X has 2048 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. The RX 6500 XT has 1024 shading units, 64 TMUs, and 32 ROPs. Despite having half the shader and TMU counts, the RX 6500 XT achieves higher performance due to its much higher clocks and architectural efficiency.

Clock speeds are a major differentiator. The RX 570X runs at a base of 1168 MHz and a boost of 1244 MHz. The RX 6500 XT runs at a base of 2310 MHz and a boost of 2815 MHz, with a game clock of 2610 MHz. The RX 6500 XT’s boost clock is more than double that of the RX 570X.

Memory specifications are also starkly different. The RX 570X has 8 GB of GDDR5 with a 256-bit bus and 224.0 GB/s bandwidth. The RX 6500 XT has 4 GB of GDDR6 with a 64-bit bus and 143.9 GB/s bandwidth. The RX 570X’s memory clock is 1750 MHz (7 Gbps effective), while the RX 6500 XT’s is 2248 MHz (18 Gbps effective).

Power consumption and interface also differ. The RX 570X has a TDP of 150 W and requires a 450 W suggested PSU, while the RX 6500 XT has a TDP of 107 W and a 300 W suggested PSU. The RX 570X uses PCIe 3.0 x16, while the RX 6500 XT uses PCIe 4.0 x4. The RX 6500 XT’s narrower interface could be a bottleneck on older systems, but the data does not reflect any issue. Display outputs also differ: the RX 570X offers 1x DVI, 1x HDMI 2.0b, and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, while the RX 6500 XT offers 1x HDMI 2.1 and 1x DisplayPort 1.4a.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU wins the PassMark G3D benchmark?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT wins decisively with a score of 9608 compared to the RX 570X’s 1923, a delta of 80 percent.

Q: Does the RX 570X have a memory capacity advantage?

A: Yes, the RX 570X has 8 GB of GDDR5 memory on a 256-bit bus, while the RX 6500 XT has 4 GB of GDDR6 on a 64-bit bus. However, this advantage does not translate into a win in any recorded benchmark.

Q: What is the performance difference in Geekbench OpenCL?

A: The RX 6500 XT scores 48289, which is 19.4 percent higher than the RX 570X’s 38939.

Q: Does the RX 6500 XT support ray tracing?

A: Yes, the RX 6500 XT includes 16 ray tracing cores, while the RX 570X has none.

Q: What are the power requirements for each card?

A: The RX 570X has a TDP of 150 W and suggests a 450 W PSU. The RX 6500 XT has a TDP of 107 W and suggests a 300 W PSU.

Q: Which card has a higher boost clock?

A: The RX 6500 XT has a boost clock of 2815 MHz, while the RX 570X has a boost clock of 1244 MHz.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous. The AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT is the superior product in every measured benchmark. It wins the PassMark G3D test by 80 percent, the Geekbench OpenCL test by 19.4 percent, and the PassMark G2D test by 8 percent. Its higher clocks, newer architecture, and support for modern features like ray tracing and DirectX 12 Ultimate make it the clear choice for anyone seeking performance.

The RX 570X does have a larger memory pool and a wider memory bus, which could theoretically benefit certain workloads, but the recorded data shows no scenario where this matters. Its lower power draw of 107 W versus 150 W is also an advantage for the RX 6500 XT, making it more efficient.

For a user building a new system or upgrading an old one, the RX 6500 XT is the obvious pick. Its percentile rank of 51 versus the RX 570X’s 55 is slightly lower, but this is an artifact of the broader GPU landscape, not a reflection of their relative performance. The RX 570X’s nearest rivals include the NVIDIA RTX A2000 Mobile and AMD Radeon 660M, while the RX 6500 XT sits near the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 and GTX 1660. This positioning confirms that the RX 6500 XT belongs to a higher performance tier.

The RX 570X should only be considered by users who absolutely require 8 GB of VRAM and are willing to sacrifice significant performance. For everyone else, the RX 6500 XT is the recommended option based on the benchmark evidence.