In the market for a new graphics card – or a completely new PC build? If so, you are probably aware that actually buying a GPU is easier said than done, especially with so many options from Team Red, Team Green, and Team Blue available at your fingertips. Well, even though it’s in the third year of its lifespan, the RX 6800 is still one of the best entry-level graphics cards for strong 1440p and 4K gaming; it could even be said that as time has passed, this GPU only stands to offer even better value for money.
So, it may no longer be the very best GPU from AMD, but the value proposition offered by the RX 6800 makes the card still worth considering above alternatives from the RTX 40 series and beyond. So, to that end, this article is going to help you decide which is the best AMD Radeon RX 6800 models available on the market. And by best, we don’t just mean the card that has the highest benchmarking performance scores, as we’re going to consider a number of different factors that will decide the best 6800 for your needs. Let’s get stuck in.
How we picked the best RX 6800 model
If you haven’t already, we recommend checking out our RX 6800 review to get the full breakdown of the cards full specs, performance benchmark/test results, and current pricing. Our hands-on experience with the RX 6800 formed the foundation for selecting which specific models leverage the specs of this GPU the best, but of course we’ve also drawn on the views of the gamers across the web, and what’s currently accessible from third-party retailers. Older cards can be a bit more difficult to find, so we’ve cherry picked the very best of the best from what’s still available.
We’ve awarded the RX 6800 a 4/5 in our review, but in terms of actually picking the best model, it comes down to looking at the individual nuances offered across brands, and choosing which one is best tailored to your needs. While the integral features such as Stream Processors and GPU chip will be the same across variants, features such as cooling, aesthetics, and clock speeds will vary from model to model. As you can see from our lineup, we’ve kept in mind that each gamer has certain requirements, and have chosen our range of cards accordingly. If none of these tickle your fancy, it can be worth checking out our picks of the best budget graphics cards for a wider range of options from both AMD and Nvidia. Now, let’s dive in to the RX 6800 cards we have at hand.
Best RX 6800 GPU in 2024
- GPU: Navi 21 XL
- Stream Processors: 3840
- VRAM: 16 GB
- Bandwidth: 512.0 GB/s
- Base Clock Speed: 1700 MHz
- Boost Clock Speed: 2105 MHz
- Excellent 1440p performance, and at its price offers excellent value for money too
- Strong performance compared to Nvidia competitors in the same price bracket
- 16GB of dedicated GDDR6 memory is more than enough to run modern AAA titles
- Older GPUs are more difficult to find available in the marketplace
- Has effectively been replaced by the RX 7800
- Ray tracing isn’t a strong feature of this card on the whole
Jumping straight into it, we can tell you that the XFX Speedster SWFT319 Radeon RX 6800 is built on the Navi 21 die with a total of 3,840 Stream Processors, a 256-bit memory bus, 240 texture mapping units, and 96 ROPs. There’s also a nice sum of 16GB GDDR6 VRAM (double the RTX 3070’s 8GB VRAM), and more excitingly, the real-time ray tracing capabilities enabled by 60 RT cores, as Team Red finally catches up with Nvidia on that front. If you couldn’t tell, this is the exact unit featured in our review.
This card may have aged a bit, but it still offers excellent performance in 1080p and 1440p, even if ray tracing isn’t quite its biggest strength. This fact was backed up in our benchmarks, with blazing averages in Cyberpunk 2077 of 129 FPS at 1080p and 81 FPS at 1440p. Given it’s a recent and demanding title, these figures are more than acceptable. Unfortunately, 4K remains just out of reach, but if you’re looking to buy an RX 6800 it’s likely you weren’t necessarily striving for 4K resolutions in the first place.
Looks-wise, XFX GPUs tend to be more understated, and this one is no exception, looking nearly identical to an AMD-made reference model. It’s sleek and classy, sporting three angular fans and an edgy black ventilated back plate. Despite being an older card, its specs and timeless design means it will still perform great, and look great, inside your rig. What’s more, given the $400 price point, it could be worth it from a sheer value perspective.
