The Best AMD RX 6900 XT Graphics Cards For Superb Gaming Performance
It has been a long time since AMD has directly competed with Nvidia for the crown of the fastest gaming graphics card on the market. Nvidia has been unrivaled in the high-end and flagship graphics card category for the last few generations now, and their RTX 2080 Super and RTX 2080Ti were unrivaled just last generation in raw gaming performance. AMD’s RX 5700XT did put up a decent fight against the RTX 2060 Super and even the RTX 2070 Super at times, but it was no match for the raw grunt of the RTX 2080 class cards. This allowed Nvidia to have a monopoly in the high-end market and therefore they were free to charge whatever they liked for their cards, which was evident with the $1200 price tag of the RTX 2080Ti.
Thankfully, that all changed this time around because AMD has finally introduced a graphics card to rival the top offering from Nvidia. The Radeon RX 6900 XT built on the new RDNA 2 architecture is the fastest card that AMD produces right now, and it goes head-to-head with the mighty RTX 3090 from Nvidia. Not only does the RX 6800 XT compete with Nvidia’s best, but it does so at a price tag that is $500 lower than what the RTX 3090 costs. Yes, it does have some ground to cover when it comes to Ray Tracing, and it does have a smaller memory buffer, but in raw rasterization performance, the RX 6900 XT is neck and neck with the RTX 3090.
Availability of the newer generation cards like the RX 6000 series as well as the RTX 3000 series is extremely poor as of the time of writing, with pricing being just as unreasonable to match. This roundup is meant to serve as a guide for when these cards are readily available to purchase everywhere at the prices that they are intended to be sold at. With that out of the way, here are the best AMD RX 6900 XT AIB partner graphics cards to buy.
1. PowerColor Red Devil Radeon RX 6900 XT
Devilishly Fast!
Pros
- Massive Heatsink
- Quiet Fans
- High Power Budget
- Beautiful RGB Bars
Cons
- Very High Price Tag
Stream Processors: 5120 | Base/Boost Clocks: 1825/2340 MHz | Memory: 16GB GDDR6 | Memory Bandwidth: 16 Gbps | Power Connectors: 2x PCIe 8-pin | Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a
Check PricePowerColor is one of the best exclusive partners of AMD’s Radeon division and their graphics cards are always among the finest partner cards around for AMD’s GPUs. The PowerColor Red Devil series is particularly loved among AMD fans due to its exceptional performance both in terms of thermals and in terms of its boosting behavior. The PowerColor Red Devil Radeon RX 6900 XT is no exception to this trend, as it tries to bring the best that PowerColor and AMD have to offer in one devilish package.
Continuing the trend of exceptional thermal performance, the PowerColor Red Devil RX 6900 XT offers one of the most well-built and robust cooling solutions among all of the partner cards in the market. The card features a huge heatsink with a triple-slot design that definitely calls for a case-clearance check. The massive heatsink spans the entire length of the card and is finned to increase the surface area of the metal. The increase in the surface area improves the rate of heat dissipation which positively affects the temperatures of the card. There is also a large copper base plate that makes direct contact with the heat-generating components such as the GPU die, the memory modules, and the power delivery components. Seven heatpipes are attached to the base plate which allows the efficient transfer of heat from the plate to the heatsink where it is dissipated with the help of fans.
Speaking of the fans, the Red Devil also packs 3 fans blowing downwards on the metal heatsink with the 2 outer fans being 100mm and the central fan being 90mm. This allows maximum coverage of the heatsink by the fans so that every part of the heatsink gets adequate airflow. The fans of the Red Devil are also really well-made and that makes the Red Devil one of the best performers in terms of acoustics in our roundup. PowerColor has tuned the Red Devil in such a way that the fans turn off at temperatures below 60 degrees Celcius for the GPU in order to prioritize silence.
