Radeon RX 6600 in 2023, Still Worth Buying?

In late 2021, AMD released the RX 6600, a mid-range graphics card that promises high-end gaming performance at a more affordable price point than some of the higher end graphics cards on the market. In this article, we take a deep dive into the ins and outs of this graphics card to help you decide if it's worth your hard-earned money in 2023.

The RX 6600 is built on the RDNA2 architecture, which is one of the latest and most advanced GPU architectures from AMD. This architecture promises to deliver improved performance and power efficiency. The 6600 features 36 compute units, 112 texture mapping units, 64 ROPs, and 1792 shading units, providing more than enough power to handle most modern games.

The RX 6600 has a base clock speed of 1626 MHz and a boost clock speed of 2491 MHz. The higher the clock speed, the faster the GPU can process its data, resulting in better performance. The card also has 8 gigabytes of GDDR6 memory, which is among the latest and fastest types of memory available. The memory clock speed of the RX 6600 is 14 gigabytes per second.

Constructed using 7 nm technology, the RX 6600 is designed for high performance and power efficiency. It also includes support for Ray tracing, a technology used in video games to produce realistic lighting and shadows. Though still AMD's first-generation implementation of the technology, the RX 6600 can still perform very well in any Ray Tracer game.

The TDP rating of the RX 6600 is 132 watts, which is relatively low compared to some of the higher end graphics cards on the market today, making it a more energy-efficient graphics card that will generate much less heat. The RX 6600 is currently priced at around 190 dollars, which is significantly cheaper than some of the higher end graphics cards on the market, such as the RTX 3080. When compared to some of the other mid-range graphics cards on the market, the 6600 is priced competitively.

In 2023, the RX 6600 is a competitively priced mid-range graphics card that offers a good balance of price and performance. Currently priced at around $190, it is significantly cheaper than higher-end graphics cards such as the RTX 3080 which can cost upwards of $580. While it is slightly more expensive than the used GeForce GTX 1660 Super, which can be purchased for around $150, the RX 6600 is a great option for those looking for a good performance graphics card that will not break the bank.

When considering the temperature, fan noise, and cooling of the RX 6600, it is important to note that other options on the market can offer lower noise output. The RX 6600 is designed to run at relatively low temperatures, reaching a maximum temperature of 82 degrees Celsius during intensive gaming. It also has a relatively low fan noise, coming in at 29.7 decibels due to the quiet fan that is designed to operate at low speeds. The fan noise can vary depending on the temperature and workload on the GPU. The graphics card also supports the use of liquid cooling solutions, which can be used to improve the cooling performance even further.

When it comes to gaming performance, the RX 6600 is capable of delivering solid frame rates at 1440p and 1080p resolutions. In specific game benchmarks, the RX 6600 performs quite well. Starting with 1080p gaming, it has consistently hit high frame rates in games like Death Stranding, with an average of 135 frames using the highest in-game quality preset. It also performs well in Horizon Zero Dawn, Watch Dogs Legion, and Rainbow Six Siege, among others.

At 1440p gaming, the RX 6600 still maintains strong performance, though frame rates are slightly lower due to the increased resolution. It performs well in Death Stranding, Horizon Zero Dawn, Watch Dogs Legion, and Rainbow Six Siege, among others. However, when it comes to 4K resolution, the RX 6600 may struggle to deliver a playable frame rate in those games.

It is important to note that these benchmarks are approximate, and actual performance may vary depending on the specific system configuration and other factors such as cooling and power supply. Additionally, these benchmarks are for high settings, and in some games, better frame rates can be achieved just by reducing some other settings.

Overall, the RX 6600 is a solid choice for gamers looking for a powerful card that can handle a 1080p and 1440p gaming experience with ease. It offers impressive performance across a variety of popular games with high frame rates and smooth gameplay on Ultra settings. Let's not forget that it also promises solid performance and good features and a relatively low TDP. If it keeps its price advantage, the Radeon RX 6600 will remain one of the best GPUs available, even though Nvidia's options are more robust and usually more desirable, their prices are still too high compared to the other products that are on the market.