MSI Radeon RX 6800 Review | 118 Data compared

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  • Avg. price in UK: ~£690
  • Avg. price in US: ~$450
  • VRAM: 16 GB
  • Memory bus width: 256 bit
  • Thermal Design Power (TDP): 250 W

MSI Radeon RX 6800 review. Compare 118 technical specifications and user reviews to see how it ranks among graphics cards and if it is worth buying.

7.2

Overall score

What it is: An overall evaluation of the graphics card's quality, based on technical analyses and user reviews.

When it matters: When you need a quick reference to identify the best graphics cards on the market.

Score components:

90.0%

7.0

Technical Score

10.0%

9.2

User score

Very good
7.0

Technical Score

What it is: An assessment of the graphics card's technical performance, covering key areas such as gaming and rendering performance, ray tracing, memory configuration, power efficiency, cooling, connectivity, features, and build quality.

When it matters: When you want to compare graphics cards based on technical performance and available features.

Score components:

44.0%

6.4

Performance

24.0%

6.4

Memory

12.0%

8.0

Power & Cooling

11.0%

8.6

Platform & Features

5.0%

7.9

Design

4.0%

8.2

Connectivity & Media

Very good
9.2

User score

What it is: A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the graphics card.

When it matters: When you want to understand how a graphics card performs in real use and how reliable it is in terms of performance, temperatures, noise, stability, and long-term ownership.

Score components:

70.0%

8.9

User reviews

30.0%

10

Popularity

User score:
United Kingdom
amazon
4.4
(372)
amazon
4.5
(69)
United States
Amazon_logo.png
4.4
(81)
Amazon_logo.png
4.7
(70)

(Reviews last updated: June 2026)

Exceptional
  • 5.1
    Gaming

    Score components:

    45.0%

    3.5

    Floating-point performance

    25.0%

    5.2

    VRAM

    20.0%

    6.6

    Ray tracing cores / units

    10.0%

    8.8

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 6.0
    Video editing

    Score components:

    35.0%

    7.0

    AV1 encode

    30.0%

    5.2

    VRAM

    20.0%

    3.5

    Floating-point performance

    15.0%

    8.8

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 4.8
    1080p

    Score components:

    55.0%

    3.5

    Floating-point performance

    25.0%

    5.2

    VRAM

    10.0%

    6.6

    Ray tracing cores / units

    10.0%

    8.8

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 4.8
    1440p

    Score components:

    50.0%

    3.5

    Floating-point performance

    30.0%

    5.2

    VRAM

    15.0%

    6.6

    Ray tracing cores / units

    5.0%

    8.8

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

  • 5.0
    4K

    Score components:

    40.0%

    3.5

    Floating-point performance

    35.0%

    5.2

    VRAM

    20.0%

    6.6

    Ray tracing cores / units

    5.0%

    8.8

    PCI Express (PCIe) version

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Best rankings

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Available: ranking among products currently available (including other versions of this product).
All: ranking among all products in the database.

Verdict

The MSI Radeon RX 6800 is a high-performance graphics card built on the AMD RDNA 2 architecture, featuring 3,840 stream processors and a substantial 16GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus. It typically operates with a game clock of 1,815 MHz and a boost clock of up to 2,105 MHz, supported by 128MB of ultra-fast Infinity Cache to enhance 4K and 1440p gaming efficiency. Main characteristics include a 250W TDP requiring dual 8-pin power connectors and a robust triple-fan cooling solution, such as the Tri Frozr 2 system on Gaming Trio models, which ensures quiet and cool operation. Key pros include its generous VRAM capacity, which outperforms competitors in memory-intensive titles, and strong raw performance in traditional rasterized games. However, notable cons include subpar ray tracing performance compared to NVIDIA's equivalent offerings and a lack of a mature DLSS alternative at launch.

Technical Specifications of MSI Radeon RX 6800

Technical Score

What it is: An assessment of the graphics card's technical performance, covering key areas such as gaming and rendering performance, ray tracing, memory configuration, power efficiency, cooling, connectivity, features, and build quality.

When it matters: When you want to compare graphics cards based on technical performance and available features.

