MSI RX 6700 XT Gaming X 12G Graphics Card Review

MSI are a worldwide leader in the production of PC components. Their Dragon branding and logo is known all over the world alongside their black and red colour scheme. Today we will be looking at the MSI RX 6700 XT Gaming X Graphics Card. The Gaming X line-up from MSI is their Mid-range line-up of GPUs and as such will over some great performance, cooling and overclocks without completely breaking the bank on us. As the 6700 XT is not the top enthusiast card, MSI has decided to go with a dual-fan option for their Gaming X card, rather then the triple fan we can see on the 6800/6900 Gaming X Trio variants. MSI RX 6700 XT Gaming X AMD's 6700 XT is said to be the new standard for 1440P Gaming. This is quite a bold claim but with help from their Partners such as MSI, this could very well be possible. AIB cards generally have higher clock speeds than those of the reference card which should hopefully equate to more FPS when gaming. Cards such as the Gaming X also feature better cooling and as a direct result will be able to be overclocked just that much further, again, gaining those all valuable FPS is your favourite gaming title. For in-depth features and specifications, please visit the official MSI RX 6700 XT GAMING X 12G product page here. A Closer Look The MSI RX 6700 XT Gaming X features a silver and black design that can be seen all around the card. MSI has gone with their dual fan Gaming X card instead of the Trio version which we have even see on MSI's version of the NVIDIA GTX 3060. This is rather interesting to me as I would have thought the 6700 XT was the more powerful card, but maybe MSI know something I don't yet. Either way, the cooler design is going to be more than ample for keeping the 6700 XT under wraps and making sure you get the best performance possible from it. The main side of the card continues with the black/grey theme and also features an RGB logo front and centre. We can also notice a bit of RADEON branding to the side of this which isn't overdone so I will allow it. MSI has also gone with a standard coloured aluminium heatsink which ties in well with the overall aesthetic of the card. MSI has gone with two 8-pin power connectors for their Gaming X 6700 XT. This will offer a bit more stability over those 6700 XT cards using the standard 6-pin and 8-pin power connectors. MSI's card should also allow for a bit more overclocking headroom as it does have that tiny bit of extra power. Onto the other side which won't be seen in pretty much any build as it will be right up against the motherboard and thankfully, there isn't much to see. We still get a nice view of the massive heatsink which is good as this means the hot air has plenty of room to dissipate from the cooler. We can however see our fan connectors on this side which is more than welcome. As mentioned this side of the GPU won't really get seen in most of your standard builds. Onto the back of the card and we can see the ends of the heat pipes just barely protruding out of the final fins of the heatsink. While this may not look as clean as some who have decided to cover this up, it should allow for a tiny bit of extra cooling as the heatsink fins are not covered. The backplate is made from Injection moulded ABS and features a nice Gaming Dragon Shield logo almost front and centre. Many people think a lot of backplates are metal and this is not the case, unfortunately. For input connections, we have a single HDMI 2.1 and three Display Port 1.4 connections. 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. 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 MotherboardASUS Crosshair VIII Dark Hero (Wi-Fi)ProcessorAMD Ryzen 9 5900XRAMTEAMGroup DarkZa 16GB 3600MHz (2x8GB)CPU CoolerNoctua NH-D15SPower SupplyPhanteks Revolt Pro 850StorageSeagate FireCuda 520 2TBChassisOpen BenchtableMonitorAOC G2868PQUOSWindows 10 Pro Build 19041 Additional Hardware Killawatt style electricity usage meter wall plugPrecision 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 LegionDirt 5Assassin's Creed: ValhallaGodfallShadow of the Tomb RaiderHorizon Zero DawnFinal Fantasy XVBorderlands 3Metro ExodusControlFarCry New DawnGhost Recon BreakpointWolfenstein 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)FireStrikeFireStrike UltraPort Royal DXRTimeSpyTimeSpy ExtremeUnigine Superposition (download)4K Optimised BenchmarkHWMonitor (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 TimeSpy 3DMark TimeSpy Extreme 3DMark Port Royal (DXR) 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 Power Consumption Temperatures Acoustics How Much Does It Cost? With no definite pricing in our grasp, we have heard rumours from a direct source at MSI that in America due to 25% tariff tax by the trump administration back in Jan 2021 the MSRP has to be added to the cost and this could mean the card will cost $789.99. If this is at all the case, this is an astronomical increase and frankly just plain foolish. We will look to revisit this in a week or so time once the card has been out for a little bit and update the pricing accordingly. Overview MSI's Gaming X variant of the 6700 XT offers similar performance to that of every other 6700 XT we have tested. Where it really shines is the quality! You know what you are getting with MSI and let me tell you, this card ha a good weight to it when you pick it up. Thanks to its Gaming X cooling solution, it should also some decent overclocks so you can get that bit more extra performance out of it. Should I Buy One? This will heavily depend on the price in reference to the reference model from AMD. Granted you get better cooling and maybe a more aesthetically appealing card, the performance is very similar to every other 6700 XT. So, if the price is almost double the cost of a reference mode and all you're doing is saving around 10°c, then in my opinion, it's not worth it. Unfortunately, only time will tell f this is a worthy contender for a 6700 XT or not. SAM We have tested SAM on our reference RX 6700 XT as the performance on all 6700 XT's was quite similar. In most tests, we saw an 8-15% increase in FPS although in some games we saw 0 difference and this should be similar for all 6700 XT cards. In order to use SAM, you will need a 6xxx series GPU, 5xxx Series CPU and a B550/X570 with all the current updates for your system. We may revisit this in comparison to NVIDIA's Resizable BAR in the future when it is more readily available. While it is hard to recommend one brand over the other, we feel that AMD's RX 6700 XT is a great 1440P gaming card and as such, have awarded it the Gamers Choice Award.