Introduction
AMD launched the Radeon RX 6000 series of video cards on November 18th, 2020 known as Big Navi. At the very high-end is the $999 Radeon RX 6900 XT. Right below that is the $649 Radeon RX 6800 XT and then below that is the $579 Radeon RX 6800. We just recently overclocked the Radeon RX 6800 XT and achieved better performance that made it compete well with the GeForce RTX 3080 FE. Now it is time to overclock the $579 Radeon RX 6800 video card.
At $579 the Radeon RX 6800 is in an odd place. It is much more expensive than NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 3070 FE at $499 MSRP, and it’s much cheaper than the GeForce RTX 3080 FE at $699 which is where the Radeon RX 6800 XT competes. So, while you would think the GeForce RTX 3070 FE might be the right comparison, in truth the Radeon RX 6800 and GeForce RTX 3070 FE are $80 apart, so we’d hope the Radeon RX 6800 is faster at that kind of price difference.
There is just nothing from NVIDIA at the moment that compares at that price point. Therefore, in this review, we will include both the GeForce RTX 3070 FE and GeForce RTX 3080 FE to show where the Radeon RX 6800 fits in-between. We will also include the Radeon RX 6800 XT to give a perspective of how far apart they are.
You can read about the AMD Radeon RX 6800 launch in our review. We will give you a brief overview before we dive into overclocking. The $579 Radeon RX 6800 is based on AMD’s new RDNA2 architecture and manufactured on TSMC 7nm. It has 60 Compute Units, 60 Ray Accelerators, 3,840 Stream Processors, 96 ROPs, and 128MB of AMD Infinity Cache. The Game GPU Clock is set at 1815MHz and the Boost GPU Clock (up to) is 2105MHz. It has 16GB of GDDR6 at 16GHz on a 256-bit memory bus providing 512GB/s of memory bandwidth. The Board Power is rated at 250W.
How to Overclock the Radeon RX 6800
How do you overclock the AMD Radeon RX 6800 video card? Before we find out how high it can overclock, we first need to find out what it runs at by default. AMD has two different clock domains. There is the Game Clock and the “Max” Boost Clock that the GPU is capable of boosting to in certain workloads. For the most part, the Game Clock of 1815MHz is what you should expect while gaming.
However, because of the dynamic nature of the GPU frequency, it can clock up to 2105MHz while gaming. Basically, the clock speed will be anywhere between 1815-2105MHz while gaming. It will jump all over the place based on many sensor inputs about thermals, temp, power, voltage, and even the level of workload and types of workload that is stressing different parts of the GPU.
In the graph above you can see that the default GPU frequency for the Radeon RX 6800 while gaming jumps around a lot. It is anywhere from 1935MHz to 2290MHz. For the most part, it’s around the 2215-2255MHz range. If we take an average of all the frequencies shown above the average clock is 2218MHz. That is much higher than the 1815MHz game clock range and even exceeds the 2105MHz max boost clock. So, while gaming, this video card already reaches beyond the boost clock.
According to GPUz, it is doing this at a GPU Voltage of 1.025V at 51% fan speed and 72c GPU temp. GPU Chip Power Draw is 204W.
Highest Overclock on Radeon RX 6800
Overclocking the AMD Radeon RX 6800 is limited at the moment in what software programs support overclocking. At this time, MSI Afterburner will not work. We have to rely on the features available in the AMD Radeon Software itself for overclocking. Thankfully, these days that support and features are very comprehensive. It allows customizing power target, fan speed, GPU frequency, and memory frequency and timings. It does not, however, allow us to raise the Voltage at the moment on the Radeon RX 6800 GPU. Our maximum overclock is shown in the screenshot below.
The first thing to note from the AMD Performance Tuning is that we were able to manually overclock. We were able to increase the Power Tuning by 15%. This is essential, and the most we could raise it. Second, we were able to turn on advanced control for the fan speed and raise it to 100% at all times and also turn off the Zero RPM fan feature. We set the fan at 100% to ensure the highest overclock.
