XFX RX 5600XT THICC II Pro Review

Introduction

Now and again, in between GPU cycles manufacturers like to keep their product lines fresh by releasing refreshed GPUs. XFX has done this with their RX 5600XT THICC II Pro by increasing its factory core/memory clocks on these new cards. The new refreshed RX 5600 XT THICC II Pro features the same full metal backplate, XFX’s Double Dissipation fan cooler, has a higher base clock of 1560MHz, and an increased memory clock to 14 Gbs. Even with the increased core/memory clocks the new RX 5600 XT THICC II Pro still maintains the MSRP of the 12 Gbs model at $299.

We would like to thank XFX for sending us the RX 5600XT THICC II Pro to review.

XFX’s Take on the RX 5600XT THICC II Pro

Features:

• Zero DB Fan Technology
• Dual Fan Cooler Design
• XFX 3 Year Warranty

Core Clocks:

• Game Clock: 1560MHz
• Boost Clock: 1620MHz
• 6GB GDDR6
• Memory Speed: 14Gbps

Features and Specifications

Technical Specifications:

Packaging and Unboxing

The RX 5600XT THICC II Pro arrives with an all-black box that is accented with AMD red. On the front of the box is an upright photo of the THICC II Pro with some specifications denoted in the lower-left corner that includes 14 Gbs memory clock and PCIe 4.0 compatibility.

Looking at the back of the THIIC II Pro’s box, it outlines some of the new features of the RX 5600XT such as RDNA, FreeSync2 HDR, FidelityFX, Image Sharpening, and Anti-Lag to name a few. In the lower-left corner, it also lists additional features such as:

• 7nm GPU
• GDDR6 Memory
• PCI Express 4.0 support
• Video Streaming up to 8K
• Async Compute
• Radeon Boost

Removing the outer box reveals a brown cardboard box that has the XFX logo embossed on the top.

Opening the inner box, we find the XFX RX 5600XT THICC II Pro secured between some cardboard and stored in an anti-static bag.

Now that the THICC II Pro is fully unboxed, we see there are a few other items included in the packaging which consist of an installation guide, driver pamphlet, and a power adapter cable.

A Closer Look

With the THICC II Pro now fully unboxed, we get our first close up look at the GPU. Like other XFX THICC II coolers the RX 5600 XT has the same sleek rounded look but has done away with the chrome that we’ve seen on the RX 5700XT models. The RX 5600XT THICC II Pro is cooled by dual 100mm fans which is standard for THICC II coolers.

Taking a closer look at the fans, XFX went with an 11-blade design and has replaced the gold emblems on the RX 5700 XT with bronze ones. We very much welcome this change, as the bronze blends much nicer with a build and, in our option, looks better.

Moving to the THICC II Pro’s side, we see the rounded edge of the cooler as well in the aluminum fin of the heatsink.  Looking to the lower left, we see where the THICC II Pro receives its power from the 8-pin power connectors in addition to the power provided by the PCIe slot.

Much like the look of the chrome version of the THICC II cooler the RX 5600XT has a similar finned look toward the front of the card.

Looking to the I/O plate, we find 4 display outputs with three being DisplayPort 1.4 ports and one an HDMI 2.0 port. We love the thought XFX puts into their I/O locations by placing all display outputs on a single row. This gives the RX 5600XT the possibility of becoming a single-slot card if a water block is designed for it. Another nice addition to the I/O plate is the XFX cutout that adds a little uniqueness to XFX cards.

Moving to the top of the card is a black metal backplate which is branded with the XFX logo and speckled with ventilation cutouts throughout. We like seeing metal backplates included with GPUs as it adds structure to the card to prevent sagging as well as helps with heat dissipation.

Synthetic Testing

The hardware used to benchmark the XFX RX 5600XT THICC II Pro is:

• Gigabyte Z390 AORUS Pro Motherboard
• Intel 9900K Processor @ Stock
• 2 x 8GB Thermaltake TOUGHRAM @ 3200MHz
• Crucial P1000 M.2 NVMe
• Corsair H115i Platinum AIO Cooler
• Corsair HX750 PSU
• Open Benchtable
• Microsoft Windows 10

The motherboard’s BIOS has been reset to default settings except for enabling XMP of our ram.

Futuremark 3DMark

3DMark includes everything you need to benchmark your PC and mobile devices in one app. Whether you’re gaming on a smartphone, tablet, notebook, or a desktop gaming PC, 3DMark includes a benchmark specifically designed for your hardware.

The XFX THICC II Pro 14 Gbs model does well in Firestrike benchmark besting the 12 Gbs model score by just over 1000 points.

The THICC II Pro also does great in Timespy benchmarking again edging out its 12 Gbs brother.

