The RX 6500XT is a troubled graphics card, to say the least. Although it involves many good features from AMD, its execution is not as great as expected. This GPU uses the second-generation RDNA architecture and has pretty fine attributes, but it is a low-end GPU, only capable of entry-level gaming.
This GPU had a value of 200$ at the start but has since dropped significantly. Despite that, it isn’t a performance-to-value-oriented GPU like most of its RX 6000 series siblings. So, instead of getting an RX 6500XT, you would be better off with something from some time ago.
With a small 4GB VRAM and barely over a thousand streaming units, the RX 6500XT struggles to keep up with the present game’s hardware demand. Hence, today, we are going to explore some other and probably older GPUs that will deliver an improved performance over the RX 6500XT.
GPU equivalent to the RX 6500 XT
The RX 5500XT and GTX 1650 Super are substantially better-performing alternatives for the RX 6500XT. Apart from being older, these GPUs have massively better price-to-performance margins. With these options, at least you are getting an actual 150$ GPU capable of lifting the load of many games without any significant repercussions.
AMD RX 5500 XT
The RX 5500XT was among the low-end offerings in the RX 5000 series of GPUs back in 2019. Fitted with the newly developed RDNA architecture, the RX 5500XT was a decent GPU meant to replace the coveted and most affordable RX 400/500 series cards.
Its specifications are a very suitable fit for this GPU. The 4GB memory, 1408 Streaming processors, 22 compute units, and an 8-lane bus were strong indicators of its purpose. Unlike the 4-lane channel of the RX 6500XT, the 8-lane in this GPU allows for much higher bandwidths.
Its cores have a maximum clock of 1900 MHz. Though this core clock is much lower, it still attains an identical performance to the RX 6500XT at almost half its price.
| Feature | AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT | AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | RDNA 1.0 | RDNA 2.0 |
| Core Clock (MHz) | 1607 MHz | 2310 MHz |
| Boost Clock (MHz) | 1845 MHz | 2815 MHz |
| CUDA Cores | 1408 | 1024 |
| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR6 |
| Memory Size (GB) | 4 GB | 4 GB |
| Memory Bus Width (bits) | 128 bit | 64 bit |
| Memory Speed (Gbps) | 1750 MHz 14 Gbps effective | 2248 MHz 18 Gbps effective |
| TDP (Watts) | 175 W | 107 W |
| DirectX Version | 12 (12_1) | 12 Ultimate (12_2) |
| OpenGL Version | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| VR Ready | - | - |
| Ray Tracing Cores | 24 | 16 |
| Ports | 1x HDMI 2.0b 3x DisplayPort 1.4a | 1x HDMI 2.1 1x DisplayPort 1.4a |
| Price | $212.25 | $239.23 |
Nvidia GTX 1650 Super
Hailing from 2019, it is another Nvidia product that outclasses the RX 6500XT. The GTX 1650 Super is a member of a famed series and manages fantastic performance to identify as a known entity.
The GTX 1650 Super also comes with a slightly dated microarchitecture and relatively large chip size, but it works well enough to parallel the RX 6500XT. Inside the GPU, you will find GDDR6 4GB memory, 1280 CUDA engines, and appropriate clock speeds of up to 1800 MHz.
With these traits, the 1650 Super can be considered a buffed-up parallel of the 6500XT with outstanding efficiency. Simply put, it is among the most accomplished entry-level GPUs, perfect for esports titles and numerous single-player campaigns.
| Feature | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER | AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture | Turing | RDNA 2.0 |
| Core Clock (MHz) | 1530 MHz | 2310 MHz |
| Boost Clock (MHz) | 1725 MHz | 2815 MHz |
| CUDA Cores | 1280 | 1024 |
| Memory Type | GDDR6 | GDDR6 |
| Memory Size (GB) | 4 GB | 4 GB |
| Memory Bus Width (bits) | 128 bit | 64 bit |
| Memory Speed (Gbps) | 1500 MHz 12 Gbps effective | 2248 MHz 18 Gbps effective |
| TDP (Watts) | 100 W | 107 W |
| DirectX Version | 12 (12_1) | 12 Ultimate (12_2) |
| OpenGL Version | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| VR Ready | - | - |
| Ray Tracing Cores | 24 | 16 |
| Ports | 1x DVI 1x HDMI 2.0 1x DisplayPort 1.4a | 1x HDMI 2.1 1x DisplayPort 1.4a |
| Price | $157.96 | $239.23 |
Conclusion
Before concluding this discussion, some things should be pointed out first. The RX 6500XT is a good jumping pad for most low-budget gamers, but its massively underpowered structure goes essentially against what AMD has been doing for the past decade or so.
Due to inflating prices and low supply, this GPU is still a bit unsuitable for those only looking to enjoy a gaming experience on low-end systems. Hence, instead of getting this one, you should give a chance to its alternatives, which might benefit you monetarily.
Despite its higher degree of future-proofing and a few neat features like raytracing cores and trendy architecture, the RX 6500XT isn’t powerful enough to suffice for the escalating visual fidelity of newer games. With the RX 5500XT and the GTX 1650 Super, at least you are getting your money’s worth of performance, reliability, and longevity.