Score components:

44.0%

6.4

Performance

24.0%

6.4

Memory

12.0%

8.0

Power & Cooling

11.0%

8.6

Platform & Features

5.0%

7.9

Design

4.0%

8.2

Connectivity & Media

7.0
MSI Radeon RX 6800 has a technical score of 6.98 points, which is higher than that of 61.4% of products in this category.
User score

What it is: A rating that combines user reviews and the total number of reviews received by the graphics card.

When it matters: When you want to understand how a graphics card performs in real use and how reliable it is in terms of performance, temperatures, noise, stability, and long-term ownership.

Score components:

70.0%

8.9

User reviews

30.0%

10

Popularity

User score:
United Kingdom
amazon
4.4
(372)
amazon
4.5
(69)
United States
Amazon_logo.png
4.4
(81)
Amazon_logo.png
4.7
(70)

(Reviews last updated: June 2026)

9.2
MSI Radeon RX 6800 has a user score of 9.23 points, which is higher than that of 82.5% of products in this category.
Popularity
What it is: An indicator based on the number of reviews received by the graphics card.
When it matters: When you prefer a graphics card that has already been chosen and reviewed by many other users.
10
MSI Radeon RX 6800 has a popularity of 10 points, which is higher than 77.9% of products in this category.
Ratio quality/price

What it is: An indicator that combines the graphics card's overall rating with its cost.

When it matters: When you are looking for a graphics card that offers a strong balance of performance, features, and price.

Score components:

60.0%

7.2

Overall score

40.0%

6.9

Price

7.1
MSI Radeon RX 6800 has a quality-to-price ratio of 7.1 points, which is higher than 67.6% of products in this category.
3DMark Time Spy benchmark score
What it is: Benchmark result from 3DMark Time Spy, a synthetic DirectX 12 test often used as a quick gaming-performance reference.
When it matters: When you need a fast rough performance sort before digging into game-specific reviews and frame-rate data.

Importance: LOW

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3DMark Port Royal score
What it is: Benchmark result from 3DMark Port Royal, a synthetic test focused on ray tracing performance.
When it matters: When ray tracing matters in the games you actually play and you want one quick way to separate stronger and weaker RT cards.

Importance: LOW

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PassMark (G3D) result
What it is: Overall GPU performance score in PassMark G3D benchmark
When it matters: When you need one broad score to sort cards into rough performance tiers.

Importance: LOW

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PassMark (DirectCompute) result
What it is: PassMark score for DirectCompute performance tests
When it matters: When compute workloads matter alongside gaming performance.

Importance: LOW

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Floating-point performance
What it is: Theoretical floating-point compute performance of the GPU.
When it matters: When rendering, AI, or heavy compute work needs strong single-precision throughput.

Importance: LOW

16.55 TFLOPS
MSI Radeon RX 6800 delivers 16.55 TFLOPS floating-point performance, which is lower than that of 63.6% of graphics cards and equal to that of 0.1% of graphics cards.
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VRAM
What it is: Total video memory available on the graphics card
When it matters: When you play at high settings, use texture mods, or work with large creative projects.

Importance: HIGH

16 GB
MSI Radeon RX 6800 has 16 GB of VRAM, which is more than 61.4% of graphics cards and equal to 28.7% of graphics cards.
Memory type
What it is: Type of graphics memory used (GDDR6, HBM2e, etc.)
When it matters: When memory technology is part of the buying decision because it affects bandwidth class, power use, and product positioning.

Importance: LOW

GDDR6
GDDR version
What it is: Generation of GDDR memory used by the graphics card.
When it matters: When you want to separate older memory generations from newer ones before comparing bandwidth, power behavior, and market tier.

Importance: LOW

GDDR6
MSI Radeon RX 6800 uses GDDR6 memory, which is newer than on 16.6% of graphics cards and equal to 39.1% of graphics cards.
Memory bus width
What it is: Width of the memory interface bus in bits
When it matters: When you care about steadier performance at higher resolutions, heavier texture settings, or ray-traced workloads that stress memory traffic.