GPU Frequency
Next up is the GPU frequency, this is where it gets a little complex. There are two options, a Min Frequency and a Max Frequency. On the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT we ended up raising both the Min Frequency and Max Frequency to hone in a higher overclock. On the Radeon RX 6800 though, we found that we only needed to raise the Max Frequency. There was no improvement to the overclock by raising the Min Frequency, so we ended up just leaving it at default.
Pushing the Max Frequency up, we tried the highest setting on the slider which is 2600MHz. We were actually able to game for a few minutes, but then it would lock up. While it was working, we noticed frequencies of about 2560MHz. However, this was just a bit too high to be stable, as we said games would crash after a few minutes. We backed the frequency down to 2500MHz on the slider, and found this setting to be very stable.
We tried to set it a bit higher to 2500MHz Min Frequency and 2700MHz Max Frequency, and while this setting actually worked, it actually lowered game performance at 4K and with Ray Tracing. So, when we backed it down to 2400MHz-2600MHz then we saw the most positive performance increases. We’ll see what turns out in real-world frequency below. As for the GPU Voltage, we were not able to increase it at all, it was locked at a maximum of 1150mV.
Memory
On the memory side of things Performance Tuning only let us set the memory up to a maximum of 2150MHz. The default speed is 2000MHz. The slider simply would not go any higher, so the memory is locked at a maximum of 2150MHz. This results in a maximum memory frequency of 17.2GHz versus the default of 16GHz. That boosts the memory bandwidth up to 550GB/s up from the default of 512GB/s. We think the memory might be capable of more, but it’s simply software locked.
Overclock Comparison Graph
Here is the graph that shows how the overclock compares to the default frequency. The orange line is the overclock, blue is the default. You will notice that the overclock is definitely higher, it is hitting as high as 2445MHz. At times we are seeing clock speed increases in the order of about 230MHz more which is quite significant. The overall average of the clock speed frequency above is 2372MHz, which compared to the default of 2218MHz is an overclock of 7%.
GPUz
According to GPUz, the Voltage remains at 1.025V, GPU temperature is 61c and GPU Temperature Hot Spot is 81c at 88% fan speed (for some reason it didn’t quite get up to 100% even though we set it.) The GPU Chip Power Draw increases to 233W.
FAQs
Is AMD Radeon RX 6800 good for gaming? ›
The AMD Radeon RX 6800 is a good choice for: Gamers who want an excellent graphics card for playing in 1440p or even 4K resolutions. Team Red fans who want a powerful Radeon GPU with ray accelerators. Anyone who's looking for a GPU with low power consumption and efficient cooling.
Can you overclock RX 6800? ›We just recently overclocked the Radeon RX 6800 XT and achieved better performance that made it compete well with the GeForce RTX 3080 FE.
Is AMD Radeon RX 6800 worth it? ›Users can expect competitive gaming performance out of the 6800 XT. The numbers get quite close to RTX 3080 in most titles and the Radeon card even beats an RTX 3080 in numerous scenarios. Thus, it is no wonder that the RX 6800 XT is a top choice among gamers these days.
Is the RX 6800 better than RTX 3070? ›For most games, the RX 6800 will give you the better performance. If you want to indulge in ray tracing titles, however, the RTX 3070 is likely a better bet coupled with DLSS. Considering this technology is still maturing, the performance nod does go the to RX 6800 for most use cases especially at lower resolutions.
Is the RX 6800 high-end? ›The AMD Radeon RX 6800 marks AMD's return to the high-end graphics card market, delivering 4K gaming performance on par with the RTX 3070.
Can a RX 6800 run 1440p 144Hz? ›PowerColor RX 6800 XT Red Devil: Best AMD graphics card for 1440p 144Hz gaming overall. The fastest 1440p 144Hz AMD GPU is the RX 6800 XT. The card is quite capable and, in rasterization, it's faster than the RTX 3080@1440p. You also get 16GB of memory instead of 12GB.
