Comparison PowerColor Radeon RX 6900 XT Red Devil vs Sapphire Radeon RX 6800 PULSE

A GPU is a type of graphics processor that determines the fundamental performance characteristics of a video adapter. Today there are two main manufacturers - AMD and NVIDIA. Intel has also entered the leadership race with its Intel Arc line of discrete graphics.

NVIDIA: GeForce GT 1030, GeForce GTX 1050 Ti, GeForce GTX 1060, GeForce GTX 1070, etc. (all related to GeForce 10 series), GeForce GTX 1630, GeForce GTX 1650( SUPER), GeForce GTX 1660( SUPER, Ti), GeForce RTX 20 series, namely GeForce RTX 2060( SUPER), GeForce RTX 2070( SUPER), GeForce RTX 2080( SUPER, Ti), GeForce RTX 3050, GeForce RTX 3060, GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, ..."/list/189/pr-42256/">GeForce RTX 3070, GeForce RTX 3070 Ti, GeForce RTX 3080, GeForce RTX 3080 Ti, GeForce RTX 3090, GeForce RTX 3090 Ti, GeForce RTX 4060, GeForce RTX 4060 Ti, GeForce RTX 4070, GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER, GeForce RTX 4070 Ti, GeForce RTX 4 070 Ti SUPER, GeForce RTX 4080, GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER, GeForce RTX 4090, as well as professional Quadro.

AMD: Radeon RX 400 series, Radeon RX 500 series as Radeon RX 550, Radeon RX 560, Radeon RX 570, Radeon RX 580, Radeon RX 590, Radeon RX 5500 XT, Radeon RX 5600 XT, Radeon RX 5700, Radeon RX 5700 XT, Radeon RX 6400, Radeon RX 6500 XT, Radeon RX 6600, Radeon RX 6600 XT, Radeon RX 6650 XT, Radeon RX 6700 XT, Radeon RX 6750 XT , Radeon RX 6800, Radeon RX 6800 XT, Radeon RX 6900 XT, Radeon RX 6950 XT, Radeon RX 7600, Radeon RX 7600 XT, Radeon RX 7700 XT, Radeon RX 7800 XT, Radeon RX 7900 XT, Radeon RX 7900 XTX, Radeon RX 7900 GRE, Radeon RX Vega 56, Radeon RX Vega 64, AMD Radeon VII and professional FirePro.

Knowing the GPU model, you can find detailed information on it (special specs, reviews, reviews, etc.) and evaluate how suitable this board is for your purposes. It is worth noting that in video cards from third-party brands, the characteristics of the graphics processor may differ slightly from the standard ones (and often in the direction of acceleration and improvement).

The frequency of the graphics processor of the graphics card. As a general rule, the higher the frequency of the GPU, the higher the performance of the graphics card, but this parameter is not the only one — a lot also depends on the design features of the graphics card, in particular, the type and amount of video memory (see the relevant glossary items). As a result, it is not unusual for a model with a lower processor frequency to be more performant of two video cards. In addition, it should be noted that high-frequency processors also have high heat dissipation, which requires the use of powerful cooling systems.

The result shown by the graphics card in the test (benchmark) Passmark G3D Mark.

Benchmarks allow you to evaluate the actual capabilities (primarily overall performance) of a graphics card. This is especially convenient in light of the fact that adapters with similar characteristics in fact can differ markedly in capabilities (for example, due to the difference in the quality of optimization of individual components for joint work). And Passmark G3D Mark is the most popular benchmark for graphics adapters nowadays. The results of such a test are indicated in points, with a higher number of points corresponding to better performance. As of mid-2020, the most advanced graphics cards can score over 17,000 points.

Note that Passmark G3D Mark is used not only for general performance evaluation, but also to determine the compatibility of a graphics card with a specific processor. The CPU and graphics adapter must be approximately equal in terms of the overall level of computing power, otherwise one component will “pull back” the other: for example, a weak processor will not allow a powerful gaming graphics card to unleash the full potential. To search for a video adapter for a specific CPU model, you can use the list "Optimal for AMD processors" or "Optimal for Intel processors" in the selection of our catalog.