Importance: HIGH

256 bit
MSI Radeon RX 6800 uses a 256 bit memory bus, which is wider than that of 49.5% of graphics cards and equal to that of 36.1% of graphics cards.
Maximum memory bandwidth
What it is: Maximum data transfer rate between GPU and its memory
When it matters: When 4K gaming, ray tracing, or creator work can choke a slower memory subsystem.

Importance: HIGH

512 GB/s
MSI Radeon RX 6800 reaches 512 GB/s memory bandwidth, which is higher than that of 60.2% of graphics cards and equal to that of 1.8% of graphics cards.
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PCI Express (PCIe) version
What it is: Version of PCI Express interface supported
When it matters: When you are pairing the card with an older motherboard and want to avoid leaving bandwidth or future compatibility on the table.

Importance: LOW

4.0
MSI Radeon RX 6800 supports PCIe 4.0, which is newer than on 22.5% of graphics cards and equal to 52% of graphics cards.
PCIe lanes
What it is: Number of PCI Express lanes used for communication
When it matters: When limited lane width could bottleneck the card in some systems.

Importance: LOW

x16
MSI Radeon RX 6800 uses x16 PCIe lanes, which is more than 31.5% of graphics cards and equal to 68.6% of graphics cards.
DirectX version
What it is: Highest supported DirectX API version
When it matters: When you play newer Windows games that depend on the latest graphics features.

Importance: LOW

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Vulkan version
What it is: Highest supported Vulkan API version
When it matters: When modern games, emulators, or creative apps lean on Vulkan support.

Importance: LOW

1.4
MSI Radeon RX 6800 supports Vulkan 1.4, which is more advanced than on 26.6% of graphics cards and equal to 73.4% of graphics cards.
OpenGL version
What it is: Highest supported OpenGL API version
When it matters: When older games or pro apps still depend on OpenGL compatibility.

Importance: LOW

4.6
MSI Radeon RX 6800 supports OpenGL 4.6, which is more advanced than on 4.8% of graphics cards and equal to 95.2% of graphics cards.
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Max displays supported
What it is: Total number of external displays supported simultaneously
When it matters: When you run a multi-monitor desk for sim racing, trading, or editing.

Importance: LOW

4
MSI Radeon RX 6800 supports up to 4 displays, which is more than 7.8% of graphics cards and equal to 89.2% of graphics cards.
Max digital resolution
What it is: Maximum supported digital display resolution
When it matters: When you plan to drive 4K or 8K panels at their native resolution.

Importance: LOW

7680x4320
MSI Radeon RX 6800 supports a maximum digital resolution of 7680x4320, which is higher than that of 44.4% of graphics cards and equal to that of 55.6% of graphics cards.
DisplayPort outputs
What it is: Number of DisplayPort video outputs
When it matters: When your setup needs several high-refresh monitors without adapters.

Importance: LOW

2
MSI Radeon RX 6800 offers 2 DisplayPort outputs, which is fewer than 79.2% of graphics cards and equal to 10.2% of graphics cards.
DisplayPort version
What it is: Version of DisplayPort standard supported
When it matters: When your monitor setup depends on newer DisplayPort features for higher refresh rates, higher resolution, or better cable flexibility.

Importance: LOW

1.4
MSI Radeon RX 6800 supports DisplayPort 1.4, which is older than on 77.3% of graphics cards and equal to 16.2% of graphics cards.
DisplayPort link rates
What it is: Supported data link rates for DisplayPort connections
When it matters: When you are pushing high resolution and refresh rate over DisplayPort.

Importance: LOW

8.1 Gbps
MSI Radeon RX 6800 supports DisplayPort link rates up to 8.1 Gbps, which is slower than on 50.4% of graphics cards and equal to 40.5% of graphics cards.
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Thermal Design Power (TDP)
What it is: Typical power consumption under full load (TDP)
When it matters: When you need a realistic idea of power draw before choosing a PSU or case.

Importance: MEDIUM

250 W
MSI Radeon RX 6800 has a TDP of 250 W, which is higher than that of 58.4% of graphics cards and equal to that of 6.1% of graphics cards.
Power consumption while under peak load
What it is: Peak power draw of the graphics card under maximum load.
When it matters: When transient-heavy gaming loads could stress your power supply.

