How Much Does It Cost?
This card is going to be a little more than a stock Radeon RX 6800 XT (review), however, what that truly means in early 2021 is up for interpretation. We know the cards are out of stock, you might see one, and lucky you if you do. However, until stock returns, which it absolutely will, I’m not nailing down a number here, which I’m sure you can appreciate.
Overview
It’s great to see AMD cards really putting out some competitive numbers again. The AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT impressed me at launch a few months back, when it delivered performance that was competing with the latest Nvidia RTX 3000 series cards. It wins in some battle, draws in others, and fell behind in a couple, but it averaged out to be a real competitor in the red vs green war.
Overclocked
Of course, Gigabyte has taken the stock card and given it an extra boost. The bigger cooler, as well as the higher clock speeds, all help to boost the performance. Admittedly, it’s not a huge increase, but it’s enough to match that of the Sapphire Nitro+ 6800 XT, and sit just a fraction behind the much more expensive MSI RX 6800 XT Gaming X Trio. So you’re getting really a much better value from this card than the others. Flagship performance at near entry level prices.
Build Quality
The build quality is spot on, and so it should be at this point. Gigabyte use basically the same cooler on all their cards, which means they’ve had time to refine the manufacturing process and keep things consistent. It also helps them keep the cost down, which they pass onto their customers. Plus, they have one of the best warranties on their cards, which shows they have confidence in their design.
Performance
Overall, the card runs great with some very competitive numbers. As for the acoustic, it runs a little louder than the Sapphire card and a little hotter. However, it also uses more power and delivers better performance overall, so I’m OK with that. However, looking at the big picture, the card isn’t particularly hot or loud, so a big thumbs up there too.
Should I Buy One?
It’s a really fantastic card, and very competitive with the more expensive models. That’s surprising, given this isn’t designed to be a particularly extreme edition of 6800 XT. It has a tried and tested cooler, and has a great design to it that’s not overly flashy. With good clock speeds, temperatures and noise levels, the Gigabyte RX 6800 XT Gaming OC is a winner. Now, all you have to do is find stock and it’ll be a win-win!
