RTX 2070 Vs RX 6650 XT [Gaming & Overall 2023]

Nvidia’s RTX 2070, launched in 2018, was one of their first high-end cards with ray-tracing support. On the other hand, AMD’s RX 6650 XT is a mid-to-high-end card launched nearly 4 years later. Today, we’re comparing these two as we decide the verdict of RTX 2070 vs RX 6650 XT.

Key Takeaways

• Firstly, the RX 6650 XT performed 26.8% faster than the RTX 2070 in the 1440P gaming benchmarks. 
• Concerning thermal performance, the RTX 2070 performed 12.3% more efficiently than the RX 6650 XT across the 1440P benchmarks. 
• The RX 6650 XT is about 12% more expensive than a used RTX 2070. This means that it provides 14.8% more price-to-performance value than the Turing card.

RTX 2070 Vs RX 6650 XT: Comparison Table

Let’s see how the two GPUs stack up in terms of specifications.

RTX 2070 vs RX 6650 XT Comparison Table

Among the similarities between the two GPUs is the amount of memory and the memory type, as well as identical TDP and transistor counts. The amount of render units is also somewhat comparable. Now, let’s look at some of the significant architectural differences.

Architectural Differences 

Firstly, the RTX 2070 is built on TSMC’s 12nm manufacturing process compared to the 7nm process used by the RX 6650 XT. As a result, the RX 6650 XT has a much higher transistor density. Still, the transistor count is comparable, as the RTX 2070 has a much bigger die. The RX 6650 XT also betters the RTX 2070 in terms of core and memory clock speeds. 

Also Read: RX 5700 XT Vs RTX 2070 Super

Despite housing, the same GDDR6 memory, the RTX 2070 has much faster memory bandwidth (448.0 GB/s) than the RX 6650 XT (280.3 GB/s). The RTX 2070 has a 256-bit wide bus, while the RX 6650 XT only needs a 128-bit bus.

As for the interface, the RTX 2070 runs on 16 lanes of PCIe Gen 3, while the RX 6650 XT needs 8 lanes of PCIe 4.0. Finally, the RX 6650 XT features 32MB of L3 (Infinity Cache), while the RTX 2070 has no L3 cache. 

Read our PCIe Gen 4 vs PCIe Gen 3 comparison to know the exact differences.

Gaming Performance

Let’s go ahead and compare the gaming performance of these two graphics cards. For this purpose, we’ll put them against each other in 5 titles, all tested at 1440P ultra or equivalent settings. 

Note: The recorded figures may vary slightly from the actual figures. Shortcomings in monitoring software cause this, and it’s unavoidable. 

Here’s a look at the test bench: 

Test Bench 

• CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
• CPU Cooler: Lian Li GALAHAD RGB AIO 360mm
• Motherboard: MSI Mag B550 Tomahawk Gaming
• Memory: 32 GB (2×16) G. Skill Trident Z RGB DDR4 @3600MHz
• Storage: Samsung 970 EVO 1 TB NVMe SSD

Cyberpunk 2077

• Starting the benchmarks with Cyberpunk 2077, the Radeon RX 6650 XT averages 54 FPS. The RTX 2070 trails with 44 FPS. 
• Both GPUs recorded the same %1 low score, amassing 38 FPS. 
• As for the temperatures, the RX 6650 XT runs much warmer than the RTX 2070, averaging 77°C. 

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla 

• Moving on to Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, the RX 6650 XT continues to lead and racks up 65 FPS on average. The RTX 2070 trails by 32.6%. 
• The %1 lows provide another win to the RX 6650 XT as it drops to 54 FPS in reply to 41 FPS of the RTX 2070.
• Looking at the thermal performance, the RTX 2070 hovers around the 68°C mark, 11.7% cooler than the RX 6650 XT.

Red Dead Redemption 2

• In Red Dead Redemption 2, Nvidia’s RTX 2070 scores 58 FPS in reply to 67 FPS of the RX 6650 XT.
• A comparatively smaller difference is recorded regarding the %1 lows, with the RX 6650 XT continuing its reign at the top.
• The RX 6650 XT creeps closer to the 80°C mark, and the RTX 2070 betters it again, averaging 70°C. 

