AMD 6000 reviews thread

[BFG10K]

AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT Review - NVIDIA is in Trouble

The Radeon RX 6800 XT is a worthy opponent to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080. It offers similar performance at better power efficiency and lower noise levels. In our Radeon RX 6800 XT review, we also take a closer look at raytracing and "Rage Mode", a new 1-click method for overclocking.

www.techpowerup.com

Wow, even the number 3 card has 16GB VRAM and is faster than the 2080TI. And the $1000 6900XT matches the $1500 3090 in performance.

The 3000 parts don't look so hot now.

Post reviews edit:
It's astonishing what AMD have managed to achieve with both the Ryzen 5000 and the Radeon 6000, especially given the absolutely minuscule R&D budget and resources compared to nVidia/Intel. Lisa Su is definitely the "Steve Jobs" of AMD with such a remarkable turnaround.

6900XT:
(It's absolutely amazing to see AMD compete with the 3090)

AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT Review - The Biggest Big Navi

AMD's Radeon RX 6900 XT offers convincing 4K gaming performance, yet stays below 300 W. Thanks to this impressive efficiency, the card is almost whisper-quiet, quieter than any RTX 3090 we've ever tested. In our review, we not only benchmark the RX 6900 XT on Intel, but also on Zen 3, with fast...

www.techpowerup.com

 

[uzzi38]

RDNA2 can do Raytracing if the game uses/supports Microsoft's DRX 1.1 API. If Control and Metro Exosdus uses DXR not Nvidia proprietary one, then RDAN2 can run that.

RDNA2 can run both DXR1.0 and DXR1.1 games.

 

[Ricky T]

RDNA2 can do Raytracing if the game uses/supports Microsoft's DRX 1.1 API. If Control and Metro Exosdus uses DXR not Nvidia proprietary one, then RDAN2 can run that.

So how do I know or find out if it is DXR or not?

 

[DrMrLordX]

My take on all of this is H1 2021 will see far better price/perf in the GPU arena, and anyone smart enough to play games now and buy cards next year will have the most fun and the best fun.

Well good thing I'm waiting until either H2 2021 or H1 2022 to get another card. I'll probably be the last guy using a Radeon VII for gaming.

-My hope and prayer is that we see something like the first mining boom: a totally unpredictable scenario that hijacked the demand algorithms and resulted in a glut of unsold inventory that had to be heavily discounted to move once the boom went bust.

Ehh. If the glut of discount hardware is damaged or stressed to the point where its core functionality may be imparied and if the glut results in a slowdown in releases or pullbacks in future card volume, then I'll disagree with you on that one. A few more quarters of somewhat-rational supply/demand dynamics will probably be for the best overall.

 

[misuspita]

nvidia 7900 GTX has entered the chat

Intel 10900k blinks one eye from the other chart 🤭

 

[coercitiv]

So how do I know or find out if it is DXR or not?

The same way you found out about RTX support: marketing, reviews, online communities and social media. So don't worry, the real question will be how to stop all the RT & DXR spam, not how to get it.

 

[CastleBravo]

If you think that's bad, a linear graph can't even show the massive difference between AMD's 4,700,000,000,000 and Intel's 10,900,000.

 

[GaiaHunter]

Honestly, the prices this generation are basically back to where they were during the Kepler/Maxwell eras where the flagship card comes in around $700.

The only difference is that AMD has cards that can go blow for blow with NVidia. They aren't just relegated to being the bargain value brand that's limited to mid-range products or tickling the bottom of the high end. They'll price like NVidia now as well.

Prices are still horrible.
Midrange starting at $400+ is crazy.

The last good midtange cards were the 470/480 and 1060. Having to pay double what I paid for a 480 to get double the performance on a 5700XT hurt.

And the performance jump nvidia got from 10x0 to the 20x0 and from the 20x0 to the 30x0 was anemic (so much so amd caught them).

 

[GodisanAtheist]

Ehh. If the glut of discount hardware is damaged or stressed to the point where its core functionality may be imparied and if the glut results in a slowdown in releases or pullbacks in future card volume, then I'll disagree with you on that one. A few more quarters of somewhat-rational supply/demand dynamics will probably be for the best overall.

- But this is in reference to brand new hardware, not used stuff. With the first mining boom (that predominantly affected AMD), when the boom went bust there was a metric crapload of brand new hardware that would not move off store shelves at mining prices, and as a result got deep discounts.

