CPU
GPU
Radeon RX 6500 XT
Popular choices:
Radeon 8040S
Popular choices:
Performance Spectrum - GPU
About G3D Mark
G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (G3D Mark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Radeon RX 6500 XT
Performance Per Dollar Radeon 8040S
Performance Comparison
About G3D Mark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
The Radeon 8040S is the superior choice for raw performance. It leads with a 1.6% higher G3D Mark score. This advantage makes it significantly better for higher resolutions (1440p/4K) and graphic-intensive titles compared to the Radeon RX 6500 XT.
| Insight | Radeon RX 6500 XT | Radeon 8040S |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ❌Lower raw frame rates (-1.6%) | ✅Leading raw performance (+1.6%) |
| Longevity | RDNA 2.0 (2020−2025) (6nm) | RDNA 3.5 (2024−2025) (4nm) |
| Ecosystem | Supports FSR Upscaling | Supports FSR Upscaling |
| VRAM | 🎮 High Capacity (4 GB) | 🎮 High Capacity (4 GB) |
| Efficiency | ⚡ Higher Power Consumption | 💡 Excellent Perf/Watt |
| Case Fit | 📏 Compact / SFF Friendly | — |
💎 Value Proposition
The Radeon RX 6500 XT offers a compelling cost-to-performance ratio. Priced at $150 versus $400 for the Radeon 8040S, it costs 63% less. While it maintains competitive performance, this results in a 162.5% higher cost efficiency score.
| Insight | Radeon RX 6500 XT | Radeon 8040S |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅Better overall value (+162.5%) | ❌Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅More affordable ($150) | ⚠️Higher upfront cost ($400) |
Performance Check
Real-world benchmarks and performance projections based on comprehensive hardware analysis and comparative metrics. Values represent expected performance on High/Ultra settings at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K. Modeled using a Ryzen 7 7800X3D reference profile to minimize specific CPU bottlenecks.
Note: Performance behavior can vary per game. Specific architectures may perform better or worse depending on game engine optimizations and API implementation.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Radeon RX 6500 XT and Radeon 8040S
Radeon RX 6500 XT
The Radeon RX 6500 XT is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 19 2022. It features the RDNA 2.0 architecture. The core clock ranges from 2610 MHz to 2815 MHz. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 107W. Manufactured using 6 nm process technology. It features 16 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,603 points. Launch price was $199.
Radeon 8040S
The Radeon 8040S is manufactured by AMD. It was released in January 6 2025. It features the RDNA 3.5 architecture. The core clock ranges from 1295 MHz to 2800 MHz. It has 1024 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 55W. Manufactured using 4 nm process technology. It features 16 dedicated ray tracing cores for enhanced lighting effects. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,756 points.
Graphics Performance
The Radeon RX 6500 XT scores 9,603 and the Radeon 8040S reaches 9,756 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 1.6% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The Radeon RX 6500 XT is built on RDNA 2.0 while the Radeon 8040S uses RDNA 3.5, both on 6 nm vs 4 nm. Shader units: 1,024 (Radeon RX 6500 XT) vs 1,024 (Radeon 8040S). Raw compute: 5.765 TFLOPS (Radeon RX 6500 XT) vs 5.734 TFLOPS (Radeon 8040S). Boost clocks: 2815 MHz vs 2800 MHz. Ray tracing: 16 RT cores (Radeon RX 6500 XT) vs 16 (Radeon 8040S).
| Feature | Radeon RX 6500 XT | Radeon 8040S |
|---|---|---|
| G3D Mark Score | 9,603 | 9,756+2% |
| Architecture | RDNA 2.0 | RDNA 3.5 |
| Process Node | 6 nm | 4 nm |
| Shading Units | 1024 | 1024 |
| Compute (TFLOPS) | 5.765 TFLOPS | 5.734 TFLOPS |
| Boost Clock | 2815 MHz | 2800 MHz |
| ROPs | 32 | 32 |
| TMUs | 64 | 64 |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB | 8 MB+700% |
| Ray Tracing Cores | 16 | 16 |
Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)
A critical advantage for the Radeon RX 6500 XT is support for FSR 3 / AFMF. This allows it to generate entire frames using AI/Algorithms, essentially doubling the frame rate in CPU-bound scenarios or heavy ray-tracing titles. The Radeon 8040S lacks specific hardware/driver support for this native frame generation tier.
