Radeon RX 6600 (Sapphire Pulse) review

ZAH Computers Tech Editorial

ZAH Computers Hardware Research Desk

We invite you to join us as we analyze a fresh iteration of NAVI23-based graphics cards. Specifically, we will be examining the Radeon RX 6600 (non-XT) and, in particular, the Sapphire Pulse variant in this evaluation. If it truly lives up to AMD's claims of being a price-to-performance powerhouse, we will delve deeper into it. Historically, the x600 series has been positioned between entry-level and mainstream, typically in the 150–200 USD range. However, in 2021, we are now looking at a starting price of 339 USD for a graphics card targeted at the Full HD range. The 6600 cards will feature a GPU based on NAVI23. This means that the Navi 23 GPU is being repurposed, but its performance in the render engine is somewhat limited. The cards are equipped with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory connected via a 128-bit wide memory interface, which is quite restrictive. A 32 MB Infinity Cache is acting as a buffer to mitigate the limitation to some extent. The series card is anticipated to perform at the same level as the RX 5700 and GTX 2060, making it a viable option for 1080p gaming or a feasible choice for 1440p gaming. While the Radeon RX 6600 XT contains 2048 stream processors, the RX 6600 is equipped with 1792 of them. Numerous companies (AIB/AIC) have announced their own versions and configurations of the card. The Navi 23 chip has been in use as the Radeon RX 6600M graphics solution for notebooks, alongside the Radeon RX 6800M and 6700M graphics solutions for laptops. Most cards will feature a dual-slot dual-fan cooler and a single 8-pin PCI-Express graphics connection with a power consumption of 132 watts. The base reference price for the Radeon RX 6600 XT is 379 USD, while the 6600 is priced at 339 USD. Custom-designed board partner cards with enhanced cooling are expected to exceed the 350 USD mark. Pricing is the main concern for this product series. The table below outlines the key specifications for a better understanding.

AMD Radeon RX 6000 Series
	RX 6900 XT	RX 6800XT	RX 6800	RX 6700 XT	RX 6600 XT	RX 6600
GPU	Navi 21 XT(XH)	Navi 21 XT	Navi 21 XL	Navi 22 XT	Navi 23 XT	Navi 23 XL
Cores	5120	4608	3840	2560	2048	1792
TMUs	320	288	240	160	128	112
ROPs	128	128	96	64	64	64
Infinity Cache	128 MB	128 MB	128 MB	96 MB	32 MB	32 MB
Boost Clock	2250 MHz	2250 MHz	2105 MHz	2581 MHz	2589 MHz	2491 MHz
Memory Clock	16 Gbps	16 Gbps	16 Gbps	16 Gbps	16 Gbps	16 Gbps
Memory	16 GB GDDR6	16 GB GDDR6	16 GB GDDR6	12 GB GDDR6	8 GB GDDR6	8 GB GDDR6
Memory Bus	256-bit	256-bit	256-bit	192-bit	128-bit	128-bit
Bandwidth	512 GB/s	512 GB/s	512 GB/s	384 GB/s	256 GB/s	256 GB/s
TBP	300W	300W	250W	230W	160W	132W
MSRP	999 USD	649 USD	579 USD	479 USD	379 USD	339 USD
Launch Date	December 2020	November 2020	November 2020	March 2021	August 2021	October 2021

In this particular evaluation, we will examine the Sapphire Pulse variant, which, although less intricate compared to a premium model, falls short of truly embodying its namesake. The graphics card boasts standard clock speeds and is equipped with dual fans. With a length of 20 centimeters, it showcases a compact form factor. Moreover, it operates quietly. Without further ado, let us delve into the review by presenting some visuals and providing a brief overview of the architecture.