AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT
AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT in 2025: Is It Worth Buying? A Complete Breakdown of a "Veteran" in the Gaming Market
Introduction
The AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT, released in early 2020, became one of the symbols of affordable gaming in the Full HD era. Five years later, it is still available for sale, although its position has significantly weakened due to new technologies. In this article, we will explore who might consider the RX 5600 XT in 2025, what tasks it can handle, and where it falls short compared to modern alternatives.
Architecture and Key Features: RDNA 1.0 and Modest Functionality
Architecture: The RX 5600 XT is built on the first generation of RDNA (RDNA 1.0) using TSMC's 7nm process. This was AMD's attempt to compete with NVIDIA in the mid-range segment, but it lacks revolutionary features like hardware ray tracing.
Key Features:
- FidelityFX: A set of tools for enhancing graphics, including CAS (Contrast Adaptive Sharpening) to improve sharpness without losing FPS.
- Radeon Anti-Lag: Reduces input latency in games, which is beneficial for esports.
- No Ray Tracing Support: Unlike RDNA 2.0 (the RX 6000 series), this card does not include hardware blocks for ray tracing.
Why Is This Important in 2025?
Most modern games actively utilize ray tracing and AI technologies (DLSS 3, FSR 3). The RX 5600 XT remains detached from these trends, limiting its relevance.
Memory: 6 GB GDDR6 and a Narrow Bus
Specifications:
- Memory Type: GDDR6.
- Capacity: 6 GB.
- Bus Width: 192-bit.
- Bandwidth: 336 GB/s.
Impact on Performance:
In 2020, 6 GB was sufficient for 1080p, but by 2025, many projects (e.g., Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty or Starfield) require 8+ GB even at medium settings. The narrow 192-bit bus limits data transfer speed, which becomes noticeable at 1440p and 4K.
Example Issues:
- In Hogwarts Legacy (2023) at 1080p/Ultra, the GPU hits the memory limit, causing drops to 45 FPS.
- In Alan Wake 2 (2023), 6 GB is insufficient for enabling high-quality textures.
Gaming Performance: Full HD Is the Limit
1080p:
- Cyberpunk 2077 (Medium): 55-60 FPS.
- Apex Legends (High): 100-110 FPS.
- Elden Ring (Medium): 50-55 FPS (not accounting for drops in the open world).
1440p:
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (Medium): 40-45 FPS.
- Call of Duty: Warzone (Low): 70-80 FPS.
4K: Not recommended — even at Low settings, the average FPS rarely exceeds 30.
Ray Tracing: Not supported at the hardware level. Software solutions (via DirectX 12 Ultimate) reduce performance by 2-3 times, rendering them impractical.
Professional Tasks: Not the Best Choice
Video Editing:
- In DaVinci Resolve or Premiere Pro, the card can handle rendering in H.264/H.265, but it is slower than NVIDIA NVENC counterparts.
- The 6 GB of memory limits work with 4K materials.
3D Modeling:
- In Blender (via OpenCL), rendering is 30-40% slower than on the NVIDIA RTX 3060.
- For ZBrush or Maya, the GPU is adequate, but complex scenes will lag.
Scientific Computing:
- The lack of specialized APIs like CUDA makes it unsuitable for ML tasks.
Power Consumption and Heat Dissipation: Modest Appetite
- TDP: 150 W.
- Recommended PSU: 500 W (with some headroom).
- Temperatures:
- Reference models: Up to 80°C under load.
- Custom coolers (e.g., Sapphire Pulse): 65-70°C.
Cooling Tips:
- Use a case with 2-3 intake fans.
- Regularly clean the cooler from dust — older cards often suffer from overheating.
Comparison with Competitors: Who Is Stronger in 2025?
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (6 GB):
- Pros: Supports ray tracing and DLSS.
- Cons: Lower performance in Vulkan/DX12.
- Price (new): $180-200.
- AMD Radeon RX 6600 (8 GB):
- Pros: RDNA 2.0, FSR 3 support.
- Cons: 15-20% more expensive ($220-250).
- Intel Arc A750 (8 GB):
- Pros: Better optimization for DX12.
- Cons: Driver issues with older games.
Conclusion: The RX 5600 XT only wins when priced below $150. In other cases, it is better to pay extra for the RX 6600 or RTX 3050.
Practical Tips: How to Avoid Issues
1. Power Supply: Don’t skimp — consider Corsair CX550 or Be Quiet! System Power 10 500W.
2. Compatibility:
- Motherboards: PCIe 4.0 support is desirable, but the card works on PCIe 3.0.
- CPUs: Avoid "bottlenecks" — Ryzen 5 3600 or Core i5-10400F will do.
3. Drivers:
- Use Adrenalin 24.x.x — stable versions without "raw" features.
- Disable automatic update checking — new drivers may not be optimized for RDNA 1.0.
Pros and Cons of the Graphics Card
Pros:
- Low price ($120-150 for new units).
- Energy efficiency.
- Good performance in older games and esports titles.
Cons:
- 6 GB of memory is critical for modern AAA games.
- No support for ray tracing or FSR 3.
- Weak drivers for professional tasks.
Final Verdict: Who Is the RX 5600 XT Suitable For?
This graphics card is suitable for:
1. Gamers with a 1080p/60 Hz monitor who play projects from 2020-2022.
2. Owners of older PCs looking to upgrade from GTX 1060 or RX 580 without replacing the PSU.
3. Budget builds for office tasks and video streaming.
Why You Shouldn't Buy It:
- If you plan to play new releases in 2024-2025 like GTA VI or Fable — 6 GB of memory and lack of AI upscaling will become critical issues.
Alternative: With a budget of up to $200, consider a used RX 6600 XT or a new Intel Arc A580 — they offer a better balance of capabilities and price.
Conclusion
In 2025, the Radeon RX 5600 XT is a "workhorse" for less demanding scenarios. It can still provide comfortable gaming in Full HD, but its lifespan is coming to an end. Buy this card only if you find it priced below $150 and are prepared to deal with its limitations. In all other cases, it is better to look towards more modern solutions.