The latest version of DirectX supported by the graphics card.

DirectX is a set of software tools for Windows OS that provides interaction between programs and hardware components of the system, including graphics card. In fact, the existence of DirectX eliminates the need for developers to write versions of programs for each specific system configuration: if the programme is compatible with DirectX, it will work correctly on any system with DirectX of the corresponding version (or later) installed.

The later version of DirectX a graphics card can support, the wider its capabilities in general. This is especially true for processing complex graphics and special effects, in particular in games. At the same time, a game optimized for a later version of DirectX may well run with an earlier version, but the full set of video effects will not be available to the user.

Today, the newest version is DirectX 12, it is supported by most modern video cards. At the same time, we note that this version is also compatible with graphics adapters originally designed for Direct X 11 — except that not all functions will be available in such cases.

The number of stream processors provided by the graphics card.

A stream processor is a separate part of the GPU, designed to execute one shader at a time. Shaders, in turn, are small programs responsible for creating individual graphic effects (for example, surface gloss, glare on the surface of water, motion blur, etc.). Accordingly, the more stream processors provided in the design, the more shaders the graphics card can simultaneously execute and the higher its computing power. However, in general, this is a rather specific parameter, relevant mainly for professional developers, modders and enthusiastic gamers.

The number of texture units contained in the GPU.

As the name implies, such blocks are responsible for working with textures. Texture, in turn, is one of the main elements of 3D graphics: an image superimposed on the surface of a three-dimensional object (similar to, for example, wallpaper pasted on a wall or a label on a box). The specific purpose of texture blocks is to select textures and apply them to the surface of geometric objects. Other things being equal, more of these blocks means higher graphics performance; although in general this is a rather specific parameter, intended mainly for specialists and rarely needed by ordinary users.

Graphics card support for CrossFire or SLI technology.

CrossFire and SLI are ATI and nVidia development technologies, respectively, that allow you to use two video cards on one computer. Their capacities are combined, which allows to achieve high graphic performance of the system. This implies unification at the hardware level, with the connection of video cards using special “bridge” connectors.

It makes sense to install two video cards on high-performance computers designed to work with "heavy" graphics — for example, advanced gaming PCs or workstations used for 3D rendering. To use CrossFire/SLI, the corresponding technology must be supported not only by the installed video cards, but also by the motherboard; to install video cards, you need PCI-E connectors of the same version. The video cards themselves in the case of SLI must be exactly the same; CrossFire requirements are a little softer — in this case, at least one of them must belong to the ATI CrossFire Edition family.

The graphics card has a backlight system. This feature gives the board an original appearance, which is especially appreciated by gamers and fans of external PC modding. The backlight may have a different colour, in some models this colour may even change. At the same time, note that this feature does not affect the functionality of the graphics card, but it significantly affects the cost. So it's worth specifically looking for a graphics card with backlighting only in cases where an unusual design is no less important to you than performance. It should also be borne in mind that such adapters must be installed in the appropriate cases — open or with a viewing window, otherwise the backlight will simply not be visible.

Format of additional power required for the operation of the graphics card.

By itself, the PCI-E connector, which is standardly used to connect video cards, provides 75 watts of power. For many models, even quite performant ones, this is quite enough, and many modern video adapters do without additional power. However, models with additional power have become more widespread, especially among high-end solutions.

The simplest version of such a power supply is one 6-pin or 8-pin connector. A 6-pin connector can additionally provide up to 75 watts, an 8-pin connector can provide up to 150 watts. However, for high-end solutions, one connector is not enough, so there are models with 6 + 8 pin, 8 + 8 pin, and even 8 + 8 + 6 pin or 8 + 8 + 8 pin formats.And the new cards are completely 16-pin. Such power connectors have a total of 16 lines: 12 for current supply and 4 signal. The effective power threshold of the 16 pin connector is up to 600 watts. Connection to it can be done through a 3×8 pin adapter.

Note that it is theoretically possible to connect a 6-pin power supply to an 8-pin connector and vice versa, even corresponding adapters are availa...ble for this. However, in fact, the possibility of such a connection should be clarified separately, and such tricks should be used only in extreme cases, when other options are not available.