What is power limit AMD? ›This feature controls the level of power sent to the GPU. Increasing this value can improve GPU performance by allowing the GPU to maintain its highest clock frequency. Power Limit can be increased or reduced as a percentage and should be set to the maximum when increasing GPU or Memory clock frequency.
Can you Undervolt a GPU? ›Undervolting is the process of reducing the voltage your GPU has access to. Ideally, this aims to maintain performance relatively close to stock settings whilst boosting efficiency. Power draw and heat are the main targets for improvement with undervolting.
How do I Underclock my AMD GPU? ›To underclock, you need to either move the core clock slider to the left to its default place (the '+0' position) or move it even further to get it lower than its factory clock. This will depend on your reason for underclocking your graphics card.
Is 6800 better than 6800xt? ›As you can see, the 6800 XT offers superior hardware over the 6800.
What does AMD Radeon RX 6800 graphics card do? ›
The AMD Radeon™ RX 6800 graphics card, powered by AMD RDNA™ 2 architecture, featuring 60 powerful enhanced Compute Units, 128 MB of all new AMD Infinity Cache and up to 16GB of dedicated GDDR6 memory, is engineered to deliver ultra-high frame rates and serious 4K resolution gaming.
Does Rx 6800 have ray tracing? ›Yes, ray tracing is now part and parcel of AMD's high-end parts, and we wanted to get a grip on just how effective the Radeon rendition of the technology is in the RX 6800 XT - and how it compares to its closest rival, the RTX 3080.
What is the RX 6800 equivalent to? ›...
SPECS COMPARISON.
| AMD RX 6800 | Nvidia RTX 3070 |
|---|---|
| 16 GBPS Memory Speed | 14 GBPS Memory Speed |
| 512 GB/S Memory Bandwidth | 448 GB/S Memory Bandwidth |
| 256-BIT Memory Interface | 256-BIT Memory Interface |
| 250W | 220W |
As of this week, the RX 6800 XT is AMD's closest competitor to the RTX 3080. It is a slightly lower price, uses less power, and is usually faster than the RTX 3080 at 1080p and 1440p, but is much worse at ray tracing, and is also slower at 4K in most games.
What AMD card is equal to 3070? ›The competition for the Nvidia RTX 3070 is the AMD RX 6700 XT launched in March of 2021.
Is Rx better than RTX? ›Performance Summary
First, here's the 1080p data and we see that on average, the RTX 3080 is just 3% slower than the RX 6800 XT. If we remove the best and worst result, the margin remains the same, and if we just remove Metro Exodus, the RTX 3080 is ~4% slower on average.
Despite its release dating back just over a year now, the latest RDNA2 architecture still offers more than adequate performance. In this review, we will take a closer look at the AMD Radeon RX 6800 with 16 GB of VRAM.
What is the AMD equivalent to RTX? ›NVIDIA's RTX 3060 offers similar raw performance as the AMD RX 6600, plus it has better ray-tracing capabilities backed up by DLSS. However, despite similar list prices, the RTX 3060 is now being sold for considerably more than the RX 6600 due to stock shortages.
What is good fps for 1440p? ›Remember, you need to aim for high frame rates as well as pumping up graphics options and increasing the resolution to enhance your gaming experience. And 100 FPS at maximum detail on 1440p would be better than 20 FPS on 4K.
How much RAM do I need for 1440p gaming? ›If you want to play games on 1440p resolution you need minimum 16Gb ram.
What GPU is good for 1080p 144Hz? ›
For example, if you want 1080p 144 Hz performance in games like Cyberpunk 2077, Dying Light 2, or Forza Horizon 5, then you will definitely need a high-end GPU chipset like NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070,AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT,NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 .
Can a RX 6800 play 4K? ›4K native at 60 fps, even without ray tracing, is going to be more difficult, even on high-end PC hardware. The good news is that many games easily reach 60+ fps at 4K on the RX 6800 XT cards, along with other extreme performance GPUs.