The second mining boom and bust did see a ton of used hardware hitting the street and both AMD/NV were smarter with their supply so new card prices did not drop the same way.

 

[linkgoron]

Prices are still horrible.
Midrange starting at $400+ is crazy.

Turing has made everything look so much better than it is. You're getting yesterday's $1200 flagship performance for just $500!

However, current rumors put the 3060ti just ~2.5 weeks away.

 

[DaaQ]

Kind of strange people are saying Nvidia DLSS/RTX= win.
But Radeon CANNOT use SAM + Rage mode = fail.

 

[DrMrLordX]

- But this is in reference to brand new hardware, not used stuff.

Even if that replays, it's still going to punish buyers in the long run. You'll score some cheap hardware in one generation and see ugly adjustments in the future.

 

[Tup3x]

LFC will only work well if difference between Highest refresh rate is 2X of lowest refresh rate. For example if your highest refresh rate is 120 and lowest is 60 then LFC can work. Otherwise LFC will not engage and you will see VVR less related problems. Most laptop screen besides gaming ones usually has 40-60Hz refresh range which doesn't support LFC.

AMD's driver panel do give you option for controlling AF/AA/MAA/Texure filtering Quality/Tessellation Mode control.

I'm using my Lenovo Legion Y27q-20 so there's no issue with the range (48-165, 48-144 on laptop since HDMI2.0 is the limiting factor but even that is enough to cover everything from 1FPS to 144FPS). There seems to be a problem when it changes LFC factor and that's when it allows tearing briefly. Could be Renoir related bug but clearly visible in NVIDIA Pendulum demo when FPS range simulation is set to 20-50.

They do give you option for controlling AF. The problem is that it doesn't work - read the tip, it's only supported for DX9 and apparently even those games it might not work (judging by quick google fu). AA situation is worse since with NVIDIA you can at least tinker with NVIDIA Inspector. MLAA vs. FXAA (which is much better than the public version of it) is not even a contest. V-sync situation also annoys me...

 

[IEC]

Well good thing I'm waiting until either H2 2021 or H1 2022 to get another card. I'll probably be the last guy using a Radeon VII for gaming.

There are dozens of us! Dozens!

 

[DrMrLordX]

There are dozens of us! Dozens!

We Are Dozens

Tomfoolery (hyuk) aside, I am impressesd with the 6000-launch. It gives me some hope that the post-Raja Radeon division is actually healthy. The 5000-series just didn't inspire as much confidence. I'm wondering how long we'll have to wait to see some sub-$500 cards, though? Or are people just expected to snap up old 2000-series NV cards since they should be pretty numerous on the market soon?

 

[igor_kavinski]

Can't wait for used-2070 to hit the $150 mark.

 

[misuspita]

Will there be any new GPU for the under 250€ market? I never bought higher than that, won't start now. I know prices have crept up, so let's say 300€, but no more

 

[Qwertilot]

Eventually. NV should be rolling round to the 3060ti/3060 soon from reports, and then they'll keep it pushing down the whole stack.

With the top end cards selling in such crazy numbers the lower end stuff might get a bit delayed.

 

[Kuiva maa]

Navi 22 should arrive in Q1 2021 too.

 

[YBS1]

Will there be any new GPU for the under 250€ market? I never bought higher than that, won't start now. I know prices have crept up, so let's say 300€, but no more

With the price creep that has been going on in GPUs for the last however long, my feelings are the sub ~$400 market is best being served by the used market as people playing in the $500-$1500 bracket unload their old cards for the new hotness. The market should soon be flush with 5700XTs, 2060, 2070 and 2080 series cards for reasonable prices. I know as soon as I can get my hands on both a 6800XT and 6900XT my 2080ti is on the way out the door.

 

[Gideon]

UL released a new Raytracing test for 3dmark. This one excluseively using Raytracing (unlike Port Royale which was hybrid rendering, like all games except Quake 2 RTX):

UL launches 3DMark DirectX Ray Tracing feature test - VideoCardz.com

UL launches 3DMark DirectX Ray Tracing test Just two weeks ahead of AMD Radeon RX 6000 series launch, 3DMark announces a new benchmark that will support DirectX Ray Tracing. In UL’s own words, the monopoly in GPU ray tracing is over. The new benchmark is a feature test. It will compare both AMD...

videocardz.com

My guess is that AMDs hybrid performance was too good, so Nvidia lobbied for this bench to show it's GPUs in better light.

