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The best RX 6800 XT graphics card in 2024

We take a look at the best RX 6800XT cards on the market.

Updated: Oct 19, 2023 10:46 am
The best RX 6800 XT graphics card in 2024

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AMD’s older generation of graphics cards still has some popularity and opportunity in it. The RX 6000 series offers us the best graphical performance improvement from AMD, with the newer options succeeding that. Today, we are looking at the “Goldilocks” option in the lineup to find the best RX 6800 XT graphics card.

Despite initial stock setbacks, the new lineup of GPUs brings in AMD’s latest architecture and features, with RDNA 2 giving us unbelievable gaming performance. With RDNA 3 out now, there is still some benefit to looking back at this generation. As you can save some money while still getting good performance.

Our top picks

Best RX 6800 XT reviews

Best RX 6800 XT

01
Best RX 6800 XT
Best RX 6800 XT

ASUS AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT ROG Strix LC OC 16GB

ASUS AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT ROG Strix LC OC 16GB

Clock Speed (Base/Boost)

2110MHz/ 2360MHz

VRAM

16GB GDDR6

Ports

HDMI x 1 DP x 2 USB Type C x 1

As you can tell by the name, this RX 6800 XT is liquid-cooled. This card performs exceptionally well when under stressed conditions and even does quite well acoustically. The design is an obvious standout feature, with no other card from AMD looking even similar to this one. The RGB looks fantastic, as does the liquid cooling tubing and radiator. The two RGB fans dissipate heat well and work in conjunction with the full-coverage cold plate and blower-style fan in terrific fashion.

The Asus ROG Strix LC RX 6800 XT OC runs at a base clock speed of 2110MHz, with a max boost potential of 2360MHz. Overall, we have a card that is the best in its class, with cooling, aesthetics, and performance all being firmly ticked boxes.

Next best RX 6800 XT

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Runner-up
Next best RX 6800 XT

Sapphire NITRO+ Radeon RX 6800 XT OC 16GB

Sapphire NITRO Radeon RX 6800 XT OC 16GB

Clock Speed (Base/Boost)

2110MHz/ 2360MHz

VRAM

16GB GDDR6

Ports

HDMI x 1 DP x 3

Sapphire’s Nitro+ RX 6800 XT has been built with care and features high speeds and excellent performance for the price. This card comes with an efficient power design and impressive cooling for a card that looks quite basic on the surface. The Tri-X cooling solution uses a reverse spinning direction to boost the airflow beneath the fans.

The Nitro+ matches the Asus ROG Strix LC model for clock speeds with a base of 2110MHz and a boost of 2360MHz. This is one of the faster RX 6800’s out there and would serve any gamer well.

Best all-around RX 6800 XT

03
Best all-rounder
Best all-around RX 6800 XT

Gigabyte Radeon RX 6800 XT 16GB GAMING OC

Gigabyte Radeon RX 6800 XT 16GB GAMING OC

Clock Speed (Base/Boost)

2045MHz/ 2285MHz

VRAM

16GB GDDR6

Ports

HDMI x 2 DP x 2

Gigabyte needs no introduction when it comes to GPUs and that is because they always offer a solid level of build quality, are often very affordable, and deliver high-end performance. Another bonus is the Windforce 3X cooling system, with three 80mm fans that alternate spinning and combine with the six copper pipes for excellent heat dissipation.

This card uses an effective power phase design that allows the MOSFET to operate at a lower temperature. The chokes and capacitors are all certified as “ultra-durable”, giving you better performance for longer. This RX 6800 XT features a base clock speed of 2045MHz with a boost of 2285MHz, meaning it isn’t quite as fast as our top picks but is still a great selection.

Best value RX 6800 XT

04
Best value
Best value RX 6800 XT

ASUS TUF GAMING Radeon RX 6800 XT OC 16GB

ASUS TUF GAMING Radeon RX 6800 XT OC 16GB

Clock Speed (Base/Boost)

1925MHz/ 2155MHz

VRAM

16GB GDDR6

Ports

HDMI x 1 DP x 3

The Asus TUF RX 6800 XT may not be as desirable as our top two selections but it offers gamers a slightly cheaper option without any compromises. Of course, there is no RGB or anything like that but who cares right? We see the new Axial-tech fans, giving you more thermal headroom with this card. We also see an all-aluminum shroud and a ventilated backplate to keep things cool.

This OC version brings a base clock speed of 2065MHz and a boost speed of 2310MHz. This card offers similar speeds to others that are priced closely but when paired with the impressive cooling solution, you are getting a high-end gaming experience here for less.