- GPU: Navi 21 XL
- Stream Processors: Navi 21 XL
- VRAM: 16 GB GDDR6
- Bandwidth: 512.0 GB/s
- Base Clock Speed: 1850 MHz
- Boost Clock Speed: 2190 MHz
- Impressive boost clock speeds of up to 2190 MHz
- Nitro+ branding means this card is optimized for low temperatures and airflow
- Extra compatibility from having a total of four outputs
- Some reviews indicate the price has been inflated by scalpers across the web
- At above $700 it’s the most expensive card on this list
- Other GPUs at this price point may offer better performance
First off, let’s take a look at some of the on the box specifications for our overclocking pick, the Sapphire Nitro+ RX 6800. You can expect a game clock of 1,980 GHz, and a boost clock of 2,190 GHz, which on its own is pretty impressive, claiming a joint first position on the leader board for the fastest performing boost clock loaded into a 6800 GPU, first-party or otherwise.
What’s worth noting here is that these boost clock and game clock speeds are both higher than the 3070, which comes from the Nvidia camp. If you were still stuck between the two manufacturers for a final choice when it comes to deciding on a mid-range GPU, then know that the 6800 is closer to the 3080 in terms of performance than the 3070 – so that’s worth bearing in mind.
So, by way of its computational speed and performance, you’ll be getting stable frame rates hovering around the 70-100 FPS range with ray tracing and 1440p resolution, which is pretty great. You can expect all of the other AMD enhancements as well, including that direct access memory boost to your cards performance if you’re using a compatible Ryzen 5000 CPU.
So, the performance here isn’t in question – you are going to be getting the top-level action out of this card that you can expect from a 6800, so no worries there. On to a much more aspect of a third party GPU, the actual design and build quality of the card itself. Sapphire have constructed a very well made card, with the all-important cooling factors overhauled and remade for the 6000 line AMD cards. Firstly, there is a brand new fan blade design that is set to improve the cooling design on these cards as a whole, which is going to be running alongside precision and intelligent fan control to let you have the ultimate level of control over your GPU when it comes to its cooling habits.
And cooling is important – it’s what’s going to help you keep your PC healthy for the long term, even if you are blasting that GPU for hours at a time. So, rest assured that on this card you will have no reason to worry, and your money will last you a long time.
- GPU: Navi 21 XL
- Stream Processors: 3840
- VRAM: 16 GB
- Bandwidth: 512.0 GB/s
- Base Clock Speed: 1775 MHz
- Boost Clock Speed: 2155 MHz
- Has the durable all-aluminum shroud classic of ASUS TUF cards
- Similar impressive 2190 MHz boost clock to the Sapphire model
- On the lightweight side at just 3.74 pounds
- Aesthetically plain, with a simple black frame and a small RGB light strip
- Some reviews seem to have reported driver issues
When it comes to the best value for money, people are often talking about one thing: a low price. However, a much better indicator of value isn’t getting the lowest price on the market, but getting the most for your money. Sure, you spend a little less, but you want to make sure that every penny you put down counts.
Enter ASUS Tuf, and their RX 6800 Gaming OC card. Right off the bat, you are going to see that OC tacked onto the card there, and that indicates exactly what you think it does – an overclocked card. So, you can expect a boost clock of 2155 MHz and a game clock of 1925 MHz, which isn’t bad at all, especially when you consider that this isn’t even the highest performing card to be rolled out of ASUS’s warehouse.
Along with that performance, you are going to be able to expect stable frame rates again hovering between 60 and 100 when it comes to 1440p gameplay, and obviously, you will be getting all of the accouterments that are associated with Big Navi – ray tracing, increased performance per watt and the smart access memory are all on the cards here, with all the power you would associate with 16Gb of GDDR6 memory.
Again, this card performs better than the 3070, at a price point that comes in just below a lot of the other cards on this list (the official price point that is, when the demand and supply issues smooth out). You know what’s coming next: cooling and design, and naturally, this card wouldn’t be on this list if I didn’t have every confidence in ASUS’s building ability.
This card might be more on the simple side aesthetically, but its militaristic design and build quality speaks for itself: simple, yet effective. You’ve got the all-aluminum shroud, reinforced frame, and metal backplate that enhance the card’s durability, with a touch of subtle RGB for a little pop of color. Not to mention, there’s the tried and tested axial-tech fan design which ensure your card runs cool.
So, if you are looking for a card that is going to give you great in-game performance housed inside a well-built chassis that is going to manage your temperatures well, all without busting the bank account, then you should definitely be giving ASUS TUF a look in.
