AMD Radeon RX 6700 vs AMD Radeon RX 7700S Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data presents a divided picture. Across the three shared benchmark tests, the AMD Radeon RX 6700 claims two victories, while the AMD Radeon RX 7700S takes one. The most decisive separation appears in compute-oriented workloads, where the older RDNA 2.0 part dominates.

In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, the RX 7700S scores 2185 against 2014 for the RX 6700. That is an 8.5% advantage for the mobile part. This particular test leans on modern DirectX 12 features, and the RDNA 3.0 architecture appears to respond well. The RX 7700S also posts a higher pixel rate of 160.0 GPixel/s versus 156.8 GPixel/s, which aligns with its lead in this synthetic workload.

The Geekbench OpenCL result flips the narrative dramatically. The RX 6700 scores 97841, while the RX 7700S manages 62983. That is a 35.6% deficit for the newer chip. OpenCL has historically favored raw compute throughput, and the RX 6700 brings substantially more shading units (2304 versus 2048) and a wider 160-bit memory bus. The bandwidth advantage is also present: 320.0 GB/s versus 288.0 GB/s. These structural differences are visible in the score gap.

Vulkan tells an even more lopsided story. The RX 6700 scores 83974, while the RX 7700S trails at 36380. That is a 56.7% difference. Vulkan workloads often expose memory bandwidth and occupancy limits, and the RX 6700 has both a wider bus and more texture mapping units (144 versus 128). The RX 7700S does have a higher boost clock at 2500 MHz versus 2450 MHz, but that does not compensate for the bandwidth and raw shader count deficit in this test.

It is worth noting what these deltas mean in context. The RX 7700S sits at the 78th percentile among all GPUs in the database, with an average benchmark score of 33849. Its nearest rivals include the AMD Radeon HD 7950 (33951, only 0.3% higher) and the AMD Radeon RX 480 (33997, 0.4% higher). The RX 6700, by contrast, lands at the 75th percentile with an average score of 30433. Its nearest rivals include the NVIDIA CMP 70HX (30476, 0.1% higher) and the AMD Radeon RX 6800 (30095, 1.1% lower). So while the RX 6700 wins the head-to-head tests, the RX 7700S actually has a higher overall average score in the database. That is an important nuance.

The Verdict

The data does not point to a single winner. It points to two different design philosophies. The AMD Radeon RX 7700S is a mobile-oriented part built on a 6 nm process with RDNA 3.0. It draws 100 W and is listed as an IGP with no power connectors. The AMD Radeon RX 6700 is a desktop card, dual-slot, requiring a 1x 8-pin connector and a 450 W suggested PSU, drawing 175 W.

For users who prioritize modern DirectX 12 performance, the RX 7700S is the clear choice. Its 8.5% lead in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 is meaningful, and its higher pixel rate suggests strong rasterization throughput in current-generation titles. The 78th percentile ranking and higher average score (33849 versus 30433) reinforce this.

For users who run OpenCL or Vulkan workloads, the RX 6700 is the obvious pick. The 35.6% and 56.7% leads respectively are not marginal; they are generational gaps in compute-oriented tasks. The RX 6700 also offers 10 GB of memory versus 8 GB, and a higher bandwidth of 320.0 GB/s. If the workload is compute-heavy, the RX 6700 wins without much contest.

The RX 7700S is production-active, while the RX 6700 is end-of-life. That may matter for long-term availability, but the benchmark data itself favors the RX 6700 in two of three tests. The verdict depends entirely on workload. DirectX 12 gaming leans RX 7700S. Compute and Vulkan lean RX 6700.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs come from different architectural generations and different process nodes. The RX 7700S uses RDNA 3.0, built on a 6 nm TSMC process. The RX 6700 uses RDNA 2.0, built on a 7 nm TSMC process. The die sizes reflect this: the RX 7700S has a 204 mm² die with 13,300 million transistors, while the RX 6700 has a 335 mm² die with 17,200 million transistors. Transistor density is higher on the newer part: 65.2M per mm² versus 51.3M per mm².

The RX 7700S uses the Navi 33 chip, codenamed "Hotpink Bonefish," from the Navi Mobile generation. The RX 6700 uses the Navi 22 chip from the Navi II generation. The RX 7700S has a stated predecessor of Polaris Mobile, while the RX 6700 lists its predecessor simply as Navi. The RX 6700 lists its successor as Navi III, which is consistent with the generational progression.

Ray tracing hardware differs as well. The RX 7700S has 32 RT cores, while the RX 6700 has 36. The RX 6700 also has more shading units (2304 versus 2048) and more TMUs (144 versus 128). Both have 64 ROPs. Neither has tensor cores, and both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4.

