Buy the RX 6700 XT instead.

This generation of graphics cards, which I’ve stated several times already has been quite possibly the worst in recent memory in terms of lackluster performance bumps combined with astronomically high prices, especially when it comes to NVIDIA.

However, speculation has been circling for quite a white regarding AMD finally flushing out their lineup with the Radeon RX 7600 XT, which was speculated to feature a cucked Navi 32 core, to bridge the gap between the RX 7600, which features the maximum 2048 Stream Processors that Navi 33 can provide and the RX 7700 XT which comes baring 3456 SPs.

But alas, it wasn’t to be as AMD have officially announced the Radeon RX 7600 XT and to say that it’s a doozy would be quite the understatement.

Rather than slashing the price for its entry level Radeon RX 7600 offering, AMD have instead decided it would be more ideal to keep the RX 7600 which is severely hampered by its 128-bit memory interface and 32MB of Infinity Cache at the engrossed price of $269 while the Radeon RX 7600 XT essentially keeps the exact same specifications as the non-XT variant albeit with doubled the VRAM capacity for $329.

Yep. The Radeon RX 7600 and the RX 7600 XT will share the same core specifications, that being 32 CU’s totaling 2048 Stream Processors, though the XT variant will be clocked over 200MHz higher with its game frequency and an additional 100MHz peak boost clock speed of 2760MHz.

The only real difference is that it features 16GB of GDDR6 18Gbps memory as opposed to the 8GB found on the standard RX 7600, with the XT variant most likely running its memory in clamshell mode, featuring GDDR6 memory modules on both sides of the PCB, and obviously with the increased allotment of VRAM comes an increased power consumption, of which the Radeon RX 7600 XT has a TBP rating of 190W versus the 165W present on the non-XT variant.

AMD could have, should have called this the Radeon RX 7600 16GB, much akin to how NVIDIA provides consumers with 8GB and 16GB offerings for their RTX 4060 Ti.

I find it amusing how AMD didn’t decide to salvage waste Navi 32 dies for the purpose of the RX 7600 XT, providing additional cores and a larger memory bandwidth would no doubt actually increase performance and properly target the likes of NVIDIA’s 8GB 4060 Ti which seemingly has no actual form of competition as their RX 7700 XT is priced to compete with the 16GB variant instead.

But no. This card for whatever reason is simply the same bog-standard Navi 33 core with doubled the memory capacity, and said memory isn’t even higher rated to boot so there’s no real increase in bandwidth, the AMD of old would have no issues cutting down perfectly working dies to be repurposed as a genuine Radeon RX 7600 XT but quite clearly this is just AMD following NVIDIA’s footsteps and gouging consumers with zero remorse.

This product is quite obviously pipped against NVIDIA’s $300 GeForce RTX 4060.

Which is why in AMD’s own performance marketing metrics they’ve compared it to the 8GB non-XT variant alongside…. NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 2060 which released five years ago.

Given how the Radeon RX 7600 is effectively bandwidth starved by default, surprisingly at 1080p ultra settings, or higher resolution gaming such as 1440p resolutions or even enabling ray tracing, having an additional 8GB memory buffer certainly does yield quite a lot of additional performance over what’s effectively the exact same GPU particularly when utilizing technologies like FSR2/3 or DLSS 2/3.

Though of course, when I think of ray tracing I immediately think of low level entry level GPUs for the purpose, with the Radeon RX 7600 XT managing a 40% lead over the RX 7600 on Forza Horizon 5 with Ray Tracing set to its Extreme preset with FSR 2 enabled, but don’t think for a second that your actual 1080p gaming performance will increase by such figures on average in the real world.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 for instance is a game that is very well optimized for AMD’s RDNA 3 architecture, with no funny gimmicks such as ray tracing or FSR / DLSS enabled, the Radeon RX 7600 XT manages a 6.6% lead over the 8GB 7600 for instance, similar figures are seen when compared to 1080p performance on Starfield with FSR2 enabled as well.

I really do not like the concept of showcasing “1080p” or “1440p” performance figures with FSR upscaling enabled, but I do commend AMD’s transparency in regards to leveraging upscaling techniques for performance figures.