Importance: LOW

250 W
MSI Radeon RX 6800 draws 250 W under peak load, which is higher than 58.1% of graphics cards and equal to 5.3% of graphics cards.
Recommended PSU wattage
What it is: Recommended wattage of the system power supply
When it matters: When you are checking whether your current power supply is enough.

Importance: LOW

650 W
MSI Radeon RX 6800 recommends a 650 W PSU, which is lower than that of 41.5% of graphics cards and equal to that of 14.2% of graphics cards.
Board power limit
What it is: Maximum configurable power limit for the GPU board
When it matters: When you care about how far the card can be pushed through tuning or factory power settings.

Importance: LOW

288 W
MSI Radeon RX 6800 has a board power limit of 288 W, which is higher than that of 67.2% of graphics cards and equal to that of 0.1% of graphics cards.
PCIe power spec
What it is: PCIe power delivery specification followed
When it matters: When you are checking whether the slot and external cables match the card's intended power-delivery standard.

Importance: LOW

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Size
What it is: Physical size of the GPU card
When it matters: When you need the card to fit a compact case without blocking nearby hardware.

Importance: LOW

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Length
What it is: Physical length of the GPU card
When it matters: When front radiators or drive cages leave only limited GPU clearance.

Importance: LOW

324 mm
MSI Radeon RX 6800 is 324 mm long, which is longer than 76.7% of graphics cards and equal in length to 0.3% of graphics cards.
Height
What it is: Physical height of the GPU card
When it matters: When side panels, brackets, or tight case layouts reduce vertical clearance.

Importance: LOW

120 mm
MSI Radeon RX 6800 is 120 mm tall, which is shorter than 65.4% of graphics cards and equal in height to 6.5% of graphics cards.
Slot width
What it is: Number of PCIe slots occupied by the card
When it matters: When you need room for another PCIe card or better airflow under the GPU.

Importance: LOW

2 slot/s
MSI Radeon RX 6800 occupies 2 slot/s, which is slimmer than 49.2% of graphics cards and equal in width to 47.3% of graphics cards.
Weight
What it is: Total weight of the graphics card
When it matters: When sag, bracket support, or shipping stress matters in your build.

Importance: LOW

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MSI Radeon RX 6800 vs the average graphics card

  • 20 more compute units
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has more compute units than the average graphics card (60 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 compute units.
    What it is: Total number of shader multiprocessors or compute units
    When it matters: When you want a better sense of the GPU's overall parallel hardware resources before relying on game benchmarks alone.

    Importance: HIGH

    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has more compute units than the average graphics card (60 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 compute units.60 vs 40
  • 32 more ROPs
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has more ROPs than the average graphics card (96 vs 64). The average graphics card has 64 ROPs.
    What it is: Total number of render output units on the GPU
    When it matters: When you want more context on pixel output capacity, especially for high-resolution play and older raster-heavy engines.

    Importance: HIGH

    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has more ROPs than the average graphics card (96 vs 64). The average graphics card has 64 ROPs.96 vs 64
  • 4 GB more VRAM
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has more VRAM than the average graphics card (16 GB vs 12 GB). The average graphics card has 12 GB VRAM.
    What it is: Total video memory available on the graphics card
    When it matters: When you play at high settings, use texture mods, or work with large creative projects.

    Importance: HIGH

    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has more VRAM than the average graphics card (16 GB vs 12 GB). The average graphics card has 12 GB VRAM.16 GB vs 12 GB
  • Supports ECC memory
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 supports ECC memory, the average graphics card does not.
    What it is: Supports error-correcting code memory for higher reliability
    When it matters: When stability and error correction matter more than pure gaming value.

    Importance: LOW

    MSI Radeon RX 6800 supports ECC memory, the average graphics card does not.
  • 56 more TMUs
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has more TMUs than the average graphics card (240 vs 184). The average graphics card has 184 TMUs.
    What it is: Total count of texture mapping units on the GPU
    When it matters: When texture-heavy gaming performance matters and you want extra hardware context behind texture-rate claims.

