Threads
The Radeon RX 6800 XT sits right between the high-end 6900 XT and the mid-range 6700 XT. Since numerous variants of the Radeon RX 6800 XT are currently available, looking for the 6800 XT variant that meets all your requirements can get challenging, which is why we are here to help you pick the Best RX 6800 XT graphics card.
Here are our picks, summarized, and compared to each other:
We have also tested a bunch of different RX 6900 XT and RX 6700 XT cards to bring you their round-ups:
Best RX 6800 XT Graphics Cards
Our Picks For Best RX 6800 XT Include:
- Best Overall RX 6800 XT: XFX Speedster MERC319 RX 6800 XT Core Gaming
- Best Water Cooled RX 6800 XT: ASUS ROG Strix LC AMD RX 6800 XT OC
- Best RX 6800 XT For Overclocking: Gigabyte AORUS RX 6800 XT Master
- Best Budget RX 6800 XT: MSI RX 6800 XT Gaming Trio
- AMD RX 6800 XT With Best Air Cooling: ASUS TUF Gaming RX 6800 XT OC Edition
XFX Speedster MERC319 RX 6800 XT Core Gaming
Best Overall RX 6800 XT
Specifications: Dimensions: 340 x 138 x 54 mm | Boost Clock: 2340 MHz | Power Connectors: 2 x 8-Pin | RGB: No | Display Outputs: 3 x Display Port 1.4a, 1 x HDMI 2.1 Recommended PSU: 750W
Pros
- Excellent thermal performance
- Low noise levels
- Elegant design
Cons
- Gigantic in size.
- No RGB
- Expensive
Design & Build Quality: The XFX Speedster MERC 319 Radeon RX 6800 XT features a plastic shroud at the front with aluminum wrapping. Unfortunately, there is no RGB included with these logos; however, the white LED backlight was a nice addition. XFX has included a full-sized backplate is also included with “MERC” branding, giving the card a premium look.
Cooling: XFX has equipped the MERC 319 Radeon RX 6800 XT with two 100mm fans on each side, with the middle fan being 90mm in size. The fans are part of the Ghost Thermal Solution, utilizing a total of 13 blades. Moreover, It features a total of five 6mm heat pipes running through the card along with 20 heat pads on the PCB.
Performance: As far as the clock speeds are concerned, the XFX Speedster MERC 319 Radeon RX 6800 XT has a boost clock speed of 2250 MHz. XFX has gone with a 16+3 configuration for the Speedster MERC319 Radeon RX 6800 XT, which is a significant improvement over the 12+3 configuration on the reference card.
Buy It If:
✅You want a robust VRM configuration: The XFX Speedster MERC 319 Radeon RX 6800 XT’s VRM design is a huge upgrade over the reference variant of the card.
✅You want powerful cooling: The card performs incredibly well while also maintaining low temperatures and low noise levels, providing a nice balance between its performance and noise levels.
Don’t Buy It If:
❌You want RGB: The XFX Speedster MERC 319 RX 6800 XT skips out on RGB lighting, which might not be for everyone.
What Makes It The Best Overall RX 6800 XT?
The XFX Speedster MERC 319 AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT features one of the best coolers you can get with a Radeon RX 6800 XT. It provides a nice balance between its price, quality, and performance, making it the Best Overall RX 6800 XT Graphics Card.
| Performance: 9/10 | Value: 8/10 |
| Features: 9/10 | Design: 8/10 |
ASUS ROG Strix LC AMD RX 6800 XT OC
Best Water Cooled RX 6800 XT
Specifications: Dimensions: 277 x 130 x 43 mm | Boost Clock: 2360 MHz | Power Connectors: 2 x 8-Pin | RGB: Yes| Display Outputs: 2 x Display Port 1.4a, 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x USB Type-C | Recommended PSU: 750W
Pros
- Liquid Cooling
- Great overclocking potential
- Higher boost clock speed
Cons
- Extremely expensive
Design & Build Quality: With striking silver and black accents on the GPU along with RGB lighting on both the radiator and the front shroud, ASUS has done a brilliant job in terms of aesthetics. Build quality is also top-notch thanks to the use of premium capacitors, high-quality power stages, and a full-coverage cold plate.
Cooling: Since it is a Water-Cooled card, it comes with a 240mm radiator in a closed-loop design which adds a lot of heft to the overall weight. The small blower-style fan on the shroud takes care of cooling the VRM, whereas the 240mm radiator cools the entirety of the GPU itself. The water block has a copper baseplate for cooling.
Performance: Being a factory overclocked Radeon RX 6800 XT, it comes with a higher boost clock speed of 2360 MHz. For the VRMs, it has a 17-phase design in a 14+3 configuration. Of course, the beefier cooling system combined with the higher speeds will allow it to outperform most other variants of the RX 6800 XT.
Buy It If:
✅You want higher factory overclocks: Its higher out-of-the-box clock speed is also a plus; however, that is expected from a higher-end card like this one.
✅You want extremely low temperatures: The main highlight of the ASUS ROG Strix LC AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT OC is obviously the hybrid design. The water-cooled Radeon RX 6800 XT provides lower temperatures than most aftermarket cards.