Can AMD 6800 do 4K? ›The RX 6800 manages to nudge ahead of the 2080 Ti by a 9% margin and the 3070 by a 7% margin even at 4K. With 147 fps on average, it's a pretty great 4K experience. Next up we have F1 2020 and at 1440p we're looking at a 13% boost for the 6800 over the RTX 3070, taking the average frame rate to 171 fps.
What does AMD Radeon RX 6800 graphics card do? ›The AMD Radeon™ RX 6800 graphics card, powered by AMD RDNA™ 2 architecture, featuring 60 powerful enhanced Compute Units, 128 MB of all new AMD Infinity Cache and up to 16GB of dedicated GDDR6 memory, is engineered to deliver ultra-high frame rates and serious 4K resolution gaming.
Does Rx 6800 have ray tracing? ›Yes, ray tracing is now part and parcel of AMD's high-end parts, and we wanted to get a grip on just how effective the Radeon rendition of the technology is in the RX 6800 XT - and how it compares to its closest rival, the RTX 3080.
Is 6800 better than 6800xt? ›As you can see, the 6800 XT offers superior hardware over the 6800.
How much VRAM does the 6800 have? ›Despite its release dating back just over a year now, the latest RDNA2 architecture still offers more than adequate performance. In this review, we will take a closer look at the AMD Radeon RX 6800 with 16 GB of VRAM.
What is the Nvidia equivalent to the RX 6800? ›| AMD RX 6800 | Nvidia RTX 3070 |
|---|---|
| 512 GB/S Memory Bandwidth | 448 GB/S Memory Bandwidth |
| 256-BIT Memory Interface | 256-BIT Memory Interface |
| 250W | 220W |
| $580 USD | $500 USD |
The AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT is no doubt one of the best AMD graphics cards we've come across in years. It provides excellent 1440p gaming performance, and plenty of features that will actually be usable from day one.
Is rx6600 good for gaming? ›The Radeon RX 6600 is very capable of handling gaming at 1080p resolution. Gamers can expect to max out their settings in almost every title and enjoy playable 60+ FPS in most games. In terms of raw raster performance, this card is among the best products on the market to play games in 1080p.
What power supply do I need for 6800 XT? ›
A 650W PSU is for combinations that include a stock RX 6800 XT and a 65W or 105W CPU. Something like an overclocked 10900K or factory OC RX 6800 XT models require more powerful power supplies. On the other side, a 650W power supply should be a sweet spot for the RX 6800, even when paired with any modern CPU.
How long is the AMD Radeon RX 6800? ›At 10.5 inches long, the Radeon RX 6800 is just as long as its more-powerful big brother, the AMD RX 6800 XT.
Does Rx 6800 have DLSS? ›RX 6800 XT (NO DLSS) 4K - YouTube.
Does Rx 6800 have Cuda cores? ›...
Specs and performance.
| RX 6800 XT | RTX 3080 | |
|---|---|---|
| GPU Cores | 4,608 Stream processors | 8,704 CUDA cores |
| Ray tracing cores | 72 Ray Accelerators | 68 Gen 2 RT cores |
| Tensor cores | N/A | 272 |
| Base clock | TBD | 1,440MHz |
Performance Summary
First, here's the 1080p data and we see that on average, the RTX 3080 is just 3% slower than the RX 6800 XT. If we remove the best and worst result, the margin remains the same, and if we just remove Metro Exodus, the RTX 3080 is ~4% slower on average.
If having the highest frame rate possible is important to you, go with AMD. For instance, the RTX 3070 gets 10 fps more than the RX 6700 XT running Cyberpunk 2077 (1080p ultra, no ray tracing), but it's also about $100 more expensive than the RX 6700 XT and $0.50 more per frame.
Which is better AMD Radeon or Nvidia RTX? ›Nvidia wins for 4K and ray tracing performance, AMD wins for standard 1080p and 1440p gaming, and also in performance at similar high-end and mid-range price points. DLSS also counts in Nvidia's favor, however, and while FSR 2.0 might be relatively competitive, it works on any GPU.