It does unfortunately get worse as AMD also compare the brand new Radeon RX 7600 “XT” versus NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 4060 across several games.

However the chart itself is immensely confusing and misrepresentative given how it once again leverages FSR / DLSS upscaling performance figures combined with AMD’s AFMF HYPR-RX frame generation alongside FSR 3 and NVIDIA’s DLSS 3 for the GeForce GPU.

Discussing native 1080P gaming performance, the Radeon RX 7600 XT seems to be a marginally superior product in terms of the games showcased, at the worst of times it’s a fraction slower, as the GeForce RTX 4060 is 1% faster in Assassin’s Creed Mirage, 4.6% faster in Baldur’s Gate 3 and 9% faster in Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora with ray tracing enabled.

While the Radeon is 11.76% faster on The Last of Us Part 1, 22.9% faster on Starfield, 31.4% faster in Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 and 6.5% faster in Immortals of Aveum.

As for performance metrics in regards to FSR performance or frame generation, be it FSR3, HYPR-RX or DLSS 3 I simply couldn’t care less. I care only for native performance comparisons of which the Radeon RX 7600 XT seems to be a performance partitive product that offers substantially more VRAM.

One slight problem, the price.

NVIDIA’s RTX 4060 has an MSRP of $300 but we all know that the manufacturer’s suggested price is almost certainly bogus in the real world of which case you can currently purchase an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 on NewEgg for $300 on sale, however traditional prices begin at $310.

The Radeon RX 7600 XT offers very little incentive over the non-XT for $60 extra, starting at $330 especially it costs more than NVIDIA’s 4060 graphics card and isn’t worth the purchase, had AMD dropped the price of the Radeon RX 7600 and slotted in the 7600 XT for a competitive $269 / $300 price tag we wouldn’t really be shitting on their parade.

Simply because a superior alternative to the RX 7600 XT exists for less, AMD’s previous generation Radeon RX 6700 XT continues to destroy the entry level market, rendering the RX 7600, XT and NVIDIA’s 4060 entirely redundant.

Consumers continue to buy up Navi 22 in droves, with the prices of the Radeon RX 6700 XT only increasing since the holiday season, you’re going to have to spend $320 at a minimum to purchase what’s effectively a generation old product that is guaranteed to provide over 20% faster gaming performance when excluding Ray Tracing.

Granted, you’re not purchasing a brand new product built upon the latest and greatest architecture, however what you’re getting is substantially greater gaming performance for effectively $10 less, and to send the point home 12 GB of GDDR6 VRAM should be considered more than enough grunt for mundane 1080p gaming for quite some time to come.

With the RX 6700 XT essentially thrashing NVIDIA’s RTX 4060 by 19% on average at 1080p, it demolishes the 8GB Radeon RX 7600 by 22% on average, in fact the 6700 XT is so long lasting NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 8GB is only 6.4% faster on average for $400.

You can purchase a brand new MSI Ventus 4060 Ti for $385, however you’d be spending 20% more than the previous generation Radeon RX 6700 XT for a 6% net gain (excluding RT).

It just isn’t worth it. AMD are basically adhering to NVIDIA’s structure and marketing tactics, leveraging upscaling and frame generative performance figures but they’re still more transparent than NVIDIA in regards to native performance figures.

The Radeon RX 7600 XT is a sham product at $329, it is undeserving of the XT moniker, it provides barely anything over the standard RX 7600 GPU which remains to be priced at $269 which is about $70 more than what it aught to be worth all things considered.

NVIDIA’s RTX 4060, despite coming equipped with 8GB of VRAM is still a fraction cheaper than the 7600 XT, however AMD’s previous generation Radeon RX 6700 XT bends over both of these products for $320, if you’re into gaming and strictly games, that is the most wisest choice a potential buyer can make at the entry level.

The only reason you’d even consider the Radeon RX 7600 “XT” is simply because you need 16GB of VRAM for a very affordable price, this GPU has literally zero other redeeming qualities to its name.