AMD Radeon RX 6600 vs AMD Radeon RX 7600S Comparison

The AMD Radeon RX 6600 and the AMD Radeon RX 7600S represent two distinct generations of graphics hardware, yet the benchmark data reveals a nuanced performance relationship rather than a simple generational sweep. The RX 6600, a desktop card from the RDNA 2.0 era, holds a 63rd percentile ranking among all GPUs, while the RX 7600S, a mobile part from the RDNA 3.0 line, sits at the 60th percentile. The recorded average benchmark scores differ substantially: the RX 6600 posts an average of 19036, while the RX 7600S manages 16696. This places the desktop card ahead by roughly 14% in overall average score, but the head-to-head tests show a more complex picture where the mobile chip wins six of ten direct comparisons.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most decisive victory for the RX 7600S arrives in the Geekbench OpenCL test, where it scores 68012 against the RX 6600’s 28850. That is a delta of 57.6% in favor of the mobile card, an enormous margin that suggests the RDNA 3.0 architecture has a significant advantage in compute-heavy workloads. The RX 7600S also wins the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test with a score of 1888 versus 1492, a 21% lead, indicating stronger performance in modern DirectX 12 gaming scenarios. In Geekbench Vulkan, the RX 7600S again takes the lead, scoring 73868 against 67623, an 8.5% advantage.

The RX 6600, however, secures its wins in legacy DirectX tests and 2D operations. Its most notable victory is in Passmark DirectX 10, where it scores 95 against the RX 7600S’s 74, a 28.4% margin. The RX 6600 also wins Passmark DirectX 11 by 8.6% (152 vs 140) and Passmark G2D by 14.6% (889 vs 776). The Passmark GPU Compute test is nearly a tie, with the RX 6600 edging out the RX 7600S by just 0.5%, scoring 6554 versus 6520. The RX 7600S counters with a 21.5% win in Passmark DirectX 12 (65 vs 51) and a 6.6% win in Passmark DirectX 9 (211 vs 197). The Passmark G3D score is close, with the RX 7600S winning by 2% (15408 vs 15096).

The pattern is clear: the RX 7600S excels in modern APIs and compute, while the RX 6600 retains superiority in older DirectX versions and 2D throughput. The overall win count stands at 6 for the RX 7600S and 4 for the RX 6600, but the magnitude of the OpenCL and Steel Nomad wins heavily weights the mobile card’s case for future-facing workloads.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 6600 has a higher average benchmark score of 19036, compared to the AMD Radeon RX 7600S’s 16696. This places the RX 6600 in the 63rd percentile of all GPUs, while the RX 7600S sits in the 60th percentile.

Q: How does the RX 7600S perform in DirectX 12 compared to the RX 6600?

A: The RX 7600S leads in DirectX 12. In the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, it scores 1888 versus the RX 6600’s 1492, a 21% advantage. In Passmark DirectX 12, the RX 7600S scores 65 against 51, a 21.5% lead.

Q: In which legacy DirectX tests does the RX 6600 outperform the RX 7600S?

A: The RX 6600 wins in Passmark DirectX 10 with a score of 95 versus 74, a 28.4% margin, and in Passmark DirectX 11 with 152 versus 140, an 8.6% margin. The RX 7600S, however, wins Passmark DirectX 9 with 211 versus 197.

Q: What is the difference in compute performance between the two cards?

A: The RX 7600S is dramatically faster in OpenCL compute, scoring 68012 against the RX 6600’s 28850, a 57.6% delta. In Passmark GPU Compute, the RX 6600 wins narrowly by 0.5% (6554 vs 6520), showing the mobile card’s compute lead is workload-dependent.

Q: Which card has a higher transistor density?

A: The RX 7600S has a higher transistor density at 65.2 million transistors per square millimeter, compared to the RX 6600’s 46.7 million. This is despite the RX 6600 having a larger die size of 237 square millimeters versus 204 for the RX 7600S.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference, if any?

A: The RX 7600S has higher memory bandwidth at 256.0 GB/s, compared to the RX 6600’s 224.0 GB/s. Both cards use 8 GB of GDDR6 memory on a 128-bit bus, but the RX 7600S runs its memory at 2000 MHz (16 Gbps effective) versus 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective) for the RX 6600.