    Importance: HIGH

    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has more TMUs than the average graphics card (240 vs 184). The average graphics card has 184 TMUs.240 vs 184
  • 12 more ray tracing cores
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has more ray tracing cores than the average graphics card (60 vs 48). The average graphics card has 48 ray tracing cores.
    What it is: Number of dedicated ray tracing processing cores or units
    When it matters: When you care about ray-traced lighting, reflections, and shadows in newer games.

    Importance: HIGH

    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has more ray tracing cores than the average graphics card (60 vs 48). The average graphics card has 48 ray tracing cores.60 vs 48
  • 2x more Infinity Cache
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has more Infinity Cache than the average graphics card (128 MB vs 64 MB). The average graphics card has 64 MB Infinity Cache.
    What it is: Size of the L3 or Infinity Cache memory
    When it matters: When you want to know whether extra on-chip cache may help the card avoid VRAM bottlenecks in modern high-resolution games.

    Importance: LOW

    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has more Infinity Cache than the average graphics card (128 MB vs 64 MB). The average graphics card has 64 MB Infinity Cache.128 MB vs 64 MB
  • 34.1% higher texture rate
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has a higher texture rate than the average graphics card (505.2 GTexel/s vs 376.8 GTexel/s). The average graphics card has a texture rate of 376.8 GTexel/s.
    What it is: Number of textured pixels the GPU can process per second
    When it matters: When fast texture handling matters in high-refresh gaming workloads.

    Importance: HIGH

    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has a higher texture rate than the average graphics card (505.2 GTexel/s vs 376.8 GTexel/s). The average graphics card has a texture rate of 376.8 GTexel/s.505.2 GTexel/s vs 376.8 GTexel/s
  • 20 more compute units
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has more compute units than the average graphics card (60 vs 40). The average graphics card has 40 compute units.
  • 32 more ROPs
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has more ROPs than the average graphics card (96 vs 64). The average graphics card has 64 ROPs.
  • 56 more TMUs
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has more TMUs than the average graphics card (240 vs 184). The average graphics card has 184 TMUs.
  • 12 more ray tracing cores
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has more ray tracing cores than the average graphics card (60 vs 48). The average graphics card has 48 ray tracing cores.
  • 34.1% higher texture rate
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has a higher texture rate than the average graphics card (505.2 GTexel/s vs 376.8 GTexel/s). The average graphics card has a texture rate of 376.8 GTexel/s.
  • 22.3% higher pixel rate
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has a higher pixel rate than the average graphics card (202.1 GPixel/s vs 165.2 GPixel/s). The average graphics card has a pixel rate of 165.2 GPixel/s.
  • Better FP64 ratio
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has a better FP64 ratio than the average graphics card (1:16 vs 1:64).
  • 4 GB more VRAM
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has more VRAM than the average graphics card (16 GB vs 12 GB). The average graphics card has 12 GB VRAM.
  • Supports ECC memory
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 supports ECC memory, the average graphics card does not.
  • 2x more Infinity Cache
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has more Infinity Cache than the average graphics card (128 MB vs 64 MB). The average graphics card has 64 MB Infinity Cache.
  • 14.3% higher memory bandwidth
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has a higher memory bandwidth than the average graphics card (512 GB/s vs 448 GB/s). The average graphics card has a memory bandwidth of 448 GB/s.
  • 14.3% faster VRAM clock
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has a higher VRAM clock than the average graphics card (2,000 MHz vs 1,750 MHz). The average graphics card runs its VRAM at 1,750 MHz.
  • 7 mm lower card height
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 is shorter than the average graphics card (120 mm vs 127 mm). The average graphics card has a height of 127 mm.
  • 15.8% lower boost clock speed
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has a lower boost GPU clock than the average graphics card (2,105 MHz vs 2,500 MHz). The average graphics card has a boost GPU clock of 2,500 MHz.
  • 11.5% lower base clock speed
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has a lower base GPU clock than the average graphics card (1,700 MHz vs 1,920 MHz). The average graphics card has a base GPU clock of 1,920 MHz.
  • 29.3% lower FP32 performance
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has a lower FP32 performance than the average graphics card (16.2 TFLOPS vs 22.86 TFLOPS). The average graphics card has FP32 performance of 22.86 TFLOPS.
  • 87.5% smaller L2 cache
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has fewer L2 cache than the average graphics card (4 MB vs 32 MB). The average graphics card has 32 MB L2 cache.
  • 15.8% slower memory speed
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has a lower effective memory speed than the average graphics card (16,000 MHz vs 19,000 MHz). The average graphics card reaches an effective memory speed of 19,000 MHz.
  • No DLSS support
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 does not support DLSS, the average graphics card does.
  • 40% larger process node
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has a higher process node than the average graphics card (7 nm vs 5 nm). The average graphics card uses a process node of 5 nm.
  • 3 older
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 was released earlier than the average graphics card (2,020 vs 2,023).
  • 70.9% larger GPU die
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has a higher GPU die size than the average graphics card (520 mm² vs 304.25 mm²). The average graphics card has a GPU die size of 304.25 mm².
  • No AV1 encoding
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 does not support AV1 encoding, the average graphics card does.
  • 1 fewer DisplayPort outputs
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has fewer DisplayPort outputs than the average graphics card (2 vs 3). The average graphics card has 3 DisplayPort outputs.
  • Older DisplayPort version
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 supports an older DisplayPort version than the average graphics card (1.4 vs 1.4a).
  • 16.3% higher TDP
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has a higher TDP than the average graphics card (250 W vs 215 W). The average graphics card has a TDP of 215 W.
  • 17 °C lower thermal ceiling
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has a lower thermal ceiling than the average graphics card (110 °C vs 93 °C). The average graphics card has a thermal ceiling of 93 °C.
  • 30.9% higher board power limit
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has a higher board power limit than the average graphics card (288 W vs 220 W). The average graphics card has a board power limit of 220 W.
  • 38.63 mm longer card length
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 is longer than the average graphics card (324 mm vs 285.37 mm). The average graphics card has a length of 285.37 mm.
  • 15.8% lower boost clock speed
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has a lower boost GPU clock than the average graphics card (2,105 MHz vs 2,500 MHz). The average graphics card has a boost GPU clock of 2,500 MHz.
    What it is: Maximum boost frequency the GPU can reach under load
    When it matters: When you want a rough idea of peak advertised frequency, while knowing real sustained clocks still depend on cooling and power limits.

