Graphics cards equipped with AMD's XT chips resemble Nvidia's Ti versions in many ways: they're similar but engineered to consume more power to squeeze out extra performance whenever feasible. AMD's Radeon RX 7600 XT fits just above the RX 7600, starting at around $50 more ($330), but premium models like the XFX Speedster Qick309 RX 7600 XT, which I've had hands-on experience with, can fetch a slightly higher price tag of $350.
The Qick309 has a smaller, more affordable counterpart, the $330 Swft210. It features two fans instead of three and operates at lower clock speeds. Consequently, it draws less power and requires only a single 8-pin power connection, unlike the Qick. (It's worth noting that AMD doesn't produce its own card for this GPU.)
There's a noticeable performance gap, especially between the Qick309 and the RX 7600 I assessed last year, though it's not consistent across all metrics. The additional 8GB offered by the XT variant allows for better quality settings in both 1080p and 1440p, and the added power can make some games more playable in 4K, provided you're willing to leverage AMD's upscaling and optimization tools.
The specifications of the XFX Speedster Qick309 Radeon RX 7600 XT are as follows:
- Memory: 16GB GDDR6
- Memory bandwidth: 288GBps (effective 476.9)
- Memory clock: 2.25GHz
- GPU clock: 2.539GHz (game), 2.810GHz (boost)
- Memory data rate/Interface: 18Gbps/128 bits
- Compute units and Ray accelerators: 32
- Streaming multiprocessors: 2,048
- AI accelerators: 64
- Process: 6nm
- Total board power: 190 watts (165w TGP)
- Max thermal: 212F/100C
- Connectors: 3 x DP 2.1, 1 x HDMI 2.1
- Bus: PCIe 4.0x8
- Size: 2.5 slots; 11.9 x 4.5 in (302 x 114mm)
- Launch price: $350
- Ship date: January 24, 2024
The smaller size and lower power consumption of the Swft model make it suitable for upgrading compact systems over the three-fan model. However, considering the minimal $20 price difference, its only advantage seems to be its longevity, courtesy of the 16GB VRAM.
For those on a tighter budget, deciding between the RX 7600 XT and the less powerful GeForce RTX 4060 (priced at about $300) can be challenging unless ray tracing or DirectX 12 Ultimate features are significant for your gaming needs.
As expected, the Qick309 7600XT closely resembles the Qick319 7700 XT I reviewed in September 2023, sharing similar designs differentiated mainly by fan count and size. While the 7600 XT seemed adequately cooled even with its three fans, it might be overkill, especially considering it didn't get excessively hot during my tests, although overclocking could change that.
Despite its smaller form factor compared to the 7700 XT, the 7600 XT might not be suitable for small to mid-size systems as it could pose installation challenges due to tight power connectors.
Like all models in the RX 7000 series, the RX 7600 XT supports DisplayPort 2.1, offering ample bandwidth for high-resolution gaming and enhanced HDR capabilities.
In terms of performance, the RX 7600 XT delivers as expected, performing admirably at 1080p and 1440p resolutions. However, achieving satisfactory results at 4K, especially with ray tracing, may require compromises in frame rates and quality settings.
While AMD's latest FidelityFX Super Resolution 3 offers performance boosts, its efficacy varies depending on the game and settings, sometimes resulting in oversharpening and aliasing issues.
Ultimately, the RX 7600 XT presents a compelling price-to-performance proposition for 1440p gaming but falls short for those eyeing 4K upgrades down the line.
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