The RX 7700S has a higher boost clock at 2500 MHz versus 2450 MHz, and a higher game clock at 2200 MHz versus 2174 MHz. The RX 6700 has a higher base clock at 1941 MHz versus 1500 MHz. The FP32 throughput is where the gap closes: the RX 7700S delivers 20.48 TFLOPS versus 11.29 TFLOPS for the RX 6700. That is a substantial raw compute advantage for the newer chip, yet the OpenCL and Vulkan scores do not reflect it. This suggests that memory bandwidth and bus width play a larger role in those specific workloads than raw FP32.

Specification Differences

Memory configuration differs meaningfully. The RX 7700S has 8 GB GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus, delivering 288.0 GB/s. The RX 6700 has 10 GB GDDR6 on a 160-bit bus, delivering 320.0 GB/s. Memory clocks also differ: 2250 MHz (18 Gbps effective) for the RX 7700S versus 2000 MHz (16 Gbps effective) for the RX 6700.

Power characteristics are distinct. The RX 7700S is rated at 100 W and requires no power connectors. The RX 6700 is rated at 175 W and needs a 1x 8-pin connector with a 450 W suggested PSU. The form factor also differs: the RX 7700S is listed as IGP, while the RX 6700 is dual-slot with physical dimensions of 267 mm (10.5 inches) in length, 110 mm (4.3 inches) in height, and 40 mm (1.6 inches) in width.

The RX 7700S has a texture rate of 320.0 GTexel/s, while the RX 6700 reaches 352.8 GTexel/s. The pixel rate is close: 160.0 GPixel/s versus 156.8 GPixel/s. Display outputs differ as well: the RX 7700S is "Portable Device Dependent," while the RX 6700 offers 1x HDMI 2.1 and 3x DisplayPort 1.4a.

Release dates are clear: the RX 7700S launched on January 3, 2023, while the RX 6700 launched on June 8, 2021. Production status also differs: the RX 7700S is active, while the RX 6700 is end-of-life.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score in the database?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7700S has an average benchmark score of 33849, while the AMD Radeon RX 6700 has 30433. The RX 7700S also ranks higher at the 78th percentile versus the 75th percentile for the RX 6700.

Q: Why does the RX 6700 win OpenCL and Vulkan despite the RX 7700S having higher FP32 throughput?

A: The RX 6700 has more shading units (2304 versus 2048), a wider 160-bit memory bus versus 128-bit, and higher memory bandwidth at 320.0 GB/s versus 288.0 GB/s. These factors appear to dominate in those workloads despite the RX 7700S delivering 20.48 TFLOPS FP32 versus 11.29 TFLOPS.

Q: What is the memory capacity difference?

A: The RX 6700 has 10 GB of GDDR6 memory, while the RX 7700S has 8 GB of GDDR6 memory.

Q: Which GPU requires external power?

A: The RX 6700 requires a 1x 8-pin power connector and a 450 W suggested PSU. The RX 7700S has no power connectors listed and is rated as an IGP with a 100 W TDP.

Q: Are these GPUs from the same architecture generation?

A: No. The RX 7700S uses RDNA 3.0 on a 6 nm TSMC process, while the RX 6700 uses RDNA 2.0 on a 7 nm TSMC process.

Q: Which GPU is still in production?

A: The RX 7700S is listed as production-active, while the RX 6700 is end-of-life.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon RX 7700S wins in modern DirectX 12 rasterization. Its 8.5% lead in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, combined with a higher pixel rate of 160.0 GPixel/s and a higher boost clock of 2500 MHz, makes it the stronger choice for current-generation game engines that lean on DX12 features. Its 6 nm process and higher transistor density (65.2M per mm² versus 51.3M per mm²) also suggest better efficiency per watt, though the database only confirms the 100 W TDP figure.

The AMD Radeon RX 6700 wins decisively in OpenCL and Vulkan compute. The 35.6% and 56.7% leads are substantial and likely stem from its 160-bit memory bus, 10 GB memory capacity, 320.0 GB/s bandwidth, and higher texture rate of 352.8 GTexel/s. For anyone running compute-heavy workloads, physics simulations, or Vulkan-based applications, the RX 6700 is the data-backed choice.

The RX 7700S also wins on portability and power. As an IGP with no power connectors, it fits into mobile form factors. The RX 6700 is a dual-slot desktop card with a 175 W TDP. These are not benchmark scores, but they are recorded facts that influence which platform each GPU suits.

The RX 6700 wins on memory capacity and bandwidth. The RX 7700S wins on raw FP32 throughput and modern architecture features. The database shows a split decision: one test for the mobile part, two for the desktop part. Users should choose based on the workload that matches their usage pattern, not on a single aggregate score.