    Importance: HIGH

    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has a lower boost GPU clock than the average graphics card (2,105 MHz vs 2,500 MHz). The average graphics card has a boost GPU clock of 2,500 MHz.2105 MHz vs 2500 MHz
  • No DLSS support
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 does not support DLSS, the average graphics card does.
    What it is: Supports NVIDIA DLSS upscaling technology
    When it matters: When you play NVIDIA-supported games and want better frame rates at higher settings.

    Importance: LOW

    MSI Radeon RX 6800 does not support DLSS, the average graphics card does.
  • 40% larger process node
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has a higher process node than the average graphics card (7 nm vs 5 nm). The average graphics card uses a process node of 5 nm.
    What it is: Size of the manufacturing process in nanometers
    When it matters: When process node differences may affect power, heat, and overall efficiency.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has a higher process node than the average graphics card (7 nm vs 5 nm). The average graphics card uses a process node of 5 nm.7 nm vs 5 nm
  • No AV1 encoding
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 does not support AV1 encoding, the average graphics card does.
    What it is: Supports hardware encoding of AV1 video codec
    When it matters: When you stream or export video and want efficient AV1 encoding on the GPU.

    Importance: LOW

    MSI Radeon RX 6800 does not support AV1 encoding, the average graphics card does.No vs yes
  • 1 fewer DisplayPort outputs
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has fewer DisplayPort outputs than the average graphics card (2 vs 3). The average graphics card has 3 DisplayPort outputs.
    What it is: Number of DisplayPort video outputs
    When it matters: When your setup needs several high-refresh monitors without adapters.

    Importance: LOW

    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has fewer DisplayPort outputs than the average graphics card (2 vs 3). The average graphics card has 3 DisplayPort outputs.2 vs 3
  • 87.5% smaller L2 cache
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has fewer L2 cache than the average graphics card (4 MB vs 32 MB). The average graphics card has 32 MB L2 cache.
    What it is: Total size of the GPU’s L2 cache memory
    When it matters: When cache size can help the GPU feed data faster in demanding scenes.

