Radeon RX 5700 XT vs Radeon RX 6650 XT
Performance-wise the Radeon RX 6650 XT is out front, marginally faster, roughly 6% up on the Radeon RX 5700 XT. It is also the stronger value pick here, so it's the easy recommendation if your budget allows.
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Radeon RX 6650 XT vs Radeon RX 5700 XT: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: Radeon RX 6650 XT vs Radeon RX 5700 XT
The Radeon RX 6650 XT is marginally faster, around 6% ahead of the Radeon RX 5700 XT. Both cards sit in the same broad class, well suited to 1080p.
Price & Value
Right now the Radeon RX 6650 XT starts at $440 USD against $822 USD for the Radeon RX 5700 XT. Because it's both faster and competitively priced, the Radeon RX 6650 XT wins on performance-per-dollar by about 97%. The Radeon RX 5700 XT still sits about $423 USD above its $399 USD MSRP.
Power & Efficiency
The Radeon RX 6650 XT sips power at 180W next to the Radeon RX 5700 XT's 225W, and still leads on performance-per-watt — quieter, cooler, and gentler on your PSU. Its more modern RDNA 2 architecture on a TSMC N7 process is part of why it does more with each watt.
Memory & Bandwidth
The Radeon RX 5700 XT's memory is faster — 448 GB/s versus 280 GB/s (256-bit vs 128-bit bus) — which helps feed the GPU at 4K and with heavy textures.
Generation & Longevity
The Radeon RX 6650 XT is roughly 3 years newer than the Radeon RX 5700 XT (RDNA 2 vs RDNA), so it generally benefits from a more modern architecture and longer driver-support runway.
Which should you buy: Radeon RX 5700 XT or Radeon RX 6650 XT?
The Radeon RX 6650 XT is the all-round winner here — it's faster and the better value, so buy it if it fits your budget. Only consider the Radeon RX 5700 XT if you find it at a steep discount.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Radeon RX 6650 XT better than the Radeon RX 5700 XT?
Which is better for 4K gaming, the Radeon RX 5700 XT or the Radeon RX 6650 XT?
Is the Radeon RX 5700 XT worth the extra $382 USD over the Radeon RX 6650 XT?
Which should you buy: Radeon RX 5700 XT or Radeon RX 6650 XT?
Technical Specifications Comparison
Architecture & Cores
| Specification | Radeon RX 5700 XT | Radeon RX 6650 XT |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | RDNA | RDNA 2 |
| Process Node | TSMC N7 | TSMC N7 |
| CUDA Cores (Stream Processors / Stream Processors) | 2,560✓ | 2,048 |
| Ray Tracing Cores | — | 32 |
Clock Speeds
| Specification | Radeon RX 5700 XT | Radeon RX 6650 XT |
|---|---|---|
| Base Clock | 1,605 MHz | 2,055 MHz✓ |
| Boost Clock | 1,905 MHz | 2,635 MHz✓ |
Memory
| Specification | Radeon RX 5700 XT | Radeon RX 6650 XT |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR6 |
| Memory Bus | 256-bit✓ | 128-bit |
| Memory Speed | 14 Gbps | 17.5 Gbps✓ |
| Bandwidth | 448 GB/s✓ | 280 GB/s |
Connectivity & Power
| Specification | Radeon RX 5700 XT | Radeon RX 6650 XT |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 4.0 x16 | PCIe 4.0 x8 |
| TDP | 225 W | 180 W✓ |
| Power Connectors | 1x 8-pin + 1x 6-pin | 1x 8-pin |
| Released | Jul 2019 | May 2022 |