Futuremark VRMark

The performance requirements for VR games are much higher than those of typical PC games. So, if you’re thinking about buying an HTC Vive or an Oculus Rift, wouldn’t you like to know that your PC is ready for VR?

VRMark includes three VR benchmark tests that run on your monitor (no headset required) or on a connected HMD. At the end of each test you’ll see whether your PC is VR ready and, if not, how far it falls short.

Orange Room Test – The Orange Room benchmark shows the impressive level of detail that can be achieved on a PC that meets the recommended hardware requirements for the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift. If your PC passes this test, it’s ready for the two most popular VR systems available today.

Cyan Room Test – Cyan Room is a DirectX 12 benchmark. It features a large, complex scene and many eye-catching effects. Cyan Room shows how using an API with less overhead can help developers deliver impressive VR experiences even on modest PC systems.

Blue Room Test – The Blue Room is a much more demanding test. It’s ideal for benchmarking the latest graphics cards. With its massive 5K rendering resolution and spectacular volumetric lighting effects, the Blue Room sets the bar for future hardware generations.

The RX 5600XT has no trouble in both the Orange/Cyan rooms averaging an impressive 166/235 FPS.

Unigine Heaven

Heaven Benchmark is a GPU-intensive benchmark that hammers graphics cards to the limits. This powerful tool can be effectively used to determine the stability of a GPU under extremely stressful conditions, as well as check the cooling system’s potential for maximum heat output.

The benchmark immerses a user into a magical steampunk world of shiny brass, wood, and gears. Nested on flying islands, a tiny village with its cozy, sun-heated cobblestone streets, and a majestic dragon on the central square gives a true sense of adventure. An interactive experience with fly-by and walk-through modes allows for exploring all corners of this world powered by the cutting-edge UNIGINE Engine that leverages the most advanced capabilities of graphics APIs and turns this bench into a visual masterpiece.

In Unigine Heaven at 1080P, we find the RX 5600XT sitting in between the GTX 1660 Super and the RTX 2070.

As in the previous benchmark in Heaven, 4K is still nestled between the 1660 Super and 2070.

Unigine Superposition

Extreme performance and stability test for PC hardware: video card, power supply, cooling system. Check your rig in stock and overclocking modes with a real-life load! It also includes interactive experience in a beautiful, detailed environment.

Day in and day out, a lone professor performs dangerous experiments in an abandoned classroom. Obsessed with inventions and discoveries beyond your wildest dreams, he strives to prove his ideas. But when you arrive at the abandoned classroom in the early morning, you will not find him there. The eerie thing is, you heard a loud bang from the laboratory just a few moments ago. What was that sound? You possess the only chance of casting some light upon this incident by going deep into the matter of quantum theory: thorough visual inspection of the professor’s records and instruments will help to lift the veil on the mystery.

In the highly demanding Superposition benchmark, the THICC II Pro to manages to hit an average of 30 FPS in 1080P using Direct X. We see greatly improved framerates in the 4K optimized run with an average FPS of 45.

Game Testing

Far Cry 5

Anything can happen. Everything will.

Welcome to Hope County, Montana: land of the free and home of the brave. But, it’s also home to a fanatical doomsday cult—known as The Project at Eden’s Gate—that is threatening the community’s freedom. Stand up to the cult’s leaders, Joseph Seed and the Heralds, as you spark the fires of resistance that will liberate the besieged community.

Even though the RX 5600XT is geared toward 1080P gaming it also does extremely well at 1440P in FarCry 5 boasting an average FPS of 83.

Thanks to the extra core/memory clocks we see 3-4 extra FPS over its little brother.

Middle-Earth: Shadow of War

In the epic sequel to the award-winning Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, go behind enemy lines to forge an army, conquer Fortresses and dominate Mordor from within. Experience how the award-winning Nemesis System creates unique personal stories with every enemy and follower, and confront the full power of the Dark Lord Sauron and his Ringwraiths in this epic new story of Middle-earth.

Another strong performance from the RX 5600XT for both 1080P/1440P in Shadow of War with averages of 94/62 FPS.

Like in the FarCry 5 benchmark the new refreshed THICC II Pro sees framerate increases over the other RX 5600XT model.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Experience Lara Croft’s defining moment as she becomes the Tomb Raider. In Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Lara must master a deadly jungle, overcome terrifying tombs, and persevere through her darkest hour. As she races to save the world from a Maya apocalypse, Lara will ultimately be forged into the Tomb Raider she is destined to be.

Again, we find the RX 5600XT excelling in 1080P averaging 96FPS and holds its own in 1440P with a respectful 62 FPS.

