XFX RX 6600 SWFT 210 Graphics Card Review

It’s a very special day in the eTeknix office today, as we welcome the release of a new graphics card! They’re few and far between these days, or at least, ones where we actually see the card in real life and can get it on our test benches. AMD will be rolling out their new RX 6600 chipset from a few partners today, and the XFX RX 6600 SWFT 210 looks set to be a welcome choice for gamers. Not only does this promise to be a more affordable card, but it may also even end up close to its MSRP at most retailers. Furthermore, while it’s not going to appeal to the 4K extreme gamer market, for those trying to get their first builds off the ground, this card is promising to provide strong competition for the RTX 3060, which is still currently priced around nearly twice the MSRP of the 6600 due to insane demand and lack of competition... until now. XFX RX 6600 SWFT 210 This graphics card is looking pretty promising, and while it’s not a high-end chipset, being a step down from the recently launched 6600 XT models means it’ll be priced more competitively. However, the game clock and boost clock speeds do look promising at 2044 MHz and 2491 MHz respectively, it’s paired up with 8GB of GDDR6 memory, and really, it should be pretty competitive at both 1080 and 1440 resolutions. Of course, the main performance uptick will come from technologies like Radeon Boost, Radeon Anti-Lag, AMD Fidelity FX and more, all of which can give your gaming a welcome lift in performance. Features For in-depth features and specifications, please visit the official XFX RX 6600 SWFT 210 product page here. FidelityFX With such a growing list of games now supporting AMD FidelityFX, more and more gamers are getting big FPS improvements thanks to the upscaling technology. It’s effectively AMDs counter to the Nvidia DLSS technology, albeit they go about it in different ways, but they do similar things for gamers. A Closer Look The XFX SWFX 210 is a more affordable card, that’s not to say it’ll be cheap, but in terms of where it sits in the current AMD range, it’s their least powerful chipset. That being said, I think XFX has done a great job of creating a presentable and stylish looking card. It’s obviously pretty basic with its single plastic shroud and smaller design, but at the same time, it’s hardly tragic to look at. The card users a dual-fan design, which should be more than enough to keep things cool. There’s a decent fin array behind it too, albeit it’s not as densely packed as the more expensive cards, but again, I suspect this will be ample for this chipset. That being said, we’ll find out in our benchmarks if the card gets too hot or not. However, those fans are nice and large, and I think that will take care of the heat well enough. Overall, the construction looks fairly decent though, with a twin radiator design that extends much further beyond the PCB than I expected. This is a small card, really, but as you can see, the PCB is much smaller still. Still, all that extra surface area is going to help with the cooling performance. As you can see, it provides another advantage, with the rear fan having about 30% of its width able to exhaust up and out the backplate. It means that hot air can be moved away from the card much quicker. Actually, the fans even stick out a little on the front edge (top of this picture), and there are some heatsink fins showing here too. The backplate looks great too, with the XFX logo cut into it, as well as some small ventilation holes that should help with cooling, but they’re also aesthetically pleasing too. The card is by no means a power-hungry monster, so a single 8-pin will be all you’ll need. There’s a small switch here for the BIOS toggle too. The card features three DisplayPorts and a Single HDMI, all meeting the latest standards. However, I would have liked two HDMI and two DP, but that’s just my preference. Overall, this is a good looking card. Sure, the shroud is just a single piece of moulded plastic, but it looks smart enough, and they haven’t cheapened it with cheap shiny parts or LEDs, it’s just a compact black GPU, and I like it. 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)ProcessorAMD Ryzen 9 5900XRAM2 x 8GB Corsair Vengeance RGB PRO SL 3200MHzCPU CoolerNoctua NH-D15SPower SupplyCorsair HX750StorageSeagate 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 FireStrike 3DMark FireStrike Ultra 3DMark TimeSpy 3DMark TimeSpy Extreme Unigine Superposition 4K Optimised 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 Now an experienced covert operative, Adam Jensen is forced to operate in a world that has grown to despise his kind. Armed with a new arsenal of state-of-the-art weapons and augmentations, he must choose the right approach, along with who to trust, in order to unravel a vast worldwide conspiracy. Available now on Steam. Deus Ex Mankind Divided Performance Hell’s armies have invaded Earth. Become the Slayer in an epic single-player campaign to conquer demons across dimensions and stop the final destruction of humanity. The only thing they fear... is you. Available now on Steam. DOOM Eternal 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 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. Power Consumption Temperatures Acoustics How Much Does It Cost? The AMD 6600 series of cards, which will of course include today’s XFX RX 6600 SWFT 210, are launching at $329 USD or £299.99 MSRP in the US and UK, respectively. Of course, there’s little to no chance of actually seeing them at MSRP due to growing demand. For example, the faster 6600 XT launched around $379 MSRP, which should translate to around £325 in the UK once you work out tax differences. However, that’s currently selling at £470, around £150 above its MSRP after launch. So it’s safe to guess that the new card will start at roughly £300 MSPR and beyond. However, it must remain cheaper than the 6600 XT; otherwise, what’s the point. I wouldn’t be surprised to see it sell a little over £400 in some places. Is that great value for money? At this point, it’s really down to what you have in your wallet and how urgently you need a card, but this may still be your most affordable solution for some time. Overview Pricing aside, as I’ve really dwindled on that for as long as is interesting, this is actually a pretty decent card. It’s clear that it can trade blows with the Nvidia RTX 3060 surprisingly well. At 1080p resolutions, frame rates were exceptionally good with high settings, indicating you could push to higher detail settings, or enjoy higher refresh rate displays, even on the latest games. AMD outpaced Nvidia, if only by a small margin, in titles like Assassin’s Creed Valhalla and Dirt 5. Of course, even when Nvidia had the lead, it was a pretty close call. It runs a tiny bit warmer and louder than some GPUs, but not so much that it would be really a bother. That was expected though, this is a budget-focused design as we saw earlier, and right now, I’ll take the cost savings as it’s not like the card was throttling due to heat during our testing. It is amusing that it uses quite a bit less power than the RTX 3060 despite the similar performance. Resolutions Nvidia has the advantage here. At 1440p, the higher VRAM count on the Nvidia cards just gave them an edge over the latest AMD card. However, it’s not a drastic difference, and this is still a viable card for 1440p gaming, so long as you have reasonable expectations on what sort of settings you should aim for. eSports games, great, maxed out ray-traced gaming? Not so much. Ray Tracing The card is a bit naff for ray tracing, but it’s the bottom rung of the AMD performance ladder, so that’s not a surprise. Still, you can get around 38 FPS in Dirt 5 with it turned on, and 18 FPS in Metro, but that’s actually not that far off the RTX 3060. Of course, their new upscaling technologies fill in the gap here, much like DLSS would for Nvidia. It’s really a technology that gets better with every update too. Either way, the resolution scaling tech is more advantageous to these lower-end cards than ray tracing right now. Should I Buy One? The card trades blows with the RTX 3060 well enough, coming just ahead or behind in pretty much every benchmark. For 1080p gaming, it’s got plenty of power to keep those graphics settings turned up. Of course, It shares a lot of its hardware with the faster 6600 XT, such as the 32MB of Infinity Cache, 8GB of GDDR6, PCIe 4.0 8x, and 64 ROPs. However, the lower TDP and slimmed down cooler make it a more affordable prospect, and in today’s inflated market, affordable and in stock is what’s going to win the race. Plus, with the RTX 3060 currently sitting with a £200 premium over this card, I think I’ll have to stick with the red team for this round.