MSI AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT MECH 2X 12G OC Compute Review

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MSI Radeon RX 6700 XT MECH 2X 12G OC
MSI Radeon RX 6700 XT MECH 2X 12G OC

This has taken entirely too long, but we finally got a MSI AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT MECH 2X 12G OC to review. The recent GPU supply constraints made it nearly impossible to get the GPUs. Still, we figured we would add this one to our population to get some sense of the relative compute performance. As the name suggests, this is an AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT card late in following our AMD Radeon RX 6800 16GB GPU review. Let us take a look at the Radeon RX 6700 XT MECH 2X 12G OC.

MSI AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT MECH 2X 12G OC Overview

MSI Radeon RX 6700 XT MECH 2X 12G OC is a dual-slot GPU with a length of 9.72″.

MSI Radeon RX 6700 XT MECH 2X 12G OC Angle Front
MSI AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT MECH 2X 12G OC Angle Front

Here we see the retail box front and back.

MSI Radeon RX 6700 XT MECH 2X 12G OC Retail Box Front
MSI AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT MECH 2X 12G OC Retail Box Front
MSI Radeon RX 6700 XT MECH 2X 12G OC Retail Box Back
MSI AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT MECH 2X 12G OC Retail Box Back

Looking at the front of the GPU, we can see the dual-fan setup, which covers the entire card. These large cooling fans will keep the card cool.

MSI Radeon RX 6700 XT MECH 2X 12G OC Front
MSI AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT MECH 2X 12G OC Front

Flipping the GPU over, we can see the brushed-finish backplate. Given the cost of recent GPUs, we greatly appreciate backplates that aid in providing structural rigidity, environmental protection, as well as additional cooling.

MSI Radeon RX 6700 XT MECH 2X 12G OC Back
MSI AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT MECH 2X 12G OC Back

At the back end of the card, we find 2x 8-pin power connectors.

MSI Radeon RX 6700 XT MECH 2X 12G OC Power Connectors
MSI AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT MECH 2X 12G OC Power Connectors

Video outputs consist of 3x DisplayPort and 1x HDMI.

MSI Radeon RX 6700 XT MECH 2X 12G OC Outputs
MSI AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT MECH 2X 12G OC Outputs

Something that you likely noticed in photos is that this is not a double slot card. The card extends well beyond the top of the PCIe bracket and the cooler extends well beyond the second slot. This is not uncommon as NVIDIA GPUs such as theĀ NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090 are also using larger coolers. Still, one needs to keep in mind that this size has an impact on chassis selection as well as potentially interfering with other expansion slots.

Next, let us look at the key specifications and continue our performance testing.

2 COMMENTS

  1. On eBay: from $850 to $1,100 and more (depending on how speculation-daring the scalper is).
    On Amazon: from $1,200 to $1,500.
    On Best Buy: at $750 but unobtanium (sold out).
    On NewEgg: $1,050.

    Pathetic.

    CONCLUSION: Pass. Wait for 2022 or 2023. While waiting, if for “normal” desktop use, buy an AMD APU, continue to use the “old” card(s) from your stash or go with a used sub-$200 RX570 or equivalent on eBay. Eventually you will be able to get a high-end workstation graphics card (if that’s what you are looking for) some time in the next 24 months at a “normal” price.

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