Gigabyte RX 6800 XT Gaming OC 16G Review

Graphics cards are a hot topic this last year or so, with more people than ever stuck at home, more people are playing games… a LOT! That’s also led to a huge increase in demand for new hardware while the manufacturing industries are under the most pressure. All of which is due to COVID, of course (Hello people of 2031, remember this?!). One of the more popular cards has been the AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT, as AMD came out as a real competitor against Nvidia, even on their high-end cards. Plus, it also brought Ray Tracing to the red team, and that’s certainly something to be excited about.

Gigabyte RX 6800 XT Gaming OC 16G

Gigabyte has always proven to be a big hit for many gamers. They often blend great performance and competitive prices, making them a solid choice for any PC gamer. Their new RX 6800 XT Gaming OC 16G takes the existing AMD base but aims to increase the performance with their fairly new heatsink design, WINDFORCE 3X fans, and even their own high-performance thermal paste… Sorry, I mean “graphene nano lubricant” which sounds much more high-end. Plus, you get luxuries like full RGB, dual BIOS should you stuff up an overclock, and even a full metal backplate!

Features

• Powered by RDNA2 Radeon™ RX 6800 XT
• Integrated with 16GB GDDR6 256-bit memory interface
• WINDFORCE 3X Cooling System with alternate spinning fans
• Screen cooling
• Graphene nano lubricant
• RGB Fusion 2.0
• Dual BIOS
• Protection metal back plate

Core Clocks

• Boost Clock: up to 2285 MHz (Reference card: 2250 MHz)
• Game Clock: up to 2045 MHz (Reference card: 2015 MHz)

What Gigabyte Had to Say

“The WINDFORCE 3X cooling system features 3x 80mm unique blade fans, alternate spinning, 6 composite copper heat pipes, large copper plate direct touch GPU, 3D active fan and Screen cooling, which together provide high-efficiency heat dissipation.” – Gigabyte

A Closer Look

Looking at my Gigabyte RTX 3060 Ti Gaming OC review, both cards actually use a very similar cooler design. It’s the new stock cooler for Gigabyte, and it does look so much better!

That being said, I love this cooler design. Gigabyte was using the same one for years, and it was looking a little outdated. Their new one is ultra-clean and much more modern looking. I actually think it’s one of my favourites, as it’s not too over the top, doesn’t have too much RGB, and I also already know it offers good performance (from other cards with the same design).

The 6800XT OC uses a dual 8-pin design, which is more than enough power for AMDs modern and efficient chipset.

Plus, there’s a very thick 2.5 slot heatsink in there, which should make easy work of cooling this card.

There’s quick and easy access to the dual BIOS feature. It’s pre-configured to offer an OC and a silent mode. We’ll leave it on the OC mode, as that will give us the best performance.

The full metal backplate looks superb and will do a great job of keeping the PCB protected, while also preventing this long and heavy GPU from sagging.

Of course, the metal work here also provides a lot of extra cooling to the PCB and chipset too, and it’ll radiate a lot of heat away from the GPU.

Connectivity is good, with dual HDMI and dual DisplayPort. So often, you only get a single HDMI, so I’m glad to see that’s not the case here. All of these ports meet the latest standards too, so no issues there.

The RGB is limited to the logo and a small bar below it. That’s all I want, though, it’s tasteful and easy to configure. If you leave it to its own devices though, it’ll slowly cycle through colours as you can see in the next few images.

How We Test

We continue to update our testing methods around once per year. As such, we re-test older hardware to reflect changes over time. These can be driver updates, Windows updates, game patches, and more; all of which have an impact on performance figures. Furthermore, we update our test bench to newer and more relevant hardware. This means that our new reviews aren’t always comparable to those of older reviews, so please compare the testing methodology on older reviews should you be trying to compare them with newer ones.

RED results indicate a new high-score. Blank results are from new benchmarks where we haven’t been able to benchmark previously reviewed cards yet.

Replicate Our Results

When it comes to our benchmarks in our reviews, the benchmarks are pretty self-explanatory and kept as simple as possible, although there are a few exceptions. Remember that your choice of a graphics card, CPU, the silicon lottery, and other factors can yield different numbers, and there’s always a margin for error when using any software.

Links are provided below, as well as the settings we use. We encourage you to not just look at how one product compares to any other, but how it compares to your own. If you’re looking to build a new system, you should benchmark your current PC using the benchmarks available to you. You should then look at the percentage improvement from your current hardware to the hardware tested here to give you a ballpark figure of how much of an upgrade this will provide you with.

