While the stock Radeon RX 6500 XT might not be on the top of gamer’s wishlists, ASRock is offering an alternative with the Radeon RX 6500 XT Phantom Gaming 8GB OC. This custom version addresses a key limitation of the original card – memory. Doubling the GDDR6 memory to 8GB makes it more suitable for bmodern games that demand ever-increasing resources. So does this new addition make the RX 6500 XT worth it? We are not convinced.
ASRock’s key improvements
Performance and cooling
The ASRock card comes with a factory overclock, which will provide a slight performance bump over the reference design. The boost clock reaches 2,825 MHz, though the difference is ultimately minimal. The cooling system utilizes a dual-fan design with a semi-passive operation. This means the fans only spin when needed, keeping things quiet during low-intensity tasks.
Design, display, and power
The GPU occupies two PCI Express slots and requires an 8-pin PCIe power connector. Despite the overclock and memory upgrade, ASRock hasn’t revealed the TDP just yet. However, a 400W power supply should be enough for this budget-friendly RDNA 2 offering. In terms of design and aesthetics, the card lacks RGB lighting, which might be a plus for those who prefer a cleaner look, though those who like their products a little flashier will be disappointed. It features a stylish metal backplate and uses high-quality materials for the PCB and power delivery system. For connecting your monitors, you get an HDMI 2.1 port and a DisplayPort 1.4a output with support for high resolution displays up to 8K. The card can handle dual-monitor setups.
Worth it for the price?
The key selling point here is the increased memory at a competitive price. At $169.99, the ASRock Radeon RX 6500 XT Phantom Gaming 8GB OC falls between the base Radeon RX 6500 XT, which is sold at $139.99, and slightly faster options like the Radeon RX 6600, found for $189.99, and Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050, for $199.99. We would argue that the pricing is somewhat competitive, but for a little more, you could get the faster Radeon RX 6600 or the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050. These options offer not only more memory but also demonstrably better overall performance. The increased memory might be useful for some running newer games on lower settings. But if you’re looking for a future-proof graphics card or aiming for high-fidelity gaming, this ASRock card falls short.
The ASRock Radeon RX 6500 XT Phantom Gaming 8GB OC is a niche product. While the extra memory addresses a shortcoming of the original, the overall performance gains are minimal. If you’re on a very tight budget and prioritize any improvement for basic 1080p gaming, it might be an option. Otherwise, consider spending slightly more for a card with better capabilities.