✅You want a space-efficient variant: While you will need space for a 240mm radiator with the liquid-cooled RX 6800 XT, you will save some space thanks to the smaller footprint of the GPU itself.
Don’t Buy It If:
❌You have a limited budget: Its price is the main drawback; with an MSRP of $900, it not only exceeds the price of the reference edition Radeon RX 6800 XT but also exceeds the price of some of the higher-end variants of the Radeon RX 6800 XT.
What Makes It The Best Water-Cooled RX 6800 XT?
The high out-of-the-box clock speeds, compact design, and excellent cooling performance make the ASUS ROG Strix LC AMD RX 6800 XT OC the Best Water Cooled RX 6800 XT.
| Performance: 10/10 | Value: 7/10 |
| Features: 9/10 | Design: 9/10 |
Gigabyte AORUS RX 6800 XT Master
Best RX 6800 XT For Overclocking
Specifications: Dimensions: 324 x 140 x 60mm | Boost Clock: 2310 MHz | Power Connectors: 2 x 8-Pin | RGB: No | Display Outputs: 2 x Display Port 1.4a, 1 x HDMI 2.1, 1 x USB Type-C | Recommended PSU: 750W
Pros
- Impressive cooling solution
- Clean 3-slot design
- Excellent overclocking capabilities
Cons
- RGB might not be for everyone
- Expensive
Design & Build Quality: The AORUS Radeon RX 6800 XT Master features a 3-slot design and includes an LCD screen for a bit more aesthetic flair. A nice amount of RGB lighting is present with two long stripes on each side of the shroud. The metal backplate, PCB coating, and the use of premium chokes reinforce the card’s overall build quality.
Cooling: The AORUS Radeon RX 6800 XT Master features Gigabyte’s advanced Max Covered Cooling solution, integrating two 115mm fans and a 100mm fan with a wind claw design that dissipates heat by driving cool air across the GPU heatsink. Additionally, the strategically positioned center fan enhances airflow, ensuring optimal cooling.
Performance: The AORUS Radeon RX 6800 XT Master comes with a boost clock speed of 2310 MHz. Gigabyte has equipped the AORUS Radeon RX 6800 XT Master with a 15-phase VRM setup, 13 phases for the GPU voltage, and the other two for the memory voltage. All phases make use of 70 Amp power stages as well.
Buy It If:
✅You want to overclock: Overclocking is where the Gigabyte AORUS Radeon RX 6800 XT Master truly shines, it comes with a total of 15 voltage phases which is exactly what you need for a Radeon RX 6800 XT.
✅You want extra customization: The LCD screen on the edge of the card can be used to monitor temperatures, fan speeds, GPU usage, GPU clock speeds, and VRAM usage. You can choose what you want to display using the RGB Fusion 2.0 software.
Don’t Buy It If:
❌You prefer a simple design: The amount of RGB might not be for people looking for a more minimalistic GPU for their setup.
What Makes It The Best RX 6800 XT For Overclocking?
The low temperatures, LCD screen, and beefy VRM setup all increase its overclocking potential, which is why I have titled the Gigabyte AORUS Radeon RX 6800 XT Master the Best RX 6800 XT For Overclocking.
| Performance: 10/10 | Value: 7/10 |
| Features: 10/10 | Design: 9/10 |
MSI RX 6800 XT Gaming Trio
Best Budget RX 6800 XT
Specifications: Dimensions: 324 x 141 x 55mm | Boost Clock: 2285 MHz | Power Connectors: 2 x 8-Pin | RGB: Yes | Display Outputs: 3 x Display Port 1.4a, 1 x HDMI 2.1 Recommended PSU: 750W
Pros
- Excellent price-to-performance ratio
- Great value
Cons
- Lower clock speeds
Design & Build Quality: Visually, the card shares a similar look to the GeForce RTX 3000 series variants of the Gaming X Trio, which is quite uncommon. MSI has not gone too overboard with the lighting this time, with subtle RGB strips on the shroud and a long RGB strip on top of the card.
Cooling: MSI has equipped the Gaming X Trio with a massive heatsink and six heat pipes to dissipate the heat efficiently. The TOXR FAN 4.0 design for the fans provides impressive airflow for the entire card while also remaining fairly silent. On top of maintaining low temperatures, I found that the card also remains quiet during operation.
Performance: It also has a max boost frequency of 2285 MHz. The VRMs, use 13 phases for the GPU voltage and three phases for the memory voltage. Despite the fairly standard specifications on paper, the MSI RX 6800 XT packs enough graphical horsepower to match some higher-end variants of the 6800 XT.
Buy It If:
✅You want the best value for money: MSI Radeon RX 6800 XT Master X Trio provides all the features you would expect from a high-end variant of the RX 6800 XT at a much more reasonable price range.
Don’t Buy It If:
❌You want higher factory clocks: the MSI RX 6800 XT Master X Trio only comes with a 35 MHz increase over the reference card, which does not translate to a huge performance bump.
What Makes It The Best Budget RX 6800 XT.