    Importance: LOW

    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has fewer L2 cache than the average graphics card (4 MB vs 32 MB). The average graphics card has 32 MB L2 cache.4 MB vs 32 MB
  • 15.8% slower memory speed
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has a lower effective memory speed than the average graphics card (16,000 MHz vs 19,000 MHz). The average graphics card reaches an effective memory speed of 19,000 MHz.
    What it is: Effective memory data rate combining clock and bus width
    When it matters: When you compare how quickly each card can push data through its memory subsystem.

    Importance: MEDIUM

    MSI Radeon RX 6800 has a lower effective memory speed than the average graphics card (16,000 MHz vs 19,000 MHz). The average graphics card reaches an effective memory speed of 19,000 MHz.16000 MHz vs 19000 MHz
  • 38.63 mm longer card length
    MSI Radeon RX 6800 is longer than the average graphics card (324 mm vs 285.37 mm). The average graphics card has a length of 285.37 mm.
    What it is: Physical length of the GPU card
    When it matters: When front radiators or drive cages leave only limited GPU clearance.

    Importance: LOW

    MSI Radeon RX 6800 is longer than the average graphics card (324 mm vs 285.37 mm). The average graphics card has a length of 285.37 mm.324 mm vs 285.37 mm

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Third-party reviews

(Reviews last updated: June 2026)

What customers like about MSI Radeon RX 6800?

  • Excellent cooling performance with the Tri Frozr 2 system, maintaining load temperatures around 60-65°C.
  • Near-silent operation even under heavy gaming loads.
  • Generous 16GB of GDDR6 VRAM provides better longevity and stability in VRAM-intensive titles compared to 8GB rivals.
  • High rasterization performance, often outperforming the RTX 3070 in 1440p and 4K gaming.
  • Solid build quality featuring a reinforced backplate and included support bracket to prevent GPU sag.
  • High power efficiency, drawing significantly less power (approx. 160-170W) than many high-end competitors.
  • Attractive aesthetic with customisable RGB lighting that is not considered overwhelming.

What customers dislike about MSI Radeon RX 6800?

  • Subpar ray tracing performance compared to Nvidia's equivalent RTX cards.
  • Lack of a native DLSS alternative (at launch) limits frame rates in demanding ray-traced titles.
  • Large physical footprint (approx. 324mm length) requiring a spacious case and causing potential GPU sag.
  • Early driver inconsistencies noted with legacy titles and specific software crashes.
  • Historically higher price point relative to the reference model or the RTX 3070.

Expert reviews

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thefpsreview.com
11/12/2020

The MSI GeForce RTX 3070 Gaming X Trio is a massive, premium graphics card built on Samsung’s 8nm process and NVIDIA's Ampere architecture. Positioned near the top of MSI’s product stack, it features 5,888 CUDA cores and 8GB of GDDR6 memory. The card comes with a substantial factory overclock, pushing the boost clock up by 105MHz to 1830MHz compared to the reference card. To handle...Read more

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tech-critter.com
01/07/2026

The MSI Radeon RX 6800 Gaming X Trio 16G is a factory-overclocked custom graphics card that outpaces the AMD reference model in standard rasterized gaming performance, particularly at 1080p and 1440p resolutions. Featuring the TRI FROZR 2 cooling system with three TORX Fan 4.0 and five precision heat pipes, the card maintains an exceptionally low load temperature of 63°C compared to...Read more

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wepc.com
06/09/2024

The AMD Radeon RX 6800 reference model, launched in November 2020 at an MSRP of $579, remains a highly capable, budget-friendly option for 4K and 1440p gaming. Testing shows the card holds its own against newer models like the RTX 4070 in pure rasterization, averaging around 60 FPS at 4K in many games. Its 16GB of GDDR6 memory provides high bandwidth that outpaces the memory...Read more

