Final words and conclusion
The original Radeon RX 7600 graphics card is positioned in the market with a base price of $269, exclusive of VAT in the European Union. overall the series is situated between the Radeon RX 7600 and the Radeon RX 7700 and aims to balance performance with cost-effectiveness, targeting the Full HD gaming segment. While the Radeon RX 7600 XT and it's 17GB do not represent a major technological advance, it incorporates specific enhancements like improved AV1 compatibility, the implementation of rDNA3 architecture, and updated monitor connectors, contributing to a better user experience. However, in terms of performance, the Radeon RX 7600 XT shows no substantial deviation from its predecessors within this competitive market segment. The card is available with 16GB of memory, but at a higher price point of $329, which may not justify the incremental benefits for Full HD gaming. In comparison, the Radeon RX 6700, especially the XT variant, offers 12GB of graphics memory on a 192-bit interface, potentially appealing to users seeking higher performance levels. Consumers should consider these alternatives, along with the RX 7600, and remain vigilant for any deals or promotions that might impact the overall value proposition of these graphics cards.
Performance
The AMD RX 7600 XT graphics card is engineered to cater to mainstream gaming needs. This model marks a modest advancement over its predecessor, the 6800 and even XT, with notable improvements in ray tracing performance. The card is particularly suited for gamers seeking to game in Full HD and sometimes even WQHD monitor resolutions. A significant feature of the RX 7000 series is its nicely fast rasterizer engine, which effectively resolves previous performance limitations and demonstrates robust raw shader engine performance. In comparison to NVIDIA's technologies, such as Ray Tracing and DLSS3 versus AMD's FSR2 and FSR3 perform well, though NVIDIA maintains a healthy lead in these areas. The RX 7600 XT series shows admirable performance when combined with FSR2/FSR3, and the use of FSR technology is recommended for optimal results.
Cooling & noise levels
Our test shows that gaming will get you an approximate volume level of an excellent 39-40 decibels for the tested sapphire PULSE OC model we tested, which is slightly audible. Moreover, the graphics card temperature is around 65 degrees Celsius. Furthermore, our utilization of FLIR imaging failed to unveil any worrisome observations.
Energy
Please keep in mind that the Radeon RX 7600 XT is positioned as a gaming product intended for the entry-level to mainstream market, it does consume a fair amount of energy. When operating at maximum load, approximately 190 Watts on average (total board power or TBP). This power consumption is directly linked to the amount of heat emitted by the GPU, which is situated within an enclosed casing.
Coil whine
Every graphics card will inevitably produce a discernible buzzing sound known as coil whine when operating at high FPS. Is it bothersome? It becomes noticeable once you push the frame rates to extremely high levels. In a closed computer case, this noise tends to recede into the background. However, when the chassis is open, the coil whine or squeal becomes audible. Almost all graphics cards exhibit this phenomenon to some extent, particularly when operating at higher frame rates. Despite its presence, we have not noticed it enough to be a significant inconvenience.
Pricing
The reference edition comes with a price tag of USD 329, which still can be considered substantial for a device primarily used for playing PC games in Full HD resolution. In the European Union, you must convert the currency and factor in the value-added tax, bringing the total to around 350 euros. Moreover, advanced AIB cards will be even more expensive. Based on MSRP this card, however, does offer the best bang for buck.
Tweaking
The boost clock frequency can be set at a suitable 3100MHz, although it may dynamically fluctuate to approximately 2850 MHz due to variations in frequencies across different game titles. Furthermore, the memory can be optimized to operate at around 19-19.5 Gbps. When all these adjustments are combined, they result in approximately 3% additional performance gains in demanding GPU scenarios, measured relative to the baseline performance. If you have a bit more time to spare, fool around with undervolting as described on the overclocking pages. You can yield roughly 7% extra performance in total.
Conclusion
The Radeon RX 7600 XT 16GB is a small refresh of the 7600, AMD added 8GB memory gave it a bit more power and clocked frequency and then repackaged the thing. Priced at $329, provides decent performance for Full HD gaming in its mainstream category, though it falls short of our expectations for a significant leap in performance with the new generation of products. Really the 7600 XT could have used a few more CUs. AMD has addressed the memory bandwidth limitations (128-bit) by incorporating an additional L3 cache, ensuring suitable performance up to a 1920x1080 resolution. However, it's necessary to mention that big L3 caches are not the solution for anything and everything. Once that cache runs try the bottleneck will be the GPU. AMD's ray tracing technology may not match the performance of its competitors, it still offers some utility for experimentation. FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution) can significantly boost performance at no extra cost. It's important to be aware that this "free" performance enhancement may come with compromises in image quality, making it suitable for certain scenarios. AMD's new frame generation solution however is interesting at the very least. The 8GB version costs $269, which is a more reasonable price range for the product positioning. $329 for the extra 8GB is not an unfair pricing, but for position, it might be a notch too much. In summary, the Radeon RX 7600 XT 16GB series delivers a solid Full HD gaming experience with a main focus on rasterized shading. The inclusion of a 32MB L3 cache greatly improves performance at Full HD resolutions. Despite its merits, the asking price remains somewhat high for the level of performance it offers in the context of the year 2024. Sapphire offers a graphics card at the manufacturer's suggested retail price featuring a compact design, low noise output, and manageable temperatures. Personally, we'd opt for the MSRP model and not this OC model as out of the box, and its performance closely matches the reference model, with maybe only about a 2% difference. Additionally, with some adjustments, users can extract slightly more performance from the card. Overall the 16GB is interesting enough, however, the price versus performance ratio is a bit icky, as well as energy efficiency. But for 1080p gaming, you're certainly good to go.
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