AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT vs AMD Radeon RX 7650 GRE Comparison

# AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT vs AMD Radeon RX 7650 GRE

The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT and AMD Radeon RX 7650 GRE represent two distinct generations of AMD graphics architecture, with the former built on RDNA 2.0 and the latter on RDNA 3.0. The RX 6800 XT, released in 2020, is a high-end card from the RX 6000 series, while the RX 7650 GRE, released in 2025, is a current-generation offering from the RX 7000 series. Benchmark data shows the RX 6800 XT holds a commanding lead in the two head-to-head tests, but the RX 7650 GRE counters with superior efficiency and newer display technology. This analysis walks through the specification differences, benchmark results, and architectural implications to clarify where each card excels.

FAQ

Q: Which card has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT has an average benchmark score of 48477, while the AMD Radeon RX 7650 GRE scores 42723. The RX 6800 XT also holds a higher percentile ranking at 85 compared to 83 for the RX 7650 GRE.

Q: How significant is the RX 6800 XT's lead in the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test?

A: The RX 6800 XT scores 3689 against 2336 for the RX 7650 GRE, a delta of 57.9%. This is a substantial margin that indicates roughly 58% higher performance in this DirectX 12 workload.

Q: What is the transistor density difference between the two cards?

A: The RX 7650 GRE has a higher transistor density at 65.2 million transistors per square millimeter, compared to 51.5 million per square millimeter for the RX 6800 XT. This is despite the RX 7650 GRE using a 6 nm process versus 7 nm for the RX 6800 XT.

Q: Which card has more memory bandwidth?

A: The RX 6800 XT provides 512.0 GB/s of bandwidth with its 256-bit bus and 16 GB of GDDR6 memory. The RX 7650 GRE offers 288.0 GB/s from a 128-bit bus and 8 GB of GDDR6 memory.

Q: How do the nearest rivals compare for each card?

A: The RX 6800 XT's nearest rival is the NVIDIA RTX A1000 Mobile, which is 1.5% faster on average, while the Intel Arc A550M is 2.5% slower. The RX 7650 GRE's closest competitor is the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER, which is 1.2% faster on average.

Q: What is the production status of each card?

A: The RX 6800 XT is marked as end-of-life, while the RX 7650 GRE is listed as active production. This reflects their respective release dates of 2020 and 2025.

Where Each One Wins

The RX 6800 XT wins decisively in raw compute and rasterization workloads. It outperforms the RX 7650 GRE by 106.1% in the Geekbench OpenCL test, scoring 171304 versus 83109. In the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 benchmark, the RX 6800 XT leads by 57.9%, scoring 3689 against 2336. These two wins cover both compute-heavy and gaming-oriented DirectX 12 scenarios, suggesting the RX 6800 XT is the stronger choice for performance-focused applications.

The RX 7650 GRE wins in efficiency and modern feature support. It draws 170 W compared to 300 W for the RX 6800 XT, and its suggested PSU is 450 W versus 700 W. The RX 7650 GRE also supports DisplayPort 2.1 outputs, while the RX 6800 XT is limited to DisplayPort 1.4a. For users prioritizing lower power consumption or needing the latest display connectivity, the RX 7650 GRE is the clear victor despite its lower raw performance.

The RX 7650 GRE also wins on transistor density, packing 65.2 million transistors per square millimeter versus 51.5 million for the RX 6800 XT. This indicates a more modern, efficient design, even though the RX 6800 XT has a much larger die at 520 mm² versus 204 mm².

Architecture Differences

The two cards are built on fundamentally different architectures. The RX 6800 XT uses RDNA 2.0 with the Navi 21 chip, fabricated on TSMC's 7 nm process. The RX 7650 GRE uses RDNA 3.0 with the Navi 33 chip, also from TSMC but on a 6 nm node. The newer RDNA 3.0 architecture is evident in the RX 7650 GRE's higher transistor density of 65.2 million per square millimeter, despite having fewer total transistors (13,300 million versus 26,800 million).

The RX 6800 XT has a significantly larger die at 520 mm², while the RX 7650 GRE measures 204 mm². This size difference correlates with the RX 6800 XT's much higher resource counts: 4608 shading units, 288 TMUs, and 128 ROPs, versus 2048 shading units, 128 TMUs, and 64 ROPs on the RX 7650 GRE. Ray tracing cores follow the same pattern, with 72 on the RX 6800 XT and 32 on the RX 7650 GRE.

Clock speeds tell a different story. The RX 7650 GRE has a higher boost clock at 2695 MHz versus 2250 MHz for the RX 6800 XT, and a higher game clock at 2350 MHz versus 2015 MHz. However, the RX 6800 XT has a higher base clock at 1825 MHz versus 1720 MHz. The RX 7650 GRE's higher boost clock helps it achieve a higher FP32 throughput of 22.08 TFLOPS compared to 20.74 TFLOPS for the RX 6800 XT, despite having fewer than half the shading units.