Architecture Differences

The two cards come from different architecture generations. The RX 6600 is built on RDNA 2.0, while the RX 7600S uses RDNA 3.0. This architectural shift is reflected in the process node: the RX 6600 uses a 7 nm process from TSMC, whereas the RX 7600S is fabricated on a 6 nm process, also from TSMC. The transistor counts differ accordingly, with the RX 6600 housing 11,060 million transistors and the RX 7600S containing 13,300 million. The die size is smaller on the newer chip, at 204 square millimeters versus 237, which combined with the higher transistor count yields the RX 7600S’s superior transistor density of 65.2 million per square millimeter.

The core configurations are identical in count: both have 1792 shading units, 112 texture mapping units, 64 render output units, and 28 ray tracing cores. Neither card features dedicated tensor cores. However, the architectural efficiency differs. The RX 7600S achieves a higher FP32 throughput of 15.77 TFLOPS, compared to the RX 6600’s 8.928 TFLOPS. Similarly, FP16 performance is 31.54 TFLOPS on the RX 7600S versus 17.86 TFLOPS on the RX 6600, both operating at a 2:1 ratio. The pixel and texture rates tell a different story: the RX 6600 has a higher pixel rate at 159.4 GPixel/s and texture rate at 279.0 GTexel/s, while the RX 7600S posts 140.8 GPixel/s and 246.4 GTexel/s. This suggests the RX 6600’s higher clock speeds compensate for the older architecture in rasterization throughput.

The RX 7600S is a mobile part, designated with the codename Hotpink Bonefish and belonging to the Navi Mobile (RX 7000M) generation. Its production status is active, with a release date of January 3, 2023. The RX 6600 is end-of-life, released on October 12, 2021, as part of the Navi II (RX 6000) generation. The RX 6600’s predecessor is Navi, with a successor of Navi III, while the RX 7600S’s predecessor is Polaris Mobile and it has no listed successor.

Specification Differences

The most obvious difference is in power consumption. The RX 6600 has a TDP of 132 W, while the RX 7600S is rated at just 75 W. This makes the mobile card significantly more power-efficient, which is expected given its intended use in laptops. The RX 6600 requires a dual-slot cooler and a single 8-pin power connector, with a suggested PSU of 300 W. The RX 7600S is an IGP (integrated graphics processor), meaning it has no slot width, no power connectors, and no suggested PSU requirement, as it is designed to be soldered into a portable device.

Clock speeds also differ. The RX 6600 has a base clock of 1626 MHz, a boost clock of 2491 MHz, and a game clock of 2044 MHz. The RX 7600S runs lower, with a base of 1500 MHz, a boost of 2200 MHz, and a game clock of 1865 MHz. Memory clocks follow suit: the RX 6600’s memory runs at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective), while the RX 7600S’s memory runs at 2000 MHz (16 Gbps effective). This results in the RX 7600S’s higher bandwidth of 256.0 GB/s versus 224.0 GB/s.

The bus interface differs as well. The RX 6600 uses PCIe 4.0 x8, while the RX 7600S uses PCIe 4.0 x16. Display outputs are another point of divergence: the RX 6600 offers 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, whereas the RX 7600S’s outputs are described as portable device dependent, meaning they vary by the laptop design. The RX 6600 has physical dimensions of 190 mm in length, 110 mm in height, and 40 mm in width; the RX 7600S has no listed dimensions due to its IGP nature. The RX 6600 has a launch MSRP of 329 USD, while the RX 7600S has no launch MSRP listed. Both share the same API support: DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

The Verdict

The data indicates a clear split in suitability. For users prioritizing modern gaming and compute performance, the RX 7600S is the stronger choice. Its 21% lead in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 and 57.6% lead in OpenCL demonstrate that the RDNA 3.0 architecture delivers superior results in current generation workloads. The higher memory bandwidth and FP32 throughput further support its claim as the more future-proof option, despite its lower clock speeds.

For those focused on legacy DirectX titles or 2D applications, the RX 6600 holds an advantage. Its 28.4% lead in DirectX 10 and 14.6% lead in G2D suggest it retains relevance in older software environments. The RX 6600 also posts a higher average benchmark score and a higher percentile ranking, which may appeal to users seeking the best overall statistical profile.

The RX 7600S’s 75 W TDP versus the RX 6600’s 132 W is a decisive factor for portable systems, where the lower power draw is essential. Conversely, the RX 6600’s desktop form factor with dedicated outputs and a 300 W PSU recommendation suits stationary builds. The RX 7600S wins more head-to-head tests (6 vs 4), including the most important modern ones, while the RX 6600 wins the aggregate score. The verdict hinges on workload: choose the RX 7600S for DX12 and compute, the RX 6600 for DX10/DX11 and 2D tasks. The RX 7600S is the active product with a newer architecture, while the RX 6600 is end-of-life but still statistically competitive.