Aesthetically, the PowerColor Red Devil is an exceptional specimen. The card is striking and unique with a really aggressive design that complements the name of the card really well. One of the most striking features of the card is the impressive RGB implementation which spans the side of the card as well as the front and back. PowerColor has included several thick prominent RGB strips on the end of the card that make their way to the front of the fan shroud as well in a tapering manner. This provides a really unique and aggressive look that is continuous with the entire theme of the card. The RGB effects and the patterns can be controlled by PowerColor’s Devil Zone RGB software.
Several additional features such as the Dual BIOS support and the impressive VRM design make it a great contender for overclocking as well. All in all, the PowerColor Red Devil RX 6900 XT is one of the best AIB variants of this graphics card and you should definitely jump on the chance if you find one in stock.
2. Sapphire Nitro+ Radeon RX 6900 XT
Sapphire's Flagship Delivers
Pros
- Extremely Impressive Acoustics
- Good Thermal Performance
- Clean Aesthetics
- Tasteful RGB Implementation
Cons
- Slightly Lower Boost Clock vs. the Red Devil
Stream Processors: 5120 | Base/Boost Clocks: 1875/2285 MHz | Memory: 16GB GDDR6 | Memory Bandwidth: 16 Gbps | Power Connectors: 2x PCIe 8-pin | Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a
One of the finest AMD partners, Sapphire, has also released an extremely impressive variant of the RX 6900 XT that definitely warrants consideration. The Nitro+ variant of the Radeon RX 6900 XT from Sapphire features superb performance and excellent build quality that makes this card one of the best RX 6900 XT variants. The Nitro+ is one of the most popular and fan-favorite series so it is no surprise that the latest addition is also an impressive specimen.
The Nitro+ is one of the best options when it comes to the thermal performance of the RX 6900 XT. It features a massive heatsink with an improved wave fin design that reduces turbulence and allows the air to flow smoothly. This improves both the thermals and the acoustics of the card. The card actually features several smaller heatsinks as well which are responsible for heat dissipation from the memory modules and the VRM components. This approach allows the Nitro+ to have the most impressive thermal numbers when it comes to the VRAM and VRM temperatures. Several heatpipes allow the efficient transfer of heat from the metal base plate to the large heatsink where the heat is dissipated.
Sapphire has included 3 fans in the Nitro+ that direct air straight down through the heatsink in order to dissipate the heat from the card. The design of the fans is now improved as compared to the previous Nitro+ models, as the new fans now feature a 12-blade hybrid fan system. This allows the fan to push large volumes of air while keeping the quiet axial fan design. The fans also turn off when the GPU is idle or the power consumption is relatively low.
The Sapphire Nitro+ is also one sleek looking graphics card. It does not have an aggressive and striking design like the Red Devil but it is still a beautiful card with a minimalistic design on the fan shroud. It pairs a sleek design with subtle RGB implementation to make a clean-looking card. The RGB of the card is distributed in places where it makes sense, and it can be configured via the TriXX software from Sapphire. The TriXX software also allows you to choose one of the 3 BIOS options that Sapphire has included with the Nitro+.
Overall, the Nitro+ another variant that you should be on the lookout for if you want to buy a premium RX 6900 XT.
3. XFX Speedster MERC319 RX 6900 XT
The Overclocking Champion!
Pros
- Minimalistic Design
- Impressive Overclocking Headroom
- High Clock Speeds
Cons
- Lack of Lighting
- Big Price Premium
Stream Processors: 5120 | Base/Boost Clocks: 1925/2340 MHz | Memory: 16GB GDDR6 | Memory Bandwidth: 16 Gbps | Power Connectors: 2x PCIe 8-pin | Outputs: 1x USB Type-C, 1x HDMI 2.1, 2x DisplayPort 1.4a
Featuring one of the longest names for any graphics card on the market, the XFX Speedster MERC319 Radeon RX 6900 XT is the new flagship variant from XFX. Not only does it have an unusually long name, but it also has an unusually long length at 340mm. It is one of the largest gaming graphics cards ever made by any company and it definitely warrants a case-clearance check.