Looking at the video it's clear that this is 100% a synthetic test (like the PCIe 4.0 bandwidth one):

And not a demo-like test like Port Royale (being more similar to actual games using RT, say the latest Watch Dogs):

 

[Hitman928]

UL released a new Raytracing test for 3dmark. This one excluseively using Raytracing (unlike Port Royale which was hybrid rendering, like all games except Quake 2 RTX):

UL launches 3DMark DirectX Ray Tracing feature test - VideoCardz.com

UL launches 3DMark DirectX Ray Tracing test Just two weeks ahead of AMD Radeon RX 6000 series launch, 3DMark announces a new benchmark that will support DirectX Ray Tracing. In UL’s own words, the monopoly in GPU ray tracing is over. The new benchmark is a feature test. It will compare both AMD...

videocardz.com

My guess is that AMDs hybrid performance was too good, so Nvidia lobbied for this bench to show it's GPUs in better light.

Looking at the video it's clear that this is 100% a synthetic test (like the PCIe 4.0 bandwidth one):

And not a demo-like test like Port Royale (being more similar to actual games using RT, say the latest Watch Dogs):

Outside of no motion in the scene, the noise caused by the low number of rays is terribly distracting, even with their attempt to blur everything in the scene outside of like 1 -2 models to mask the noise. I think this new synthetic test shows why the hybrid approach is necessary right now and honestly, for quite the foreseeable future.

 

[amrnuke]

Prices are still horrible.
Midrange starting at $400+ is crazy.

The last good midtange cards were the 470/480 and 1060. Having to pay double what I paid for a 480 to get double the performance on a 5700XT hurt.

And the performance jump nvidia got from 10x0 to the 20x0 and from the 20x0 to the 30x0 was anemic (so much so amd caught them).

Again we have to define mid-range and that can be hard to do until the full product stack is revealed. The RX 5300 -> RX 5700XT stack took almost a year fully unveil.

Do you really think the 6800 is a mid-range card? It beats the 2080Ti by 10% at 60% the price. At worst it's at the very top end of mid-range, but I'd argue it's low end of the top-tier cards.

 

[fleshconsumed]

With the price creep that has been going on in GPUs for the last however long, my feelings are the sub ~$400 market is best being served by the used market as people playing in the $500-$1500 bracket unload their old cards for the new hotness. The market should soon be flush with 5700XTs, 2060, 2070 and 2080 series cards for reasonable prices. I know as soon as I can get my hands on both a 6800XT and 6900XT my 2080ti is on the way out the door.

I was hoping this would be the case too, but so far the "used" market around here is full of 3080/3090's being sold at premium as opposed to people dumping their old cards. The best I've seen in my local used market is 20% off MSRP for 5700XT. There was a decently priced Sapphire Nitro 5700XT last week not too far from me, but Sapphire does not have transferable warranty so I decided to pass. Thus far the demand far outstrips the supply so the high prices are here to stay for the next 6 months at least.

 

[misuspita]

Yeah, there is not enough new cards sold from Nvidia or AMD (we shall see that in 3 weeks though), to enable current owners of all those last gen cards to be sold through the SH channels. Even then, just like there is a 6800 and a 3070 that are equal to the last gen best, I would think they need to cover that part of the market that wants mid or low performance. For Nvidia and AMD there are money to be lost, they don't make a dime if you sell your 2080ti, and those money could go to them, to a new 6600XT or 7600Ti, or something like that. Or even lower, 6500XT and 7500 or whatever...

 

[GaiaHunter]

Again we have to define mid-range and that can be hard to do until the full product stack is revealed. The RX 5300 -> RX 5700XT stack took almost a year fully unveil.

Do you really think the 6800 is a mid-range card? It beats the 2080Ti by 10% at 60% the price. At worst it's at the very top end of mid-range, but I'd argue it's low end of the top-tier cards.

Last time I checked the 6800 is starting at $579. The 3070 is starting at $499.

The 2080ti was the most expensive flagship until the 3090. Both ridiculous bad values.

Cards like the 5850 comfortably beat last gen flagships for $250. 7870 close to the 6970 and beat 5870.

GTX 660 close to the GTX 580 performance and that was on a generation where NVIDIA decide to call the 104 die a flagship instead of a midrange.

Even as recently as 2016 cards like the 1060 and 480 competed well with the 980 and 980ti for $250.

Mid range performance has been going down compared to previous flagships while the price has been going up.

All these 3070/3080 and 6800XT/6800 are $100-200 overpriced.