Calling all PC avid gamers! Are you sick of the GPU scarcity inflicting a disruption within the space-time continuum? Are you not trying to pay out the nostril for a brand new graphics card? Nicely, at the moment you’re in luck. The AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT is a newly launched graphics card that lastly enters the $199 to $299 panorama. That stated, when put next to some older GPUs, it comes with a couple of technological compromises.

The Radeon RX 580 is from 2017, for instance, however can it maintain a candle to the newcomer in 1080p efficiency? How concerning the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 from 2016? It’s a legend in its personal proper. Let’s see how the AMD RX 6500 XT compares when it comes to efficiency, pricing, and availability to those previous favorites!

Worth – Like we’ve by no means seen earlier than

The battle worn AMD RX 580 and Nvidia GTX 1060 6GB are nonetheless value a fairly penny on the used market as a result of “Nice GPU Scarcity.” They each appear to usually fall in that $200-$300 vary, very similar to the brand new AMD RX 6500 XT. The GTX 1060 additionally is available in a 3GB selection – which might typically be discovered for underneath $200. Very similar to the 4GB 6500 XT, the decrease VRAM implies that crypto miners aren’t on this model and you need to seemingly go for the 6GB one.

This pricing is traditionally atypical. Typically talking, you’d need a steep low cost on tech that’s 5 years previous, particularly graphics playing cards. These are additionally the entry degree playing cards of their technology, so this pricing again then was related or cheaper to at the moment’s pricing. We’re not even speaking a few depreciated GTX 1080 Ti right here, both! They’re value extra now, too.

Thiago Trevisan/IDG

The place does this go away a model spankin’ new RX 6500 XT? With pricing starting from $199 to a extra sensible $270 or so, it’s much like the older choices above. Sounds OK, proper? Not precisely. It comes with some critical efficiency drawbacks that don’t transfer the needle forward as a lot as we’d like. Nevertheless, it’s one of many few available GPUs with out insane inflated pricing.

Efficiency

The 6500 XT is, realistically, a medium-settings 1080p GPU. At greater settings, the restrictions with its VRAM and PCIE lanes boggle it down considerably.

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In Watch Canines Legion, medium settings nets you some good efficiency in opposition to the older GTX 1060 and RX 580. For a whole breakdown, verify our full Radeon RX 6500 XT evaluate.

Brad Chacos/IDG

A quick paced sport like Gears Techniques results in a fairly shut GPU brawl. As you an see within the above graph, the Radeon RX 6500 XT barely edges out the older GPUs. It flat out loses to the older 5500 XT, which isn’t one thing you’d sometimes wish to see in a more moderen product.

Take into account that these efficiency numbers are in opposition to some GPUs courting way back to 2016 on medium settings. Nothing too spectacular right here. It’s simply sufficient efficiency.

Whereas the 6500 XT technically does provide ray tracing, it’s nothing you need to care about as a result of efficiency ranges on show right here. It is a GPU for 1080p medium settings and in case you’re conservative with these expectations, it will likely be fantastic in most titles.

Energy and thermals

One space the place the Radeon 6500 XT presents some enhancements is within the RDNA 2 structure’s energy effectivity. Whereas each the RX 580 and GTX 1060 are not any energy hogs, they’re actually extra thirsty than the 6500 XT.

All three ought to have effectively managed thermals however do be mindful the bodily situation of the older GPUs, particularly if you buy them used. Over time, mud and put on on the followers could cause them to function with much less effectivity, so it’s essential to ensure they’re dusted off and able to roll.

Thiago Trevisan/IDG

Vital concerns

Whereas the Radeon RX 6500 XT has limitations in comparison with most fashionable GPUs, it additionally may have some benefits. First, you’ll have a model new guarantee with this GPU versus shopping for used. Secondly, it does share some nice AMD expertise with its greater brothers that might be useful when gaming.

For instance, Sensible Entry Reminiscence may help improve efficiency. Radeon Increase and FidelityFX Tremendous Decision also can assist achieve some further body charges with out too many visible compromises. Whereas the 6500 XT does have ray tracing, it’s too restricted to be usable.

One other factor to contemplate is you’ll have restricted monitor connections with solely a single HDMI and single displayport. On The RX 580 and GTX 1060, you’ll sometimes have extra. You’ll even have extra bottlenecks with the 4GB of VRAM together with older PCIe 3.0 rigs.

Should you’re a content material creator or streamer, this GPU lacks video encoders present in most different choices.

What do you purchase? 

So, in case you’re available in the market for a funds GPU, which of those must you purchase? Should you’re strictly a 1080p gamer and content material with medium settings, it’s not a nasty choice, particularly in case you discover it for nearer to its $199 MSRP. Pushing visible settings past that can lead to more and more worse efficiency, although. Additionally, be sure to gained’t want the opposite options like extra monitor help or content material creation capabilities.

Should you can truly discover a good situation, pretty priced RX 580 or GTX 1060, they’re nonetheless competent for 1080p gaming. With their greater VRAM, they might even have some advantages at greater visible settings.

The actual reply right here is that it’s a tough market and none of those are splendid. If GPUs such because the RTX 3050/3060 or AMD 6600/6600XT have been extra obtainable at their “official” MSRP, they’d all be much better choices for all avid gamers. Sadly, they’re both bought out consistently or carry very excessive pricing taking them to $400, $500, and past. Whenever you’re in search of a $200 GPU, these are simply too costly.

Retail pricing developments appear to have reached new highs in 2022 and future prospects are sophisticated for the funds GPU section. Sadly, your choices come down to those restricted GPU choices for now. Greatest case state of affairs is that if GPU pricing on the two^nd hand market developments decrease, then you definitely’ll have a greater shot at one thing like a GTX 1080 Ti or RTX 2060 GPU at extra affordable pricing and gaming efficiency.

With all of that in thoughts, there’s no motive to improve to the 6500 XT if you have already got a RX 580 or GTX 1060.