All this length and heft does come with its advantages. The MERC319 is one of the best performers in terms of clock speeds and overclocking headroom among all the RX 6900 XT variants. It features a custom robust power delivery system and a very high TDP that allows the MERC319 to have an exceptionally high power budget for overclocking. XFX has also equipped the card with a Dual-BIOS feature that is also a nice touch. Many people have easily broken the 2.5 GHz barrier with the overclocking power of the Speedster MERC319.
These high clock speeds do produce a lot of heat but thankfully, the MERC319 is equipped to handle that. The massive cooling system of the card features two 100mm fans on either side and a central 92mm fan that helps to direct air downwards and through the big heatsink. The heatsink runs through the entire length of the card and features seven heatpipes which help a lot in heat dissipation. There is also a large copper base plate that serves to take the heat from the heat-generating components towards the heatsink where it is dissipated. The MERC319 is also a quiet card due to its larger fans and bigger heatsink that keep its temperatures in check.
As far as looks go, the Speedster MERC319 does not stand out from the crowd all that well. It is a nice looking graphics card for sure, but it does not have anything special in its design language to be a selling feature. XFX wanted this card to be a very performance-focused variant with few bells-and-whistles in terms of aesthetics and that is exactly what they have achieved. In fact, the only lighting in the MERC319 is confined to the lettering on the side of the card. XFX has opted for a minimalistic and industrial design and they have definitely achieved that goal.
The MERC319 is a performance-driven card that has great out-of-the-box performance with a lot of overclocking potential. Enthusiasts who like to tinker with their hardware should keep their eyes peeled for this one.
4. ASUS TUF Gaming Radeon RX 6900 XT OC
A More Reasonable 6900 XT
Pros
- Affordable Price Premium
- Good Cooling Performance
- Impressive Boost Clock
Cons
- Low Overclocking Headroom
- Minimal Lighting
Stream Processors: 5120 | Base/Boost Clocks: 1825/2340 MHz | Memory: 16GB GDDR6 | Memory Bandwidth: 16 Gbps | Power Connectors: 2x PCIe 8-pin | Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1, 3x DisplayPort 1.4a
While the $1000 price tag of the reference RX 6900 XT is not cheap by any means, that does not mean that you should completely ignore the price-to-performance focused cards when shopping at this price point. Many value-focused partner cards like the ASUS TUF Gaming RX 6900 XT can deliver most of the performance benefits of the more expensive variants at a relatively affordable price point. While yes, the TUF Gaming does not have the bells-and-whistles of an ASUS Strix card, but it is definitely an option worth considering for a nice affordable RX 6900 XT.
The cooling solution of the ASUS TUF Gaming RX 6900 XT is also reasonably efficient even if we compare it to some of the more premium models. The 2.9-slot wide card has a big, bulky heatsink that is reasonably finned to increase surface area and thus aid in the card’s cooling performance. Heat-generating components such as the GPU, VRAM modules, and VRM components make direct contact with a large base plate that directs heat away from the core towards the large heatsink where it is dissipated.
The acoustic performance of the TUF Gaming RX 6900 XT is also pretty good considering its small premium. ASUS has gone with the same Axial-tech fans which feature an 11/13-blade fan design depending on the position of the fan. These fans are also present in the much more expensive ROG Strix variant. The central fan spins in the opposite direction as compared to the other fans and that helps to minimize turbulence. The fans are also exceptionally quiet under load and they turn off when idle in order to prioritize silence.
The TUF Gaming RX 6900 XT is not one of the best-looking cards out there but one has to give it a certain amount of slack due to its reasonable price margin. It features an industrial design with a rugged theme that corresponds with the name of the card itself. Lighting is limited to just the TUF logo and a small strip on the very edge of the card. Having such little lighting might not be ideal for some people, but others might prefer this approach for a stealthy look. Overall, the card looks good but those looking for aesthetics might want to look elsewhere depending on their preferences.
All in all, the ASUS TUF Gaming RX 6900 XT is one of the options on the market that makes more sense due to its impressive price point. It does not command a large premium like the other variants in this list, but it does provide excellent thermal and acoustic performance and has all the necessary features. Users who are looking for a good value variant of the RX 6900 XT should definitely consider the TUF Gaming RX 6900 XT.
