Graphics Cards

MSI RX 6800 XT GAMING X TRIO 16G Graphics Card Review

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

MotherboardASUS Crosshair VIII Hero (Wi-Fi)
ProcessorAMD Ryzen 9 3900X
RAMTEAMGroup DarkZa 16GB 3600MHz (2x8GB)
CPU CoolerNoctua NH-D15S
Power SupplyPhanteks Revolt Pro 850
StorageSeagate FireCuda 520 2TB
ChassisOpen Benchtable
MonitorDell UP3218K
OSWindows 10 Pro Version 2004

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.

Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Peter Donnell

As a child still in my 30's (but not for long), I spend my day combining my love of music and movies with a life-long passion for gaming, from arcade classics and retro consoles to the latest high-end PC and console games. So it's no wonder I write about tech and test the latest hardware while I enjoy my hobbies!

Disqus Comments Loading...

Recent Posts

MSI Pro B760-P WIFI DDR4 (LGA 1700) DDR4 ATX Motherboard

ColourPrimary ColourBlackForm FactorMotherboard formfactorATXMotherboardMotherboard ChipsetIntel B760CPUCPU ManufacturerIntelCPU Socket1700Wi-Fi & LANLAN Ports1x 2.5 Gbit/sMemoryMax. Memory128 GBMemory…

15 hours ago

G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo EXPO RGB 64GB (2x32GB) DDR5 PC5-48000C30 6000MHz Dual Channel Kit

LightingLightingYesLighting ColourRGBColourPrimary ColourBlackMemoryMemory size (total)64 GBMemory TypeDDR5Memory Form FactorDIMMNumber of modules2Memory Speed6000 MHzMemory latencyCL 30-40-40-96Memory…

15 hours ago

Asrock Radeon RX 7900 XTX Phantom Gaming OC 24GB GDDR6 Graphics Card

Clock SpeedsMax. GPU Clock (Base)1900 MHzMax. GPU Clock (Boost)2615 MHzMax. Memory Clock20000 MHzLightingLightingYesLighting ColourRGBLighting CompatibilityASRock…

15 hours ago

LG 45″ 3440×1440 OLED 240Hz 0.03ms FreeSync G-Sync Compatible Gaming Monitor 

Its 45-inch 21:9 Ultra-WQHD display gives you a 34% wider view than a standard 16:9…

16 hours ago

PowerColor AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT FIGHTER 16GB RDNA3 Graphics Card

Introducing the Fighter Edition, meticulously crafted for the RX 7800 XT series. The Fighter Edition…

16 hours ago

AKRacing California Series TAHOE Extra Small Gaming Chair

Game in comfort with the AKRacing California Series TAHOE chair, which features a smaller seat…

16 hours ago