AMD introduces the Radeon 6000 series, more powerful and less expensive

AMD has just unveiled its Radeon 6000 series , also known as Big Navi or Navi 21. These cards are based on the RDNA 2 architecture and support ray tracing and variable rate shading. At first glance, these cards appear to be more powerful but less expensive than Nvidia's 30 series cards.

AMD is making a strong statement and leaving its rival Nvidia unmoved. AMD aims to repeat its success with Intel in the CPU market by producing high-performance products at lower prices. AMD is steadily gaining market share from its long-time rival, Intel. The Radeon RX 6800 and RX 6800 XT graphics cards will be released on November 18, 2020, while the RX 6900 XT will be available on December 8, 2020.

Configurations and prices of the new cards

The Radeon RX 6800 has 60 compute units and a base clock speed of 1.815 GHz, with a boost clock speed of 2.105 GHz. It features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory and 128 MB of Infinity cache. This card consumes 250 watts.

The Radeon RX 6800 XT has 72 compute units and its transistors switch at 2.015 GHz. In boost mode, the frequency reaches 2.250 GHz. It has 16 GB of GDDR6 memory, a 128 MB Infinity cache, and a TDP of 300 Watts.

As for the Radeon RX 6900 XT , it has 80 compute units and a base clock speed of 2.015 GHz. Its boost clock speed is 2.250 GHz . Its TDP is 300 watts. It features 16 GB of GDDR6 memory and a 128 MB Infinity cache .

AMD's 6000 series cards are more attractively priced. The Radeon RX 6800 costs $579, the Radeon RX 6800 XT is $649, and the Radeon RX 6900 XT is $999. As a reminder, here are the prices for Nvidia cards: the GeForce RTX 3090 costs €1549, the GeForce RTX 3080 €719, and the GeForce RTX 3070 €519.

The performance of these Radeon RX 6000 series cards

These cards are based on the RDNA 2 architecture , also used in Microsoft's Xbox Series X/S consoles and Sony's PS5. AMD introduces a 128MB Infinity cache. This allows for memory speeds up to 3.25 times faster with a 256 -bit memory bus and makes a significant difference at 4K resolution. These cards support ray tracing and deliver frame rates that approach or even exceed those of Nvidia. The 300-watt RX 6800 XT, for example, is capable of delivering more FPS than Nvidia's GeForce RTX 3080 (320 watts). Considering the TDP (Thermal Design Power), since AMD cards consume less power, it can be said that AMD has produced cards capable of competing with Nvidia's at reduced prices. However, we must wait for benchmarks from independent reviewers to confirm these figures provided by AMD.

These Radeon 6000 series cards are based on the RDNA 2 architecture, with the GPU manufactured using a 7-nanometer process. This explains the cards' smaller size and lower power consumption. It's worth noting that GeForce 30 series cards are based on an 8-nanometer process. These AMD graphics cards offer 50% more performance compared to the previous generation. They support Ray Tracing and VRS ( Variable Rate Shading ). Previous features such as Fidelity FX, AMD FreeSync, and Radeon Anti-Lag are also present. Fidelity FX optimizes visuals by displaying more detail, color, and reflections without using significant GPU resources. AMD FreeSync delivers lag-free and smooth images, enabling 4K resolution at 240 FPS or 8K resolution at 60 FPS or even higher. As for Anti-Lag , it allows for faster response times per click.

AMD, however, didn't elaborate on ray tracing, which leaves some doubt among experts. These performance figures are based on games with normal rendering and no ray tracing enabled. We'll know for sure when the cards are available for testing. In any case, AMD seems to be giving Nvidia a run for its money with its brand-new products.