Radeon RX 6800 XT vs Radeon RX 9070 XT
On raw speed the Radeon RX 9070 XT comes out ahead: far and away the quicker card, about 41% ahead of the Radeon RX 6800 XT. That said, the Radeon RX 6800 XT is the smarter buy on value — $257 GBP less for the performance on offer.
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Radeon RX 9070 XT vs Radeon RX 6800 XT: In-Depth Breakdown
Performance: Radeon RX 9070 XT vs Radeon RX 6800 XT
The Radeon RX 9070 XT is dramatically faster, around 41% ahead of the Radeon RX 6800 XT. That gap is enough to move it up a tier: the Radeon RX 9070 XT is comfortable at 4K with upscaling and native 1440p, while the Radeon RX 6800 XT is better matched to 1440p.
Price & Value
The Radeon RX 6800 XT currently lists from $423 GBP, $257 GBP less than the Radeon RX 9070 XT at $680 GBP. Despite being slower, the Radeon RX 6800 XT offers the better performance-per-dollar (~14% better value), so budget-focused buyers should weigh it carefully. The Radeon RX 6800 XT is trading below its $649 GBP MSRP — a genuine deal. The Radeon RX 9070 XT still sits about $81 GBP above its $599 GBP MSRP.
Memory & Bandwidth
The Radeon RX 9070 XT's memory is faster — 645 GB/s versus 512 GB/s — which helps feed the GPU at 4K and with heavy textures.
Generation & Longevity
The Radeon RX 9070 XT is roughly 5 years newer than the Radeon RX 6800 XT (RDNA 4 vs RDNA 2), so it generally benefits from a more modern architecture and longer driver-support runway.
Which should you buy: Radeon RX 6800 XT or Radeon RX 9070 XT?
Choose the Radeon RX 9070 XT if you want the most performance and can absorb the higher price. If you're optimizing for value, the Radeon RX 6800 XT stretches your money further for only slightly lower performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Radeon RX 9070 XT better than the Radeon RX 6800 XT?
Which is better for 4K gaming, the Radeon RX 6800 XT or the Radeon RX 9070 XT?
Is the Radeon RX 9070 XT worth the extra $257 GBP over the Radeon RX 6800 XT?
Which should you buy: Radeon RX 6800 XT or Radeon RX 9070 XT?
Technical Specifications Comparison
Architecture & Cores
| Specification | Radeon RX 6800 XT | Radeon RX 9070 XT |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | RDNA 2 | RDNA 4 |
| Process Node | TSMC N7 | TSMC N4 |
| CUDA Cores (Stream Processors / Stream Processors) | 4,608✓ | 4,096 |
| Ray Tracing Cores | 72✓ | 64 |
| Tensor / AI Cores | — | 128 |
Clock Speeds
| Specification | Radeon RX 6800 XT | Radeon RX 9070 XT |
|---|---|---|
| Base Clock | 1,825 MHz✓ | 1,660 MHz |
| Boost Clock | 2,250 MHz | 2,970 MHz✓ |
Memory
| Specification | Radeon RX 6800 XT | Radeon RX 9070 XT |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR6 |
| Memory Bus | 256-bit | 256-bit |
| Memory Speed | 16 Gbps | 20 Gbps✓ |
| Bandwidth | 512 GB/s | 644.6 GB/s✓ |
Connectivity & Power
| Specification | Radeon RX 6800 XT | Radeon RX 9070 XT |
|---|---|---|
| Interface | PCIe 4.0 x16 | PCIe 5.0 x16 |
| TDP | 300 W✓ | 304 W |
| Power Connectors | 2x 8-pin | 2x 8-pin |
| Released | Oct 2020 | Mar 2025 |
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