RX 5700 XT vs RX 6600 XT: Which Graphics Card Should You Buy?

The RX 6600 XT is the better buy for most 1080p gamers. It matches or slightly beats the RX 5700 XT at that resolution, uses about 65 W less power, and adds the ray-tracing hardware that some new games now require. The RX 5700 XT is the better pick for 1440p and 4K, where its 256-bit memory bus keeps it level or slightly ahead, and for older PCIe 3.0 systems. Because the two trade blows so closely, price and condition on the used market should decide the tie. The newer 6600 XT is not a performance upgrade over the 5700 XT.

Two Philosophies, One Performance Tier

AMD launched the RX 5700 XT in July 2019 at $399 as its first RDNA flagship. Two years later, in July 2021, the RX 6600 XT arrived at $379 on RDNA 2. The two chips take opposite approaches to feeding the GPU:

• RX 5700 XT: 2,560 stream processors at up to 1905 MHz, fed by a wide 256-bit bus at 448 GB/s.
• RX 6600 XT: 2,048 stream processors at up to 2589 MHz, fed by a narrow 128-bit bus at 256 GB/s, backed by 32 MB of Infinity Cache.

The cache works best at 1080p, where the working set mostly fits. As resolution rises, the cache hit rate drops and raw bandwidth matters again, so the older card’s wider bus catches up.

Spec Table

Benchmark Results by Resolution

Three major outlets tested these cards against each other at the 6600 XT’s launch, and they agree on the overall pattern:

• Tom’s Hardware: RX 6600 XT about 5% faster at 1080p, only about 2% faster at 1440p, and about 7% slower than the 5700 XT at 4K.
• TechPowerUp: Across 22 games, the RX 5700 XT was about 8% behind a factory-overclocked 6600 XT. TechPowerUp estimated the overclock itself was worth 2-4%, so stock-versus-stock lands around 4-6%.
• TechSpot / Hardware Unboxed: Concluded the 6600 XT delivers basically the same performance as the 5700 XT. It won by small margins in some titles, such as Shadow of the Tomb Raider at 1080p, and lost in others, such as Rainbow Six Siege at 1440p.

Later testing confirms the same picture. TechSpot’s Hogwarts Legacy benchmark had the 5700 XT, 6600 XT and 6650 XT all at about the same average frame rate at ultra settings.

What That Means in Practice

At 1080p high settings in a demanding modern game, both cards typically land in a similar band, often around 60-80 fps depending on the title, CPU and patch. No player would notice a 2-6% difference without a frame counter. The choice comes down to the other factors below.

Feature Gap: RT, DX12 Ultimate and Frame Generation

RDNA 2 gives the 6600 XT features the 5700 XT cannot match:

• Hardware ray tracing and DirectX 12 Ultimate: The 6600 XT can run games that require RT-capable hardware, such as Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and Doom: The Dark Ages, at modest settings. The 5700 XT cannot run them at all.
• AFMF: AMD’s driver-level frame generation is supported on RX 6000 and newer, so the 6600 XT gets it and the 5700 XT does not.
• FSR 3.1 upscaling and FSR 3 frame generation: Available to both in supported games.
• FSR 4: Officially targeted at RX 9000 cards, so neither card should be bought expecting it.

The 6600 XT’s ray tracing is too slow for optional RT effects in most games. The practical benefit is compatibility with RT-required titles.

VRAM, PCIe Lanes and Older Platforms

Both cards have 8 GB, which is workable for 1080p in 2026 with sensible texture settings, but some recent releases now push past it. When VRAM overflows, data streams over PCIe. The 6600 XT runs at PCIe 4.0 x8, which drops to the equivalent of PCIe 3.0 x8 on older boards. That makes it more sensitive to VRAM overflow on platforms such as Intel 10th-gen or AMD B450. The 5700 XT’s full x16 link handles those situations better. If your motherboard is PCIe 3.0, that tips the balance toward the 5700 XT.

Power and Size: A Clear Win for the 6600 XT

PSU Requirement Calculation

• RX 5700 XT: 225 W + 125 W CPU + 150 W headroom = 500 W, so plan for a quality 550-600 W PSU with a 6-pin and an 8-pin lead.
• RX 6600 XT: 160 W + 125 W + 150 W = 435 W, so a quality 450-500 W PSU with one 8-pin lead is enough.

The 6600 XT also runs cooler and quieter. Its 190 mm reference length suits mini-ITX and compact builds, while the 272 mm 5700 XT needs a full-size case. Reference 5700 XT blower cards in particular were loud and hot, so used buyers should favor partner cards with open-air coolers.

Value Comparison

At Launch MSRP

Using the 5700 XT as 100 and the 6600 XT at about 104 at 1080p:

• RX 5700 XT: $399 / 100 = $3.99 per performance point
• RX 6600 XT: $379 / 104 = about $3.64 per performance point

That is a modest improvement, which is why TechSpot titled its review around “diminishing returns.”

On Today’s Used Market

A used RX 5700 XT usually sells for roughly $100-$150, and a used RX 6600 XT for roughly $150-$200. The 6600 XT costs more because of its features, efficiency and lower average age. Many 5700 XTs spent time in mining rigs, so check fan condition and hotspot temperatures, and consider a repaste on high-mileage units.

Decision Table by Resolution and Budget

For buyers spending a little more, current-generation cards such as the Arc B580 (12 GB) or RX 9060 XT (16 GB) clear the 8 GB limit that both of these cards share.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the RX 6600 XT faster than the RX 5700 XT?

Slightly at 1080p, by roughly 2-6% depending on the review. At 1440p the gap narrows to near zero, and at 4K the RX 5700 XT pulled about 7% ahead in Tom’s Hardware’s testing. Overall they are in the same performance class.

Why does the RX 5700 XT do better at higher resolutions?

The 5700 XT has a 256-bit bus with 448 GB/s of bandwidth, while the 6600 XT has a 128-bit bus with 256 GB/s plus 32 MB of Infinity Cache. At 1440p and 4K, more data misses the small cache, so raw bandwidth matters more. That favors the older card.

Can the RX 5700 XT use AMD Fluid Motion Frames?

No. AMD’s driver-level frame generation (AFMF) is supported on RX 6000 and newer GPUs, so the RX 6600 XT has it and the RX 5700 XT does not. Both can still use FSR 3 frame generation in games that include it.

What power supply does each card need?

The RX 6600 XT runs comfortably on a quality 450-500 W unit with one 8-pin connector. The RX 5700 XT needs more: a quality 550-600 W unit with both a 6-pin and an 8-pin connector is the safer choice. Both figures assume a mainstream CPU and roughly 150 W of headroom.

Which card lasts longer for future games?

The RX 6600 XT, mainly because it supports ray tracing and DirectX 12 Ultimate, which a growing number of games require. However, both share 8 GB of VRAM, which will increasingly force lower settings. For a multi-year purchase, a 12-16 GB card is the safer path.