- GPU: Navi 21 XL
- Stream Processors: 3840
- VRAM: 16 GB GDDR6
- Bandwidth: 512.0 GB/s
- Base Clock Speed: 1775 MHz
- Boost Clock Speed: 2155 MHz
- Caters to those who prefer a bolder design and RGB lighting
- Same strong 2155 MHz clock speed as other OC edition cards
- Recommended with a Ryzen processor to get infinity cache and better FPS
- You might get better performance from the newer 7000 series, or the 6800 XT model
Last but certainly not least, we’ve got the MSI Gaming Radeon RX 6800, another gaming-focused overclocking model, but one that caters to a slightly different audience than the previous ASUS TUF edition. Mainly, this is due to its flashy looks, as internally there’s not too much to separate the performance capabilities of this OC model.
As expected, you’ve got impressive overclocking potential, with a base clock of 1775 MHz boosting up to 2155 MHz, combined with the speedy 512.0 GB/s bandwidth and 16GB VRAM that ensure you get a solid 1440p performance with graphics and ray tracing that are to be taken seriously alongside its Nvidia competitors.
What’s more, you get the reliable build quality and aesthetics you would expect from an MSI card. Angular aluminum strips encase the triple fan setup, and are complemented by subtle strips of customizable RGB that peak through, as well as a full light strip on the side bezel. So, it’s clear this GPU can elevate any PC interior. Of course, you also get the notable Tri Frozr cooling system, in which the fans, core pipes, and heatsink work in unison to improve airflow throughout the card, so you can keep temperatures minimal: without a doubt, it lives up to MSI‘s catchline of ‘Play hard, stay silent’.
Things to consider when buying an RX 6800
Cooling
GPUs always tend to run hot, so make sure that your preferred choice of graphics card come with adequate cooling systems that make an improvement over what was present on the previous versions of these cards. We’ve picked out GPUs here that have solid cooling systems included, but if you wanted to look at some different GPUs that feature great cooling check out options from the likes of MSI, EVGA, and PNY. Obviously, this all has to be in tandem with a decent amount of space and airflow, but luckily for you, the 6800 is a decent-sized card, so making sure that it has room to breathe won’t be an issue at all.
Due to the graphical output of an RTX 3070, you know it’s likely to get hot. So, when on the search for your preferred choice, look out for that cooling improvement manufacturers have made over previous iterations of their GPU family. Companies like MSI and EVGA for example have quite clearly shown that the inclusions of new fan systems as well as heat dissipation tools were necessary and more importantly, work. But, this doesn’t always mean it’ll be icy cool so ensure you have a spacious case that provides excellent airflow to keep your 3070 GPU at optimal temperatures.
Your other components
As is the same across the board when it comes to GPUs, unlocking their maximum potential is only truly possible with optimized choices of other components; notably, your CPU. If your processor isn’t up to the task, its sluggish performance can end up bottlenecking your GPU, limiting its capacities. Essentially, you need a CPU that’s matched in power to your graphics card.
We’ve mentioned it earlier, but the Smart Access Memory featured in AMD graphics cards means that by default they perform better when paired with CPUs from the AMD Ryzen range. In particular, you’re probably looking at a processor from the Ryzen 5 lineup. We’ve got you covered with our picks of the best CPU for the RX 6800 XT – don’t be put off by the ‘XT’ there, as it’s a slightly boosted card than the original RX 6800 in terms of performance capacity, but with the same core architecture any CPU that will pair well with the RX 6800 XT will be more than sufficient for the 6800 too.
Is the RX 6800 better than an RTX 3070?
When comparing a RX 6800 and a RTX 3070 they are quite comparable in terms of performance. However, the RX 6800 offers double the VRAM, 16GB compared to 8GB. Additionally, it has a lower power draw than the RTX 3070 if that is a concern, When it comes to pricing the RX 6800 also fares better in that regard. The RTX 3070 does come up trumps in terms of ray tracing performance. For the full extent of this GPU battle, we’ve compared the RTX 3070 vs the RX 6800.
The best RX 6800 GPU – verdict
When it comes to the best RX 6800 graphics card, our top pick overall gets awarded to the XFX Speedster SWFT319 Radeon RX 6800. As our reviewed card, our hands-on experience means we can confidently say that the performance and build quality are exactly what you need out of a mid-range GPU: we also awarded it a 4/5, which helps. With premium components and a reliable triple-fan cooling setup, it maintains stable performance even under heavy loads, and our benchmarks saw it soaring through 1440p. It also seems to be the most widely available pick of the bunch, and of course, we want to make sure we’re recommending cards that are accessible for our readers.
