AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT vs AMD Radeon RX 6700S Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a clear overall winner in the AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT, which takes 9 of the 11 head-to-head benchmark comparisons. The most decisive victories come in compute-heavy and legacy DirectX workloads. In PassMark GPU Compute, the RX 6600 XT scores 7520 against 5990 for the RX 6700S, a 25.5% advantage. Similarly, in PassMark DirectX 10, the RX 6600 XT leads 109 to 87, a 25.3% margin. These are the two largest deltas in the entire comparison.

The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, which represents modern gaming workloads, also favors the desktop card substantially. The RX 6600 XT posts 1804 points, while the RX 6700S manages 1451, giving the RX 6600 XT a 24.3% lead. This is consistent with the pattern seen in Geekbench Metal, where the RX 6600 XT scores 88720 versus 72864, a 21.8% advantage. The OpenCL result follows the same direction but with a smaller gap: 80503 versus 70965, a 13.4% lead.

The RX 6600 XT also wins in the PassMark DirectX 11 test by 21.6% (163 vs 134), and in the 2D graphics test by 23.4% (912 vs 739). The DirectX 12 PassMark result is closer, with the RX 6600 XT ahead by only 5.2% (61 vs 58). The DirectX 9 test is essentially a tie, with the RX 6700S edging out a 0.5% win (195 vs 194). The only other victory for the RX 6700S comes in Geekbench Vulkan, where it scores 76150 against 72417, a 4.9% margin in its favor.

Overall average benchmark scores reflect the same hierarchy. The RX 6600 XT sits at 24442 points, while the RX 6700S averages 22154. That places the RX 6600 XT in the 70th percentile of all GPUs, compared to the 67th percentile for the RX 6700S. The RX 6600 XT's nearest rivals in the database, by average score, are the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1630 (0.7% higher), the Intel Arc A350M (0.8% lower), the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Ti (0.8% higher), and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER (1.1% higher). The RX 6700S, by contrast, sits within 1.7% of the AMD Radeon RX 5700, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 Mobile, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB, and the AMD Radeon RX 7700 XT.

The Verdict

The data directs desktop builders toward the RX 6600 XT, and mobile system designers toward the RX 6700S, but for raw performance the RX 6600 XT is the stronger part. It wins the modern DirectX 12 workload by 24.3%, the compute test by 25.5%, and the overall average by 10.3%. If the task is purely about frame rates and compute throughput, the RX 6600 XT is the clear choice.

The RX 6700S does have one meaningful advantage in the Vulkan API, where it leads by 4.9%. That suggests titles or workloads that rely heavily on Vulkan may favor the mobile part. The RX 6700S also matches the RX 6600 XT in DirectX 9, essentially a statistical tie at 0.5% difference. For anyone targeting legacy DirectX 9 applications, the two are interchangeable.

The power envelope tells the other side of the story. The RX 6600 XT carries a 160 W TDP, while the RX 6700S is rated at 80 W. That is a 2x difference in thermal design power. The RX 6700S requires no power connectors and is classified as an IGP (integrated graphics processor) in slot width, whereas the RX 6600 XT is a dual-slot card needing a single 8-pin connector and a 450 W suggested PSU. For compact laptops or systems with tight power budgets, the RX 6700S is the only viable option despite its lower scores.

Architecture Differences

Both GPUs share the same fundamental architecture: RDNA 2.0, built on the Navi 23 chip at TSMC's 7 nm process. Both have 11,060 million transistors on a 237 mm² die, giving a transistor density of 46.7M per mm². The memory subsystem is also identical in width: 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus. The key differences lie in how the chips are configured and clocked.

The RX 6600 XT enables more of the silicon. It has 2048 shading units, 128 texture mapping units, and 32 ray tracing cores. The RX 6700S is cut down to 1792 shading units, 112 TMUs, and 28 RT cores. Both retain 64 ROPs. This configuration advantage translates directly into higher throughput: the RX 6600 XT delivers 10.60 TFLOPS FP32 versus 7.168 TFLOPS for the RX 6700S, and 21.21 TFLOPS FP16 versus 14.34 TFLOPS.

Clock speeds amplify the gap. The RX 6600 XT has a base clock of 1968 MHz, a game clock of 2359 MHz, and a boost clock of 2589 MHz. The RX 6700S runs at 1700 MHz base, 1890 MHz game, and 2000 MHz boost. That is a substantial clock advantage for the desktop part across the entire range. Memory clocks differ as well: the RX 6600 XT runs its GDDR6 at 2000 MHz (16 Gbps effective), yielding 256.0 GB/s of bandwidth, while the RX 6700S is at 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective) for 224.0 GB/s.