Graphics Card Test System

Additional Hardware

• Killawatt style electricity usage meter wall plug
• Precision Gold N05CC Decibel meter

Gaming

To gauge performance levels which are easily reproduced time after time, by both ourselves and our readers, we now stick strictly to games default profiles. We now use the “High” profiles for all games or their respective equivalent at all resolutions. V-Sync is always disabled in our testing, as are FreeSync and G-Sync technologies or similar. Graphics card power usage is set to optimised or balance, and the system power mode set to High Performance within Windows and the available GPU driver software. Identical settings are used for all resolutions unless otherwise stated.

Games

• Watch Dogs Legion
• Dirt 5
• Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla
• Godfall
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider
• Horizon Zero Dawn
• Final Fantasy XV
• Borderlands 3
• Metro Exodus
• Control
• FarCry New Dawn
• Ghost Recon Breakpoint
• Wolfenstein Youngblood

Resolutions

• 1080p (Full HD)
• 1440p (2K)
• 2160p (4K)
• 4320p (8K)

Some tests will also include features such as Nvidia DLSS and Ray Tracing. However, these will be clearly labelled and may only appear in reviews for graphics cards that support those features. 8K testing will only appear in reviews of flagship cards that we consider capable.

Software Used

• 3DMark Fire Strike (download)
  • FireStrike
  • FireStrike Ultra
  • Port Royal DXR
  • TimeSpy
  • TimeSpy Extreme
• Unigine Superposition (download)
  • 4K Optimised Benchmark
• HWMonitor (download)
• GPU-Z (download)
• MSI Afterburner (download)

Noise

Everyone has a reasonable noise level preference when it comes to components on a computer. Some can handle all fans at 100% load to keep temperatures down; some want an entirely silent computer. To accurately gauge the noise output of a graphics card, we position a Precision Gold N05CC one meter above our open-air test bench and take an average reading at idle and load. 

Power Consumption

We take power readings during the idle state with no background applications running. Then again at 50% completion of the Unigine Superposition benchmark, using the average as the final published result.

Temperatures

We take temperature readings after 10 minutes of desktop idle with no background programs running, then take the recorded maximum delivered from Unigine Superposition after a 4K optimised run, confirming the numbers are accurate with HWMonitor. Furthermore, the ambient temperature is always kept +/- 1c from 21c.

Synthetic Benchmarks

• 3DMark FireStrike – 31183
• 3DMark FireStrike Ultra – 12245
• 3DMark TimeSpy – 16095
• 3DMark TimeSpy Extreme – 8042
• 3DMark Port Royal (DXR) – 8893
• Unigine Superposition 4K Optimised – 13342

3DMark FireStrike

3DMark FireStrike Ultra

3DMark TimeSpy

3DMark TimeSpy Extreme

Unigine Superposition 4K Optimised

Build a resistance from virtually anyone you see as you hack, infiltrate, and fight to take back a near-future London that is facing its downfall. Welcome to the Resistance. Recruit and play as anyone in the city. Everyone you see has a unique backstory, personality, and skill set.

Hack armed drones, deploy spider-bots and take down enemies using an Augmented Reality Cloak. Explore a massive urban open world featuring London’s many iconic landmarks and fun side activities. Take your recruits online and team up with your friends as you complete missions and challenging endgame content.

Available now on UPlay.

Watch Dogs Legion Performance

• 1080p Watch Dogs Legion – 123
• 1440p Watch Dogs Legion – 116
• 2160p Watch Dogs Legion – 76

DIRT 5 is a fun, amplified, off-road racing experience created by Codemasters. Blaze a trail on routes across the world, covering gravel, ice, snow and sand, with a roster of cars ranging from rally icons to trucks, to GT heroes. With a star-studded Career, four-player split-screen, innovative online modes, livery editor and more new features, DIRT 5 is the next generation of extreme racing.

Available now on Steam.

Dirt 5 Performance

• 1080p Dirt 5 – 145.1
• 1440p Dirt 5 – 123.8
• 2160p Dirt 5 – 88.1

Become Eivor, a legendary Viking raider on a quest for glory. Explore England’s Dark Ages as you raid your enemies, grow your settlement, and build your political power.

• Lead epic Viking raids against Saxon fortresses throughout England.
• Dual-wield powerful weapons and relive the visceral fighting style of the Vikings.
• Challenge yourself with the most varied collection of enemies ever found in Assassin’s Creed.
• Shape the growth of your character with every choice you make and carve your path to glory.
• Explore a Dark Age open world, from the harsh shores of Norway to the beautiful kingdoms of England.
• Personalize your experience by growing your clan’s settlement.

Available now on UPlay.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla Performance

• 1080p Assassin’s Creed Valhalla – 129
• 1440p Assassin’s Creed Valhalla – 104
• 2160p Assassin’s Creed Valhalla – 67

Aperion is on the precipice of ruin. You are the last of the Valorian knights, god-like warriors able to equip Valorplates, legendary armor sets that transform wielders into unstoppable masters of melee combat. Tear through foes as you climb through the elemental realms and challenge the mad god, Macros who awaits you at the top. Ascend in Godfall, the first-of-its-kind, looter-slasher, melee action-RPG.