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pcguide.com
14/05/2025

The PC Guide review of the AMD Radeon RX 6800 highlights the card as an efficient 7nm RDNA 2 GPU that dominates 1080p and 1440p gaming, often surpassing the Nvidia RTX 3070 with strong performance in demanding titles. Its 250W TDP and solid, angular XFX custom design make it a compelling, power-conscious choice for high-end QHD gaming. However, the card falls short in modern 4K...Read more

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techradar.com
16/03/2021

The AMD Radeon RX 6800 marks Team Red's competitive return to the enthusiast graphics card market, offering high-end 4K rasterization performance that consistently beats the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070 by 5% to 24%, particularly in DirectX 11 titles like Far Cry 5 and Assassin's Creed Odyssey. Built on the 7nm RDNA 2 architecture—the same technology powering the PS5 and Xbox Series...Read more

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trustedreviews.com
18/11/2020

The Trusted Reviews evaluation of the AMD Radeon RX 6800 highlights the card as a high-performance option capable of exceeding 60fps at 4K resolution, marking a significant leap for the RDNA2 architecture. Key advantages include its 16GB GDDR6 memory, exceptional 1440p and 4K traditional rasterization performance, and an improved, quieter reference cooler. Reddit · Conversely, the...Read more

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guru3d.com
18/11/2020

The AMD Radeon RX 6800 review reveals a highly competitive enthusiast-class graphics card that successfully brings hardware-accelerated ray tracing to AMD's architecture for the first time. Priced at 579 USD, this "Big Navi" derivative is built on an optimized TSMC 7nm node and features 60 Compute Units, 3840 stream processors, and a substantial 16GB of GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit...Read more

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techspot.com
30/12/2020

According to TechSpot's 40-game benchmark, the AMD Radeon RX 6800 leads in rasterization performance by 11% at 1440p and 10% at 4K, offering 16GB of VRAM as a major advantage. However, it carries a 16% higher MSRP ($579 vs $499) and lags in ray tracing and lacks DLSS compared to Nvidia. The GeForce RTX 3070 provides better value at $499, boasting superior ray-tracing, DLSS, and...Read more

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techpowerup.com
18/11/2020

The AMD Radeon RX 6800, based on RDNA 2 architecture with 16 GB of GDDR6 VRAM, offers significant performance gains over the RTX 2080 Ti and RTX 3070, making it an excellent choice for high-refresh 1440p and capable 4K gaming. Key strengths identified by TechPowerUp include industry-leading power efficiency, a premium all-metal design with a quiet cooler, and a full-featured feature...Read more

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heise.de
10/12/2020

The Heise online review of the AMD Radeon RX 6800 and RX 6800 XT highlights the RDNA2 "Big Navi" cards as strong competitors in the high-end market, boasting impressive performance with 128 MB Infinity Cache, quiet operation, and robust reference coolers. These cards introduce crucial features like hardware-accelerated ray tracing and mesh shaders to AMD's lineup, aiming directly at...Read more

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comptoir-hardware.com
18/11/2020

Based on the comprehensive review from Le Comptoir du Hardware, this analysis evaluates AMD's high-end return with the RDNA2-driven Navi 21 architecture featuring the Radeon RX 6800 and RX 6800 XT. The review Highlights strong general performance gains across a wide selection of tested games, noting that these reference cards provide a healthy dose of much-needed market competition....Read more

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frandroid.com
01/12/2020

The AMD Radeon RX 6800 marks a strong return for AMD in the graphics card market, utilizing the 7nm RDNA 2 architecture to deliver exceptional rasterisation performance that often beats both the Nvidia RTX 2080 Ti and RTX 3070 by a roughly 5% margin in standard gaming benchmarks like Red Dead Redemption 2 and 3DMark Time Spy. The card is highly optimized for 1440p (QHD) gaming,...Read more

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tomshw.it
18/11/2020

The Tom's Hardware Italy review highlights the AMD Radeon RX 6800 and 6800 XT for superior physical design, featuring near-silent acoustics and efficient thermals that keep the Navi 21 silicon at a steady 76°C under load. Both cards deliver strong 1440p and 1080p performance, with the XT model posing a direct challenge to premium NVIDIA options. However, the RX 6800 XT exhibits high...Read more

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