Memory architecture also diverges sharply. The RX 6800 XT uses a 256-bit bus with 16 GB of GDDR6 memory at 16 Gbps effective, delivering 512.0 GB/s. The RX 7650 GRE uses a 128-bit bus with 8 GB of GDDR6 at 18 Gbps effective, yielding 288.0 GB/s. The RX 6800 XT's larger memory pool and bandwidth are significant for high-resolution textures and memory-intensive workloads.

Specification Differences

| Specification | RX 6800 XT | RX 7650 GRE |

|---|---|---|

| Architecture | RDNA 2.0 | RDNA 3.0 |

| Process Node | 7 nm | 6 nm |

| Transistors | 26,800 million | 13,300 million |

| Die Size | 520 mm² | 204 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 51.5M / mm² | 65.2M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 1825 MHz | 1720 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 2250 MHz | 2695 MHz |

| Game Clock | 2015 MHz | 2350 MHz |

| Memory Size | 16 GB | 8 GB |

| Memory Bus | 256 bit | 128 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 512.0 GB/s | 288.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 4608 | 2048 |

| TMUs | 288 | 128 |

| ROPs | 128 | 64 |

| RT Cores | 72 | 32 |

| FP32 | 20.74 TFLOPS | 22.08 TFLOPS |

| FP16 | 41.47 TFLOPS (2:1) | 22.08 TFLOPS (1:1) |

| TDP | 300 W | 170 W |

| Power Connectors | 2x 8-pin | 1x 8-pin |

| Suggested PSU | 700 W | 450 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 4.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x8 |

| Display Outputs | 1x HDMI 2.1, 2x DisplayPort 1.4a, 1x USB Type-C | 1x HDMI 2.1a, 3x DisplayPort 2.1 |

| Release Date | 2020-10-27 | 2025-02-06 |

| Production Status | End-of-life | Active |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The two available head-to-head benchmarks show a consistent and decisive advantage for the RX 6800 XT. In the 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test, the RX 6800 XT scores 3689 against 2336 for the RX 7650 GRE, a delta of 57.9%. This is a large margin that places the RX 6800 XT far ahead in a modern DirectX 12 gaming workload. The RX 7650 GRE's score of 2336 is respectable for its class, but it cannot match the raw throughput of the older flagship.

The Geekbench OpenCL benchmark shows an even larger gap. The RX 6800 XT scores 171304, while the RX 7650 GRE scores 83109, a delta of 106.1%. This means the RX 6800 XT is more than twice as fast in this compute-oriented test, which is notable given that the RX 7650 GRE has a higher FP32 rating of 22.08 TFLOPS versus 20.74 TFLOPS for the RX 6800 XT. The OpenCL result suggests that the RX 6800 XT's larger memory subsystem and higher resource counts translate into better real-world compute performance that clock speed alone cannot overcome.

It is importantly the RX 7650 GRE only has two benchmark entries in the data, while the RX 6800 XT has eleven. The RX 6800 XT's additional benchmarks include Geekbench Metal (181337), Geekbench Vulkan (136875), Passmark G3D (24980), Passmark GPU Compute (13245), and several legacy DirectX tests. This broader coverage gives more confidence in the RX 6800 XT's average score of 48477, while the RX 7650 GRE's average of 42723 is based on fewer data points.

The Verdict

The data clearly favors the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT for users who prioritize raw performance. It wins both head-to-head benchmarks by substantial margins, including a 57.9% lead in 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 and a 106.1% lead in Geekbench OpenCL. Its average benchmark score of 48477 is 13.5% higher than the RX 7650 GRE's 42723, and its 85th percentile ranking versus 83rd reinforces this position. The RX 6800 XT's 16 GB of memory and 512.0 GB/s of bandwidth are also significant advantages for demanding applications and high-resolution gaming.

However, the RX 7650 GRE is not without merit. Its 170 W TDP is nearly half the RX 6800 XT's 300 W, and its suggested PSU of 450 W versus 700 W makes it far easier to integrate into existing systems. The RX 7650 GRE also offers DisplayPort 2.1 outputs, which the RX 6800 XT lacks, and it uses a more modern 6 nm process with higher transistor density. Its higher boost clock of 2695 MHz and higher FP32 throughput of 22.08 TFLOPS show that RDNA 3.0 is efficient, even if it cannot overcome the RX 6800 XT's massive resource advantage.

For a system builder seeking maximum frame rates and compute performance, the RX 6800 XT is the data-backed choice. For a user prioritizing power efficiency, modern display connectivity, and an active production status, the RX 7650 GRE is the more sensible pick. The RX 6800 XT is end-of-life, which may affect availability, but its benchmark dominance remains clear. The verdict from the data is straightforward: the RX 6800 XT wins on performance, while the RX 7650 GRE wins on efficiency and modernity.