Best budget RX 6800 XT

05
Best budget
Best budget RX 6800 XT

PowerColor Radeon RX 6800 XT Red Dragon 16GB

powercolor 6800xt

Clock Speed (Base/Boost)

2015MHz/ 2250MHz

VRAM

16GB GDDR6

Ports

HDMI x 1 DP x 3

The PowerColor Radeon RX 6800 XT Red Dragon features the same cooling-fan design as the more premium Red Devil RX 6800 XT, with two 100mm fans and a single 90mm fan in the middle. The fan design combines with the large copper base for impressive heat dissipation and better performance.

This is one of the slower cards in our best of guide but don’t let that put you off, it is still great for gaming. This RX 6800 XT comes with a base clock speed of 2015MHz and a boost of 2250MHz.


How we choose

Choosing the best components for our gaming PCs is never a simple task, whether it’s the best GPUs or CPUs, plenty of research is required. This is where WePC steps in, taking all the stresses of research away from our less tech-savvy readers. 

All of the RX 6800XT graphics cards on this list have been selected for a reason. First and foremost, we all love to game and have been scouring the web to find the best AIB RX 6800XT cards. The search enables us to find which GPUs gamers tend to prefer and we balance those with the highest reviews against those with the lowest price.

How we test

From PC cases to graphics cards, we like to get hands-on with everything we recommend. Testing the products is a huge part of our overall selection process and it is the best way to ensure we find the best GPUs.

Graphics cards must pass our testing, which is mostly gaming, with some other synthetic benchmarking too. When it comes to an RX 6800XT, we are going to be looking at game performance, thermal performance, and value. Our process helps us paint a more accurate picture of which is actually the best and will help you ultimately make the correct buying decision.

Things to consider

When it comes to buying any type of tech, there are many key areas that you need to consider before making that final purchase. With the RX 6800XT being part of AMD’s latest graphics card lineup you aren’t going to be disappointed but we still need to ensure it’s the best card for your personal needs.

Specifications & performance

To understand where the Radeon RX 6800XT sits within the RX 6000 series range, let’s take a brief look at the specs.

Radeon RX 6800:

  • 60 compute units
  • A game clock of 1815MHz
  • A boost clock of 2105MHz
  • A 128MB Infinity cache
  • 16GB of GDDR6 memory
  • A total board power of 250W.

Radeon RX 6800XT:

  • 72 compute units
  • A game clock of 2015MHz
  • A boost clock of 2250MHz
  • A 128MB Infinity cache
  • 16GB of GDDR6 memory
  • A total board power of 300W.

Radeon RX 6900XT:

  • 80 compute units
  • A game clock of 2015MHz
  • A boost clock of 2250MHz
  • A 128MB Infinity cache
  • 16GB of GDDR6 memory
  • A total board power of 300W.

Understanding the performance of the RX 6800XT is crucial. Unlike the RX 6800, the RX 6800XT is not limited when it comes to gaming performance. We are seeing some incredible results from this GPU, even when playing in ultra settings at 4K resolution.

Not everyone wants to play in 4K but a card that is capable is going to give you even better results in 1080 and 1440p. Still, for those that are after the absolute best from a graphical standpoint, you should check to see if this GPU will give you the desired FPS you seek.

RadeonRX6800XT 7

Going for the biggest in the range – the RX 6900XT is an option but that brings extra cost and most PC builders will have a strict budget to adhere to.

Price

The GPU is the most important component for a gamer, with it often costing about half the overall build price. As mentioned, demand is outstretching supply at the moment so many are having to wait anyway, giving you a chance to save a bit extra if you are tempted by the higher frame rates of the RX 6900XT.

The RX 6800XT is very well-priced and a direct competitor to the RTX 3080 card from Nvidia. Costing around $650-$800, this card does come in a bit lower than the RTX 3080 and for the time being, offers decent value and similar features to the GeForce alternative. 

Size

Graphics card physical sizes have been increasing significantly amount over the years, with both AMD and Nvidia’s “flagship” GPUs being the biggest we have ever seen. The size of a GPU is very important to consider before buying, as you need to make sure it fits inside your case. It is also well worth your time to check to see how many slots the GPU will take up on your motherboard, because if you are running a setup with a Wi-Fi card or sound card, you may need to opt for a less beefy option.

Upscaling

With a Radeon graphics card, you do get the benefit of its driver and software support. Although FSR might be more universal and available only when implemented it does also have another upscale method.

RSR is a driver-side upscaler that works no matter what the application. When enabled, running the resolution below native will apply the upscaling as long as you have an RDNA GPU. Although you might run lower quality, you do get more frames, so it is a mixed bag.

RadeonRX6800XT 6

What PSU wattage will I need for the RX 6800XT?

It is never been as important as it is with these new product launches to make sure you have adequate power to your system. The RX 6800XT is going to need a 750W PSU and while it may not max this out, it will give you a bit of headroom in the future when upgrading to more powerful components. A good quality PSU should last more than several years, so see this as a long-term investment for future builds too.