Thanks to the extra clock speeds the XFX RX 5600XT THICC II Pro can now enjoy an FPS overage over 60 at 1440P.

The new RX 5600XT manages to squeeze an extra 3 FPS with it now averaging 32 FPS at 4K.

Tom Clancy’s The Division

We live in a complex world. The more advanced it gets, the more vulnerable it becomes. We’ve created a house of cards: remove just one, and everything falls apart.

Black Friday – a devastating pandemic sweeps through New York City, and one by one, basic services fail. In only days, without food or water, society collapses into chaos. The Division, an autonomous unit of tactical agents, is activated. Leading seemingly ordinary lives among us, these agents are trained to operate independently to save society.

When society falls, we rise.

Another strong showing in 1080P/1440P with the RX 5600XT THICC II Pro hitting averages of 108/79 FPS.

Comparing the RX 5600XT to other cards we find it nestled in between the RTX 2060 and RTX 2060 Super.

Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands
Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon® Wildlands is the very first military shooter in a massive open world that you can play entirely solo or in four-player co-op.

TAKE DOWN THE CARTEL

A few years from now, Bolivia has become the largest cocaine producer in the world. The Santa Blanca cartel has turned the country into a narco-state. As a Ghost, you must stop the cartel by any means necessary.

BECOME A GHOST

Create and fully customize your Ghost, weapons, and gear. Enjoy total freedom of playstyle. Lead your team and take down the cartel, either solo or with up to three friends.

EXPLORE BOLIVIA

Journey through Ubisoft’s largest action-adventure open world. Discover the stunning diverse landscapes of the Wildlands both on and off-road, in the air, on land and at sea with over 60 different vehicles.

The RX 5600XT THICC II Pro edges out its 12 Gbs counterpart across all resolutions and puts in a strong 1080P run with an average framerate of 59.83.

Overclocking

Booting up GPU-Z, we find XFX RX 5600XT shows a default GPU clock of 1560MHz with a boost clock of 1620MHz and a memory clock of 1750MHz which is 14 GHz effective. With the refreshed card already boasting an additional 2 Gbs on the memory, it made us wonder if there would be any more headroom for overclocking. Let’s go find out!

While monitoring with GPU-Z, running the Heaven benchmark with its stock configuration we see the THICC II boost well above the factory specifications hitting a core clock of 1725MHz.

Overclocking the THICC II Pro was extremely simple. All we had to do was max out its power limit to +20 and move the core/memory sliders to the end. Once we tried to apply these settings the core/memory clocks were automatically adjusted to actual maximum values of 1820MHz core clock and a memory clock of 1860MHz. Running our Heaven benchmark, we see the RX 5600XT boost a little higher to 1767MHz.

With these overclocks applied, we see a modest increase of 3.3% in performance with us scoring 7930 in Timespy which is 250 points above our stock run.

Power Consumption

To measure how much power the XFX RX 5600XT THICC II Pro pulls under load, we used a combination of GPU-Z and Kill-A-Watt. GPU-Z reports the number of watts used by the THICC II, whereas Kill-A-Watt will report power usage from the wall. Our system idle usage settled in at 56.6W and during the run we saw a peak power draw of 253W giving us a difference of 196.4W.  Looking at our GPU-Z logs the RX 5600XT had a peek power draw of 168W which is right about where it should be based on our Kill-A-Watt readings.

Thermals

Just like all XFX cards we have benchmarked, the RX 5600XT THICC II Pro was extremely quiet and with the default fan profile the temperatures peaked at 65C with 75C hotspots. Like the RX 5700XT THICC II we benchmarked, the RX 5600XT oddly started to slow down the fans during the Timespy benchmark, even though we configured them to run at 100%. We are still not sure if this is a driver/BIOS issue or if it will be fixed in the future. This isn’t too much of a concern, as the card is kept quite cool during our benchmarks.

Final Thoughts and Conclusion

At first, we weren’t sure how much better this refreshed card would perform over its original model but we were pleasantly surprised with the results. In every benchmark the RX 5600XT THICC II Pro bested its little brother by 3-8 FPS in 1080P and the little boost in performance it managed to push the card to over 60 FPS at 1440P in many of our gaming benchmarks.

With the increased core and memory clocks on the THICC II Pro, I was worried that it wouldn’t have any headroom for overclocking. My mind was put to ease when I was able to increase the core clock by +40 MHz and the memory clock by an additional +110 MHz bringing it to 14.8 Gbs effectively. With these overclocks applied, it garnered an additional 3.3% performance over its already impressive performance improvements over the older model.

With the new card coming in at the same MSRP as the old card, this makes the XFX RX 5600XT THICC II Pro a solid choice for your next build.

Amazing job, XFX!