All in all, the MSI Radeon RX 6800 XT Gaming X Trio is a GPU worth considering because of its triple-fan TRI FROZR 2 thermal design, 16-phase VRM setup, and a lower price than its competitors, which is why we have crowned it as the Best RX 6800 XT In Budget.
| Performance: 9/10 | Value: 10/10 |
| Features: 9/10 | Design: 9/10 |
ASUS TUF Gaming RX 6800 XT OC Edition
AMD RX 6800 XT With Best Air Cooling
Specifications: Dimensions: 320 x 140.2 x 57.8 mm | Boost Clock: 2340 MHz | Power Connectors: 2 x 8-Pin | RGB: Yes | Display Outputs: 3 x Display Port 1.4a, 1 x HDMI 2.1 Recommended PSU: 750W
Pros
- Excellent thermal performance
- Decent overclocking performance
- Clean design
Cons
- Expensive
Design & Build Quality: ASUS retains its TUF gaming style appearance for the Radeon RX 6800 XT as it does with other Asus TUF cards, using the same monochrome charcoal gray theme as well as the same heatsink with thorough ventilation. There is also an RGB TUF logo with an RGB light bar that illuminates ever so subtly, providing a neat outlook.
Cooling: As for the fans, ASUS is using their Axial tech, and since there are three of the fans used in the TUF Gaming AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT OC Edition, the rotation of the outer fans has been reversed to reduce the turbulence. There is also a cutout made towards the end of the backplate, which helps to provide better airflow regulation.
Performance: As for the clock specifications, the ASUS TUF Gaming AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT OC Edition gives you a core clock frequency of 2340 MHz, which is a 90 MHz increase over the 2250 MHz default specification. Additionally, we get a 14 + 3 power phase design using Infineon’s tda2147270 ampere power stages.
Buy It if:
✅You want a powerful VRM design: The ASUS TUF Gaming RX 6800 XT comes with a die that is surrounded by 17 power stages.
✅You want uncompromised air cooling: As far as air-cooled variants are concerned, The ASUS TUF Gaming RX 6800 XT OC provides unparalleled cooling performance.
Don’t Buy It If:
❌You want more RGB: The simple design of the ASUS TUF Gaming RX 6800 XT OC might not suit everyone’s preferences.
What Makes It The Best RX 6800 XT With Air Cooling?
With its extra features, clean design, and incredible cooling solution, it is reasonable to say that the ASUS TUF Gaming AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT OC Edition easily stands as the Radeon RX 6800 XT With Best Air Cooling.
| Performance: 9/10 | Value: 8/10 |
| Features: 9/10 | Design: 9/10 |
Gaming Benchmarks
How We Selected The Best RX 6800 XT Graphics Card
Here are a few factors you need to consider on your hunt for the Best aftermarket RX 6800 XT.
- VRM: The Voltage Regulator Module regulates the power delivery to any electrical component. Which is why it is important to go for a card with a decent VRM setup. A good VRM setup is especially important if you intend on overclocking your card in the near future.’
- Power limit: Since modern cards have the potential to boost to incredible clock speeds, the only thing holding them back is the power limit of the card and the cooling performance. Higher-end options usually come with a significantly higher limit than the reference edition card, providing much better performance.
- Performance: Different variants of the RX 6800 XT offer different levels of performance depending on their VRM setup, power limit, and cooling solutions. I made sure to pick the best-performing cards in my list of the best RX 6800 XT GPUs.
- Temperatures and Cooling: Temperatures and cooling are crucial factors to consider if you want to ensure your GPU lasts a long time. I made sure to include options that made no compromises with their cooling solutions.
- Size: Most modern graphic cards come with massive heatsinks and cooling solutions, increasing their overall size. Checking if the card fits inside your PC case before finalizing your decision to purchase the card is extremely important.
Frequently Asked Questions
Thanks to the GPU market finally returning back to normal, the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT is currently in stock on multiple websites such as Amazon and NewEgg.
In terms of performance and price, the RX 6800 XT is equivalent to the GeForce RTX 3080 from Nvidia.
The GeForce RTX 3080 goes head to head with the RX 6800 XT; the 6800 XT does have a slight edge over the GeForce RTX 3080 in most games; however, the GeForce RTX 3080 provides better performance when it comes to ray tracing.
Recent Updates
- February 21, 2024: Added gaming benchmarks of the RX 6800 XT against the RTX 3080, RTX 3070 Ti, RX 7800 XT, RTX 4070, and the RX 6750 XT at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K running the latest AAA titles.
Thank you! Please share your positive feedback. 🔋
How could we improve this post? Please Help us. 😔
Feedback By:
Excellent! I have been doing so much research on which card to pick and this article was the best in helping me find it!
[Hardware Reviewer]
Awais Khan is a Tech Geek, conscientious, reliable, and hardworking individual who pays attention to detail with excellent time management skills. Alongside that, he is an expert in PC Hardware; dealing with Benchmarks, Analysis, and testing before sharing information with readers. Whenever free, Awais occasionally shares Gaming Videos on his YouTube Channel.
Get In Touch: awais@tech4gamers.com
Join Our Community