Available now on EPIC.

Godfall Performance

• 1080p Godfall – 153.7
• 1440p Godfall – 126
• 2160p Godfall – 78.9

Experience Lara Croft’s defining moment as she becomes the Tomb Raider. In Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Lara must master a deadly jungle, overcome terrifying tombs, and persevere through her darkest hour. As she races to save the world from a Maya apocalypse, Lara will ultimately be forged into the Tomb Raider she is destined to be.

Available now on Steam.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider Performance

• 1080p Shadow of the Tomb Raider – 140
• 1440p Shadow of the Tomb Raider – 137
• 2160p Shadow of the Tomb Raider – 97

For the first time, players take control of Noctis’s greatest foe in this brand-new episode of FINAL FANTASY XV! Delve into the dark tale of scorned saviour Ardyn Lucis Caelum and unravel the secrets surrounding his mysterious past.

Available now on Steam.

Final Fantasy XV Performance

• 1080p Final Fantasy XV – 13622
• 1440p Final Fantasy XV – 11330
• 2160p Final Fantasy XV – 6733

Experience Aloy’s entire legendary quest to unravel the mysteries of a world ruled by deadly Machines. An outcast from her tribe, the young hunter fights to uncover her past, discover her destiny… and stop a catastrophic threat to the future.

Unleash devastating, tactical attacks against unique Machines and rival tribes as you explore an open world teeming with wildlife and danger. Horizon Zero Dawn is a multi-award-winning action role-playing game – and this Complete Edition for PC includes the huge expansion The Frozen Wilds, featuring new lands, skills, weapons and Machines.

Available now on Steam.

Horizon Zero Dawn Performance

• 1080p Horizon Zero Dawn – 148
• 1440p Horizon Zero Dawn – 128
• 2160p Horizon Zero Dawn – 72

The original shooter-looter returns, packing bazillions of guns and a mayhem-fueled adventure! Blast through new worlds and enemies as one of four new Vault Hunters. Play solo or with friends to take on insane enemies, score loads of loot and save your home from the most ruthless cult leaders in the galaxy.

At the hard edge of the galaxy lies a group of planets ruthlessly exploited by militarized corporations. Brimming with loot and violence, this is your home—the Borderlands. Now, a crazed cult known as The Children of the Vault has emerged and is spreading like an interstellar plague. Play solo or co-op as one of four unique Vault Hunters, score loads of loot and save the galaxy from this fanatical threat.

Available now on Epic Games Store.

Borderlands 3 Performance

• 1080p Borderlands 3 – 108.01
• 1440p Borderlands 3 – 104.57
• 2160p Borderlands 3 – 64.15

Metro Exodus is an epic, story-driven first-person shooter from 4A Games that blends deadly combat and stealth with exploration and survival horror in one of the most immersive game worlds ever created. Flee the shattered ruins of dead Moscow and embark on an epic, continent-spanning journey across post-apocalyptic Russia in the greatest Metro adventure yet.

Explore the Russian wilderness in vast, non-linear levels and follow a thrilling story-line inspired by the novels of Dmitry Glukhovsky that spans an entire year through spring, summer and autumn to the depths of nuclear winter.

Available now on Epic Game Store.

Metro Exodus Performance

• 1080p Metro Exodus – 134.66
• 1440p Metro Exodus – 115
• 2160p Metro Exodus – 72.39

A corruptive presence has invaded the Federal Bureau of Control…Only you have the power to stop it. The world is now your weapon in an epic fight to annihilate an ominous enemy through deep and unpredictable environments. Containment has failed, humanity is at stake. Will you regain control?

Winner of over 80 awards, Control is a visually stunning third-person action-adventure that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Blending open-ended environments with the signature world-building and storytelling of renowned developer, Remedy Entertainment, Control presents an expansive and intensely gratifying gameplay experience.

Available now on Steam.

Control Performance

• 1080p Control – 153.851
• 1440p Control – 102.431
• 2160p Control – 51.614

Seventeen years after a global nuclear catastrophe, civilization re-emerges from the chaos to find a world dramatically changed. In Hope County, Montana, the remaining populace has gathered into different groups, each with their own rules for survival.

In this new world order, the vicious Highwaymen, led by twin sisters Mickey and Lou, travel from place to place bleeding people dry of all available resources. As the Survivors try to defend their lands against the Highwaymen’s relentless onslaught, it’s up to you to come to their aid and lead the fight.