RX 6800XT vs. RTX 3080

We found the RX 6800XT offered some of the best price-to-performance from all the recently launched AMD and Nvidia GPUs. The performance of the RX 6800XT does closely match the RTX 3080 in many of the gaming scenarios we have benchmarked but both cards have their strong and weak points. Aside from stock issues, there has never been a better time to buy a new GPU than right now as you can’t make a bad choice. It is still in the early stages of benchmarking but it will be interesting to see how much Smart Access Memory and Rage mode, new features for AMD GPUs, affect overall performance.

Understanding the specs

There is a lot of technical jargon with hardware, especially a GPU. It is important to try and understand the basic specifications as this will help you make a well-informed decision when the time comes.

RadeonRX6800XT 9

Clock Speeds

Clock speed or clock frequency is the speed at which your microprocessor operates. GPUs come pre-clocked to a certain speed and this will usually show in the specific model’s specs. This spec lets us know how fast the GPU will perform certain tasks and while some manufacturers like to show off the speed, don’t let this be your defining factor when choosing a new card.

As mentioned in the specs near the top, the advertised speeds at launch for the RX 6800XT were a game clock of 2015MHz and a boost clock speed of 2250MHz.

VRAM

VRAM is your graphics card’s video random access memory. This has a direct impact on how well your card can perform certain tasks and hope much data it can store and access at any one time. VRAM works just like your system RAM, it stores important data used by a game or application that is running, allowing the GPU to access that data at any time. This means the GPU doesn’t have to go between the CPU and your primary drive to collect the data – it already has it stored and ready to go.

VRAM is an area where the RX 6800XT excels, with 16GB of DDR6 memory.

TDP

TDP (Thermal Design Power) refers to the maximum amount of heat a computer chip, such as a CPU or GPU, can produce in watts. This is used as a basic indicator of power consumption. Essentially, more watts equals better performance but obviously comes with higher temps and more power being consumed.

The RX 6800XT Founders is advertised as using 300W of power but we will have to wait and see what the aftermarket models require as more information is released we imagine it is the same.

Smart Access Memory

With AMD’s recent CPU and GPU launch we learned that when you combine the two, you can take advantage of a performance boost thanks to the new “Infinity Cache”. The software allows the CPU to directly access the GPU’s full memory buffer, as opposed to the 256MB segments that have been the norm until now. Smart Access Memory basically means more efficient use of the combined memory from both the CPU and GPU, which reduces buffering and latency.

Rage Mode

Rage Mode feature on AMDs software for the new GPUs. This is basically a “one-click” function that overclocks the card and takes advantage of the additional capacity. Rage mode is one of three new exclusive performance tuning presets found in the Radeon software. The aptly named “Rage Mode” brings out the maximum performance of your card and gets every drop of FPS you could want.

RSR

Radeon Super Resolution is AMDs in driver upscaling solution. As opposed to having the devs implement the upscaler into the game like FSR or DLSS, RSR works on any application. It is a bit more heavy-handed on the whole screen including UI, but it is a savior to lower-end hardware. Running games below native will automatically change them up so it can work on a lot of applications. It might not be needed too much on the 6800 XT, but it can sure help if you’re more focused on framerate or looking for future performance.

Final word

Of course, performance differences across the different models are barely going to be noticeable, they all offer incredible levels of FPS in max settings at 4K. Regardless, these are what we class as the best RX 6800 XT graphics cards on the market and when stock becomes more readily available, these are going to be featured in a lot of gamer’s systems.

Other GPU guides

Best RX 6800 XT FAQs

What is the best 6800 XT model?

The top pick for the 6800 XT is the ASUS AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT ROG Strix LC OC. It is the best way to get the most out of your card. With liquid cooling and an all-in-one, it can give you unlimited performance. And with a great design to keep the design in place and keep the size down.

Is the RX 6800 XT a good GPU?

Yes the RX 6800 XT is a great solid gaming GPU. It can get great framerates in gaming scenarios, with great support from the AMD software behind it. Leading it to do well against the Nvidia alternatives. Where it will have drawbacks is the rendering and encoding, but if gaming is all you need, it is a great choice.

Is the RX 6800 XT a high end card?

Yes, the RX 6800 XT is a higher end card. Capable of up to 4K performance, it comes with a higher price with the framerates to follow. Capable of running plenty of new titles it is a good contender to last you a while.

Is RX 6800 XT worth it 2023?

Although there might be newer cards coming out, it doesn’t make the  6800 XT useless. It still comes with a great performance at a good price. Which might in fact lower as the new cards come out. And not relying on any new tech, it still gives you plenty of performance even in 2024.


With a background in engineering and PC gaming, Seb is a staff writer with a focus on GPU, storage, and power supplies. Also one of tech supports in the office he likes helping and solving problems.

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