| Feature | Radeon RX 6500 XT | Radeon 8040S |
|---|---|---|
| Upscaling Tech | FSR 3 (Native) | FSR 1.0 (Software) |
| Frame Generation | FSR 3 / AFMF (Driver) | Not Supported |
| Ray Reconstruction | No | No |
| Low Latency | AMD Anti-Lag | AMD Anti-Lag |
Video Memory (VRAM)
Both cards feature 4 GB of video memory. Bus width: 64-bit vs System. L2 Cache: 1 MB (Radeon RX 6500 XT) vs 8 MB (Radeon 8040S) — the Radeon 8040S has significantly larger on-die cache to reduce VRAM reliance.
| Feature | Radeon RX 6500 XT | Radeon 8040S |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM Capacity | 4 GB | 4 GB |
| Memory Type | GDDR6 | Shared |
| Memory Bandwidth | 144 GB/s | System |
| Bus Width | 64-bit | System |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB | 8 MB+700% |
Display & API Support
DirectX support: 12.2 (Radeon RX 6500 XT) vs 12.2 (Radeon 8040S). Vulkan: 1.3 vs 1.4. OpenGL: 4.6 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 2 vs 4.
| Feature | Radeon RX 6500 XT | Radeon 8040S |
|---|---|---|
| DirectX | 12.2 | 12.2 |
| Vulkan | 1.3 | 1.4+8% |
| OpenGL | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| Max Displays | 2 | 4+100% |
Media & Encoding
Hardware encoder: None (Radeon RX 6500 XT) vs VCN 4.5 (Radeon 8040S). Decoder: VCN 3.0 (Limited) vs VCN 4.5. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264 (Decode),HEVC (Decode) (Radeon RX 6500 XT) vs MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 (Radeon 8040S).
| Feature | Radeon RX 6500 XT | Radeon 8040S |
|---|---|---|
| Encoder | None | VCN 4.5 |
| Decoder | VCN 3.0 (Limited) | VCN 4.5 |
| Codecs | MPEG-2,H.264 (Decode),HEVC (Decode) | MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC,VP9,AV1 |
Power & Dimensions
The Radeon RX 6500 XT draws 107W versus the Radeon 8040S's 55W — a 64.2% difference. The Radeon 8040S is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (Radeon RX 6500 XT) vs 500W (Radeon 8040S). Power connectors: 1x 6-pin vs PCIe-powered. Card length: 172mm vs 0mm, occupying 2 vs 0 slots. Typical load temperature: 70°C vs 85°C.
| Feature | Radeon RX 6500 XT | Radeon 8040S |
|---|---|---|
| TDP | 107W | 55W-49% |
| Recommended PSU | 400W-20% | 500W |
| Power Connector | 1x 6-pin | PCIe-powered |
| Length | 172mm | 0mm |
| Height | 112mm | 0mm |
| Slots | 2 | 0-100% |
| Temp (Load) | 70°C-18% | 85°C |
| Perf/Watt | 89.7 | 177.4+98% |
Value Analysis
The Radeon RX 6500 XT launched at $199 MSRP and currently averages $150, while the Radeon 8040S launched at $400 and now averages $400. The Radeon RX 6500 XT costs 62.5% less ($250 savings) at current market prices. Performance per dollar (G3D Mark / price): 64.0 (Radeon RX 6500 XT) vs 24.4 (Radeon 8040S) — the Radeon RX 6500 XT offers 162.3% better value. The Radeon 8040S is the newer GPU (2025 vs 2022).
| Feature | Radeon RX 6500 XT | Radeon 8040S |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $199-50% | $400 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $150-63% | $400 |
| Performance per Dollar | 64.0+162% | 24.4 |
| Codename | Navi 24 | Strix Halo |
| Release | January 19 2022 | January 6 2025 |
| Ranking | #270 | #265 |
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