In the latest instalment of the award-winning Far Cry franchise, you are the last line of defence in a transformed, post-apocalyptic Hope County. Help the community of Survivors grow stronger, craft a makeshift arsenal through Turf Wars and cross-country Expeditions, and form unexpected alliances to fight for survival in a dangerous new frontier.

Available now on UPlay.

Far Cry New Dawn Performance

• 1080p Far Cry New Dawn – 110
• 1440p Far Cry New Dawn – 107
• 2160p Far Cry New Dawn – 105

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint puts you in the boots of the Ghosts, an Elite US Special Operations Unit stranded behind enemy lines. This time there is no briefing. All contact has been lost with Auroa. This archipelago is home to Skell Technology, a high-tech company. You are sent there with your unit for a recon mission, but your helicopters are shot down: Skell Tech has fallen into the wrong hands. The Wolves, a lethal ex-US military unit gone rogue, have taken over the island.

Led by your ex-brother-in-arms, Colonel Cole D. Walker, they have reprogrammed Skell’s drones into killing machines and are ready to use them, no matter the casualties. Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Breakpoint is a military shooter set in a diverse, hostile, and mysterious open world that you can play entirely solo or in four-player co-op. Injured, without support, and hunted down by ex-Ghosts, you must fight to survive while lost in Auroa. Choose the right alliances and decide how to take down your toughest enemy.

Available now on UPLAY.

Ghost Recon: Breakpoint

• 1080p Breakpoint – 190
• 1841134440p Breakpoint – 184
• 2160p Breakpoint – 133

Wolfenstein: Youngblood is the first modern co-op Wolfenstein adventure.

Nineteen years after the events of Wolfenstein II, BJ Blazkowicz has disappeared after a mission into Nazi-occupied Paris. Now, after years of training from their battle-hardened father, BJ’s twin daughters, Jess and Soph Blazkowicz, are forced into action.

Team up with a friend or play alone. Level up, explore, and complete missions to unlock new abilities, weapons, gadgets, cosmetics, and more to complement your playstyle and customize your appearance.

Wolfenstein: Youngblood features the most open-ended Wolfenstein experience to date. From a new base of operations located deep in the heart of the Paris catacombs, plan how and when to attack and dismantle the Nazi regime.

Available now on Steam.

Wolfenstein Youngblood Performance

• 1080p Wolfenstein Youngblood – 351
• 1440p Wolfenstein Youngblood – 268
• 2160p Wolfenstein Youngblood – 149

• Control Ray Tracing & DLSS – 26.611
• Dirt 5 RT – 67.4
• Metro Exodus RT – 39.26
• Shadow of the Tomb Raider RT Shadows – 51
• Watch Dogs Legion RT – 23.178

Power Consumption

Temperatures

Acoustics

How Much Does It Cost?

This card is going to be a little more than a stock Radeon RX 6800 XT (review), however, what that truly means in early 2021 is up for interpretation. We know the cards are out of stock, you might see one, and lucky you if you do. However, until stock returns, which it absolutely will, I’m not nailing down a number here, which I’m sure you can appreciate.

Overview

It’s great to see AMD cards really putting out some competitive numbers again. The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT impressed me at launch a few months back, when it delivered performance that was competing with the latest Nvidia RTX 3000 series cards. It wins in some battle, draws in others, and fell behind in a couple, but it averaged out to be a real competitor in the red vs green war.

Overclocked

Of course, Gigabyte has taken the stock card and given it an extra boost. The bigger cooler, as well as the higher clock speeds, all help to boost the performance. Admittedly, it’s not a huge increase, but it’s enough to match that of the Sapphire Nitro+ 6800 XT, and sit just a fraction behind the much more expensive MSI RX 6800 XT Gaming X Trio. So you’re getting really a much better value from this card than the others. Flagship performance at near entry level prices.

Build Quality

The build quality is spot on, and so it should be at this point. Gigabyte use basically the same cooler on all their cards, which means they’ve had time to refine the manufacturing process and keep things consistent. It also helps them keep the cost down, which they pass onto their customers. Plus, they have one of the best warranties on their cards, which shows they have confidence in their design.

Performance

Overall, the card runs great with some very competitive numbers. As for the acoustic, it runs a little louder than the Sapphire card and a little hotter. However, it also uses more power and delivers better performance overall, so I’m OK with that. However, looking at the big picture, the card isn’t particularly hot or loud, so a big thumbs up there too.

Should I Buy One?

It’s a really fantastic card, and very competitive with the more expensive models. That’s surprising, given this isn’t designed to be a particularly extreme edition of 6800 XT. It has a tried and tested cooler, and has a great design to it that’s not overly flashy. With good clock speeds, temperatures and noise levels, the Gigabyte RX 6800 XT Gaming OC is a winner. Now, all you have to do is find stock and it’ll be a win-win!