Pixel and texture rates follow the configuration. The RX 6600 XT achieves 165.7 GPixel/s and 331.4 GTexel/s. The RX 6700S manages 128.0 GPixel/s and 224.0 GTexel/s. The RX 6600 XT is also a desktop part with a 190 mm length, 110 mm height, and 40 mm width, while the RX 6700S has no listed dimensions and is portable-device dependent in its display outputs. Both support PCIe 4.0 x8, DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. The RX 6600 XT offers 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a outputs, while the RX 6700S leaves outputs to the host device.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has higher raw compute performance?

A: The RX 6600 XT. It delivers 10.60 TFLOPS FP32 versus 7.168 TFLOPS for the RX 6700S, and 21.21 TFLOPS FP16 versus 14.34 TFLOPS.

Q: Do both cards support ray tracing?

A: Yes, both are RDNA 2.0 parts with dedicated ray tracing cores. The RX 6600 XT has 32 RT cores, while the RX 6700S has 28.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference?

A: The RX 6600 XT offers 256.0 GB/s from 16 Gbps effective GDDR6, while the RX 6700S provides 224.0 GB/s from 14 Gbps effective. Both use 8 GB on a 128-bit bus.

Q: Which GPU wins in Vulkan workloads?

A: The RX 6700S. In Geekbench Vulkan, it scores 76150 versus 72417 for the RX 6600 XT, a 4.9% advantage.

Q: How do their thermal requirements compare?

A: The RX 6600 XT has a 160 W TDP, requires a dual-slot cooler, a single 8-pin power connector, and a 450 W suggested PSU. The RX 6700S has an 80 W TDP, no power connectors, and is classified as IGP.

Q: Which GPU is better for legacy DirectX 9 applications?

A: They are effectively tied. The RX 6700S scores 195 in PassMark DirectX 9 versus 194 for the RX 6600 XT, a 0.5% difference.

Where Each One Wins

The RX 6600 XT wins in every major modern workload category except Vulkan. It leads by 24.3% in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, by 21.8% in Metal, by 13.4% in OpenCL, and by 25.5% in GPU compute. It also dominates in DirectX 10 (25.3% lead), DirectX 11 (21.6% lead), and DirectX 12 (5.2% lead). For 2D work, it is 23.4% ahead. The overall average benchmark score is 10.3% higher. Desktop gamers and compute users should pick the RX 6600 XT without hesitation.

The RX 6700S wins in Vulkan by 4.9%, which could matter for specific game engines or compute frameworks that favor that API. It also ties in DirectX 9, meaning legacy software sees no penalty. The RX 6700S has the additional advantage of an 80 W TDP, half the power draw of the RX 6600 XT, and requires no external power connectors. For thin-and-light laptops, or any system where power delivery and thermals are severely constrained, the RX 6700S is the only sensible choice despite its lower performance.

Specification Differences

The two cards differ in every clock domain and in most compute unit counts. The RX 6600 XT has a 1968 MHz base clock, 2359 MHz game clock, and 2589 MHz boost clock, versus 1700 MHz, 1890 MHz, and 2000 MHz for the RX 6700S. Shading units are 2048 versus 1792, TMUs are 128 versus 112, and RT cores are 32 versus 28. ROPs are equal at 64. Memory speed is 2000 MHz (16 Gbps effective) versus 1750 MHz (14 Gbps effective), giving bandwidths of 256.0 GB/s and 224.0 GB/s.

The RX 6600 XT has a 160 W TDP, is dual-slot, uses a single 8-pin power connector, and lists a 450 W suggested PSU. The RX 6700S has an 80 W TDP, is classified as IGP, has no power connectors, and lists no suggested PSU. The RX 6600 XT measures 190 mm by 110 mm by 40 mm, while the RX 6700S has no listed dimensions. Display outputs are 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a for the RX 6600 XT, versus portable-device dependent for the RX 6700S. Both share the same 7 nm process, 11,060 million transistors, 237 mm² die size, 46.7M/mm² density, 8 GB GDDR6, 128-bit bus, PCIe 4.0 x8 interface, and the same API support. The RX 6600 XT launched on 2021-07-29 with a launch MSRP of 379 USD; the RX 6700S launched on 2022-01-03 with no listed MSRP. Both are end-of-life products.