Horizon Zero Dawn 

• Running Horizon Zero Dawn at the ultimate quality preset sees the RX 6650 XT averaging a healthy 79 FPS. The GeForce RTX 2070 is not far behind with 70 FPS.
• In this test, the RX 6650 XT only leads by 1 FPS in terms of %1 lows.
• The thermal performance continues to be a concern for the Radeon RX 6650 XT as it hits 80°C in this test. The RTX 2070 is unfazed, averaging only 64°C.

Also Read: 2070 Super Vs 3060

Watch Dogs: Legion

• In our final benchmark of the RTX 2070 vs RX 6650 XT comparison, the RTX 2070 extends its lead to a significant 43.4% in terms of average FPS. 
• Moving on to the %1 low score, the AMD Radeon RX 6650 XT recorded 56 FPS. Meanwhile, the RX 6650 XT managed only 41 FPS. 
• The two GPUs are almost evenly matched regarding thermal performance in this test — the RX 6650 XT ran 1°C warmer. 

Overall Gaming Performance 

Let’s summarise the 1440P gaming benchmarks.

• The RX 6650 XT averaged 66.2 FPS across the 5 games compared to 52.2 FPS of the Nvidia RTX 2070. 
• Consequently, the RX 6650 XT is 26.8% faster than the RTX 2070 when it comes to 1440P gaming.
• As for the %1 low FPS, the RX 6650 XT averaged 53.4 FPS in contrast to 45.4 FPS scored by the RTX 2070 — a 17.6% difference. 

Similar Comparisons: RTX 3060 Ti vs RTX 2070 Super

Thermal Performance

How do the two GPUs stack up in terms of their cooling capability? Let’s take a look.

Note: The thermal performance figures only represent the efficiency of the tested variants. Multiple variants from different AIB (Add-in-Board) partners perform differently based on the number of fans and the quality of the heatsink.

• The RX 6650 XT averaged 76.6°C across the 5 games — much warmer than the RTX 2070, which averaged 68.2°C. 
• Thus, the RTX 2070 proved 12.3% more thermally efficient than the RX 6650 XT.

Read: How to lower GPU temperatures?

Prices And Electricity Costs

Let’s discuss prices. The RX 6650 XT launched with a price tag of $399 and has since seen a price cut, dropping to $299. Most variants cost even less than that, costing anywhere between $259 and $299. The cheapest model when writing this is ASRock’s Challenger D OC variant, which comes in at $259.

As for the RTX 2070, it had a launch MSRP of $499 but was discontinued in 2019. It can be found used with a price tag ranging from $205 to $325, depending upon the particular variant and the card’s condition. If you consider buying the RTX 2070, you may want to read about how to check used graphics cards before buying.

The two GPUs only differ by 1 watt regarding their TDP rating, so electricity costs don’t need to be considered. 

Value For Money

Having discussed the price and performance of the two cards, we can now determine the better value card. We can assume that, on average, the RX 6650 XT will cost you $279. A used RTX 2070 has quite a varying price point, so we will assume it costs $249 on average. This makes the RTX 2070 12% cheaper than the RX 6650 XT, on average. 

Read: How much does it cost to build a PC?

At the same time, the RX 6650 performed 26.8% better than the RTX 2070 in 1440P gaming. So, as the RX 6650 XT is only about 12% more expensive while performing 26.8% better, this makes it a much better value card than the RTX 2070, at 14.8%. 

Final Words

We can now conclude this RTX 2070 vs RX 6650 XT comparison. While both the cards are pretty good for gaming in general, the RTX 2070 showed its age somewhat as it averaged under 60 in our 1440P tests. Still, you can save some money by opting for it if you can tolerate tuning down a few graphics settings. Meanwhile, if you’re looking for the no-nonsense option, then the RX 6650 XT is the card for you.

Still double-minded? Our guide on how to choose the right graphics card might help.

Pros And Cons