MSI Radeon RX 6600 XT Gaming X
August, 2021Type
Graphics CardPrice
$559 USMSI Radeon RX 6600 XT Gaming X Overview
The MSI Radeon RX 6600 XT Gaming X is the flagship variant in the RX 6600 family. It is a very powerful graphics card, rocking the 2nd generation Twin-Frozr cooling for MSI's Gaming graphics cards. In overall size and weight, this thing is just tons of massive performance packed in a dual-slot form factor.
In addition to the custom design, the Radeon RX 6600 XT Gaming X comes with a non-reference PCB, featuring an 8 phase design that features higher quality components than the reference variant which is already a really good design by itself. In terms of clock speeds, the graphics card features the same base frequency of 2428 MHz but the boost clock is rated at 2607 MHz which is an 18 MHz clock bump over the reference model. The card features a TDP of 160W which is the same as the reference model though MSI has increased the voltages on this card for its overclock which would increase the power consumption slightly.
Following are some of the features of the MSI Radeon RX 6600 XT Gaming X before we go into detail:
Boost Clock / Memory Speed
- Up to 2607 MHz / 16 Gbps
- 8GB GDDR6
- DisplayPort x 3 (v1.4)
HDMI x 1 (Supports 4K@120Hz/8K@60Hz and VRR as specified in HDMI 2.1)
TWIN FROZR 8 Thermal Design
- TORX Fan 4.0: A masterpiece of teamwork, fan blades work in pairs to create unprecedented levels of focused air pressure.
- Core Pipe: Precision-crafted heat pipes ensure max contact to the GPU and spread heat along the full length of the heatsink.
- Airflow Control: Don't sweat it, Airflow Control guides the air to exactly where it needs to be for maximum cooling.
RGB Mystic Light
- Mystic Light gives you complete control of the RGB lighting for MSI devices and compatible RGB products.
MSI Center
- The exclusive MSI Center software lets you monitor, tweak, and optimize MSI products in real-time.
MSI Radeon RX 6600 XT Gaming X Graphics Card Gallery:
The MSI Gaming X Graphics Cards With Twin-Frozr 8S Cooling
With the differences out of the way, now let's talk about the similarities and the main highlights of the Gaming X design. The Gaming X is a toned-down variant of the much higher-end card, the MSI Gaming X Trio. The Gaming X series features the MSI Twin Frozr series which has been widely used in current and last-generation graphics cards from MSI.
The latest iteration of MSI’s iconic GAMING series once again brings performance, low-noise efficiency, and aesthetics that hardcore gamers have come to recognize and trust. Now you too can enjoy all your favorite games with a powerful graphics card that stays cool and silent. Just the way you like it.
MSI has incorporated and refined a couple of things in the new Twin-Frozr design for Gaming X graphics cards. First is the TORX fan 4.0 which uses a ring design that connects two fan-blades with each other to increase airflow towards the internal heatsink assembly. These fans are made up of a double ball bearing design which ensures silent functionality in heavy loads.
The fans are fully compliant with the Zero Frozr Technology and are actually comprised of three areas. All of these would stay at 0 RPM (idle state) if the temperatures don't exceed 60C. When it does exceed 60C, all fans would start spinning. You can change that through the MSI configuration panel if you want more cooling performance over noise load but it's a nifty feature that I do like.
In addition to the cooling fans, the heatsink has been designed to be denser by using the brand new wave curved 2.0 fin design. The new heatsink makes use of deflectors to allow more air to pass through the fins smoothly, without causing any turbulence that would result in unwanted noise. MSI estimates a 2 degrees (C) drop in temperatures with the updated design versus the previous generation cooling system.
Talking about the heatsink, the massive block is comprised of seven copper squared-shaped heat pipes with a more concentrated design to transfer heat from the copper base to the heatsink more effectively. The base itself is a solid nickel-plated base plate, transferring heat to the heat pipes in a very effective manner. To top it all off, MSI uses their exclusive Thermal Compound X which is said to offer higher thermal interface and heat transfer compared to traditional TIM applications.
Rocking a classy brushed look, the backplate on the GAMING X series provides a nice visual finish to the card. It also strengthens the card and thanks to some cleverly placed thermal pads even help to keep temperatures low.
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