ASRock, here are the three custom Radeon RX 6700 XTs
ASRock
ASRock unveiled its line up of custom graphics cards based on the Radeon RX 6700 XT, which includes three models offering different levels of performance and functionality, and therefore will be sold at three different price ranges. All are equipped with advanced VRM modules, require two eight-pin PCIe power connectors and are equipped with sophisticated cooling systems.Going more specifically, we are talking about the R adeon RX 6700 XT Phantom Gaming D 12GB OC (RX6700XT PGD 12GO), the Radeon RX 6700 XT Challenger Pro 12GB OC (RX6700XT CLP 12GO) and the Radeon RX 6700 XT Challenger D 12GB (RX6700XT CLD 12G). All three have been designed for true enthusiasts and will certainly offer greater performance than their reference counterparts, but currently the manufacturer has not revealed the exact operating frequencies.
Phantom Gaming is the company's premium series, so it's no surprise that the Radeon RX 6700 XT Phantom Gaming D 12GB OC represents the top-of-the-range product. The graphics card is based on an ASRock designed black PCB with integrated DrMOS, 60A inductors and solid state capacitors to provide the GPU with very stable power. The device is equipped with a remarkable cooling solution that includes two huge aluminum heatsinks, four heatpipes, three axial fans, a reinforced metal frame and a metal backplate. As is now tradition for the most important models, the board is equipped with customizable RGB LEDs that can be disabled with a switch. The heat dissipation system appears to occupy at least 2.5 slots, so the Radeon RX 6700 XT Phantom Gaming will need to be installed in fairly spacious cases.
The ASRock Radeon RX 6700 XT Challenger Pro and the Radeon RX 6700 XT Challenger D, although belonging to a lower range, have the same PCB as the Phantom Gaming, but are equipped with less performing cooling systems and smaller dimensions, so that they can also be used inside smaller chassis. Unfortunately, ASRock has not yet announced the prices of these products yet, which is hardly surprising given the shortage of GPUs and components.
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ASRock's Custom Radeon RX 6700 XT Challenger And Phantom Gaming Cards Unveiled
AMD's Radeon RX 6700 XT will go on sale on March 18th, which means that we'll be seeing many new cards introduced over the next week and beyond. One such company onboard the AMD train is ASRock, which will release three custom Radeon RX 6700 XT across its Phantom Gaming and Challenger families.First up is the RX 6700 XT Challenger D 12GB, which ASRock bills as its 'mainstream' option. It features dual Striped Axial Fans and ASRock's Ultra-fit heatpipe to maximize heat dissipation from the GPU. Also onboard is a strengthened metal backplate. Given that this is the base entry in the family, it doesn't feature any RGB LEDs, which might be a bonus for people who prefer a stealthier look.
Moving up the ladder, we come to the Radeon RX 6700 XT Challenger Pro 12GB OC, which instead uses triple fans to cool off the GPU. These are the same Striped Axial Fans found on its lesser sibling, and you'll also retain the metal backplate. The beefier cooling solution -- and the OC in its name -- implies that this card will have loftier clocks than the Challenger D 12GB. However, ASRock isn't quite ready to dish out those specs.
Finally, we come to the Radeon RX 6700 XT Phantom Gaming D 12GB OC, the flagship of ASRock's Radeon RX 6700 XT family. This card is amped-up with the Phantom Gaming 3X cooling system, as this card comes pre-overclocked from the factory (again, ASRock isn't providing official clock speeds). The middle fan has RGB lighting, as does the card itself for those that want to add a splash of colors to their rig. The color effects are fully customizable via Polychrome SYNC.
AMD is billing the Radeon RX 6700 XT as the perfect foil for the GeForce RTX 3060 Ti and GeForce RTX 3070. It's designed to be a 1440p gaming powerhouse and comes standard with 12GB of GDDR6 memory. The RDNA2 GPU has 40 compute units, 40 ray tracing accelerators, 96MB of onboard Infinity Cache, and a game clock of 2424MHz. AMD is also quoting a TBP of 230 watts.
The Radeon RX 6700 XT has an MSRP of $479, but expect these custom cards from ASRock to carry a premium, pushing at least the two higher-end SKUs into the $500+ range. However, finding any current graphics card at MSRP these days is nearly impossible, as shortages are forcing gamers to pay highly inflated prices from third-party marketplaces.
