Sapphire Pulse Radeon 6500 XT 4GB Review

The new AMD Radeon 6500 XT graphics cards are here at last, and that's great news for those of you waiting to get your hands on a new GPU! While this one isn't exactly a flagship model, it has the potential to fill the void in the market for low-cost graphics cards. It's certainly going to be one of the most affordable graphics cards we'll see this year. However, don't expect it to innovate in terms of performance, as there's not a whole lot here that we haven't seen before. Of course, if they can keep the price and scalpers in check, there should be good numbers of these cards hitting the market, which will appeal to those on a tighter budget, first-time system builders, and just those eager to get their hands on any damn GPU they can so they can play! Furthermore, with just 4GB of VRAM, it's unlikely this card will appeal to the mining market. It may hurt PC gaming performance a bit too, but if it's going to help with stock and price in this market, is it a necessary evil? I think it might. Sapphire Pulse 6500 XT 4GB It's a pretty modest but competent graphics card. It's not a reference design, instead favouring a larger dual fan design. The large fans and robust heatsink are a design we've seen on previous Sapphire cards. Personally, I've long been a fan of the Pulse series, as they strike a solid balance between price and performance, and it looks like that trend continues with the new 6500 XT. While the 4GB of VRAM may not sound like much, I am expecting decent 1080p and even 1440p performance from this card. It has the horsepower to deliver good performance, but the VRAM could limit you on texture/shadow settings in some more demanding titles. Of course, the benchmarks will reveal all, so stick with us and let's get this thing going! Features World First 6nm Discrete GPU2.6 GHz (Fastest consumer GPU clock speeds!)16 Compute Units & Ray Accelerators2610 MHz Game Clock16Mb Infinity Cache4GB VRAM @ 18 GbpsAMD FidelityFXRadeon Anti-LagFreeSync PremiumRadeon Super Resolution (coming soon) A Closer Look Sapphire hasn't tinkered with the NDA of their Pulse series for the latest AMD Radeon 6500 XT launch. Actually, I think I have an RX580 Pulse around here somewhere that looks broadly the same. That being said, you could easily argue this new graphics card is the RX580/480 but on a new 6nm process, but it is what it is. What I do love about this card is that it's quite compact, so it's going to be very compatible with smaller form factor systems. Sapphire has also really cut some huge holes into that shroud, allowing them to fit some truly massive fans for a card of this size. The fans are so large and close they're virtually touching the edges of the PCB and each other, with little wasted space. This means the card will be able to shift large amounts of air at lower RPM. Of course, that can easily translate to better cooling performance and lower noise from the card its self. The Pulse only requires a single 6-pin PSU header, which is a strong indication of the modest power of this graphics card. That being said, it shouldn't take a particularly powerful PSU to run this card, so more affordable system builds will certainly benefit from the lower requirements. The Pulse may have those large fans on the top, but all that heat has to go somewhere. Thankfully, it looks like Sapphire has installed a pretty decent heatsink in here, with thick heatpipes and ample ventilation on all sides to ensure heat gets moved away from the card as quickly as possible. I fully expect this card to sit at its maximum clocks all day long, I'd be very surprised if it had to throttle unless you choked it for air. There's a full-size backplate on the card too, which will protect the PCB while also offering some heat dissipation too. However, a lot of the beneit from from the plentiful ventiliation holes. Combined with the large fans, some air will be allowed to pass through the backplate, further improving the cooling capabilities of the card. Of course, as we've seen on previous Pulse models, there's quite literally a pulse monitor design on there too, running right through the middle of the chipset. I quite like this design, its simple but looks cool. At the rear of the card, here are just two display outputs, with one HDMI and on DisplayPort. This isn't much, but given the more affordable design, it's perfectly suitable. Furthermore, this is in line with what I've seen on other 6500 XT graphics cards. 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. 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) BIOS 3904ProcessorAMD Ryzen 9 5900XRAM2x16GB Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB 3600MHzCPU CoolerNoctua NH-D15SPower SupplyCorsair HX750StorageFirecuda 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. Given how powerful most modern cards are getting, we've began using more demanding profiles for most games, but will otherwise state on a per game basis if we use other profiles beyond High, Ultra, Maximum or their respective equivalent at all resolutions. V-Sync is always disabled in our testing, as are FreeSync and G-Sync technologies or similar. We also exclude brand exclusive texts in tests that compare AMD/Nvidia, such as DLSS only testing as that's a one sided battle. Graphics card power usage is set to optimised or balanced, and the system power mode is set to High Performance within Windows and the available GPU driver software. Identical settings are used for all resolutions unless otherwise stated. Games Assassin's Creed ValhallaBorderlands 3Dirt 5Forza Horizon 5GodfallHorizon Zero DawnMetro Exodus Enhanced EditionShadow of the Tomb RaiderWatch Dogs Legion 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 ExtremeHWMonitor (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 3DMark Firestrike Ultra 3DMark Timespy 3DMark Timespy Extreme 3DMark Port Royal Unigine 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 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 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 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 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 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 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. Watchdogs Legion Performance Available now on Steam. Dirt 5 Ray Traced Shadows Performance Your Ultimate Horizon Adventure awaits! Explore the vibrant and ever-evolving open-world landscapes of Mexico with limitless, fun driving action in hundreds of the world’s greatest cars. Available now on Xbox/PC Forza Horizon 5 Ray Tracing Performance Available now on EPIC. Godfall Ray Traced Shadows Performance Available now on Epic Game Store. Metro Exodus Ray Tracing & DLSS Performance 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. Watchdogs Legion Ray Tracing Performance Power Consumption Temperatures Acoustics How Much Does It Cost? The MSRP of these new cards is £179.99 or $199.99 and I fully expect some people will see the cards at that price. However, between scalping and an extremely thirsty market, I wouldn't be surprised if they're being sold above that fairly quickly. Of course, that's the base MSRP too, so some models from the likes of Gigabyte or ASUS with bigger coolers and more complex designs will come with a higher price tag. Of course, we strongly suggest shopping around, but keep in mind, stock, no matter how plentiful, is still likely to sell out relatively quickly. Overall though, at the MSRP or at least close to it, this card is worth the money. It's nothing too fancy, but it's going to get the job done. If the price pushes up to £300 and above... well, then it's hard to get excited about it. You can check for up to date pricing and stock at Amazon UK here and Overclockers UK here. Overview I've been a long-time fan of Sapphire cards, and when I buy AMD GPUs, it's actually always been a Sapphire card. Actually, I've been buying Sapphire cards for so long, I've had a Sapphire Nvidia 8800 GT, 6770, 700, 800, 480, and a 580 Ti and maybe more inbetween. Why? Generally because they often have great cards at close to the MSRP. They've always had nice cooler design and I've found them to be pretty reliable too. Thankfully, I think all that holds true of the new 6500 XT. Being a part of the Pulse series, it even looks like two of the cards I've previously used, and they've changed the overall design about as much as you would expect from a "new" Porche 911. The card is well made though, and I appreciate that the form factor is basically identical to the RX480 and above, as that means it'll be extremely compatible with a lot of smaller PC cases. Actually, for some of you upgrading, you may find this card looks literally identical to what you already have. The larger fans and ample ventilation are certainly welcome though. It's a very competent cooler, keeping temperatures low and noise levels were surprisingly quiet. Not that it's a hard chipset to maintain, but it does have some blisteringly fast clockspeeds. Thankfully, the new 6nm process seems nicely efficient though. For those coming from an older graphics card, intergrated graphics, or even finally being able to afford to build their first PC, this card is a good starting point. While the 4GB VRAM is clearly limiting in more demanding titles, a few minor tweaks to your graphics settings makes them perfectly playable. This is a GPU of compromise, but again, that's reflected in the MSRP. Of course, thanks to features like Anti-Lag, FreeSync Premium and FidelityFX you can fill in a lot of performance gaps, and certainly improve both the performance and value of the 6500 XT. Just, ya know, leave ray tracing alone on this one. Should I Buy One? This card is said to be hitting the MSRP, now keep in mind, that's what Sapphire set, but resellers could make their own mind up. That being said, given your not paying a premium for larger coolers like on the ASUS and Gigabyte models, this one is hardly lacking. It's got a great cooler of its own, a more compact form factor than a lot of the other 6500 XT cards, and it's using a design that is well tried and tested. I've been a long time fan of the Pulse series and I've no reason to doubt it yet. More VRAM would have been nice, but at the same time, I think keeping the price down is important in the market right now. There's enough high-end cards that cost a fortune, and a lot of gamers are simply looking for a cheap upgade path right now. It's not the card of your dreams, but it'll do until all of this blows over.