Update – September 2025: Two years later, showing that our RX 7600 graphics card review has only proven that this card has slipped further behind. With modern games eating more than 8GB of VRAM and competing cards like the RTX 4060, RX 7600 XT, and RX 7700 XT now widely available, this GPU is even harder to recommend unless you snag it dirt cheap on the used market.
The RX 7600 still scrapes by at 1080p, but the 8GB VRAM ceiling, narrow 128-bit bus, and weak ray tracing leave it stranded in 2025. Prices have softened, sure, but better options crowd it out unless you land a bargain.
Real-World Performance: Still Stuck on a Plateau
Against today’s mid-tier rivals, the RX 7600 holds up in lighter 1080p raster workloads. Crank textures, add ray tracing, or push 1440p and it slips quickly. The short version: it plays plenty of games, just not with the headroom you want for the next couple of years.
- 1080p raster: Playable at medium to high settings in most titles.
- Ray tracing: Requires big compromises to keep frames smooth.
- 1440p: Possible in select games with reduced settings and upscaling.
8GB VRAM in 2025: The Wall You Keep Hitting
Modern texture packs and heavier asset streaming chew through 8GB fast. You can work around it with lower textures, but that’s the point: you’ll be tweaking to avoid stutter. If you want a card that lets you forget about VRAM for a while, you’ll want 12GB or more.
RX 7600 graphics card review And a Pricing Reality Check
The RX 7600 launched as a budget pick. In 2025 it’s often discounted, but so are stronger competitors. New or used, your money typically stretches further by stepping up one tier or choosing a similar-price card with more memory headroom.
What You Should Buy Instead in 2025
- GeForce RTX 4060 (8GB) — Better efficiency and DLSS 3 frame generation smooth out tough spots at 1080p.
- Radeon RX 7600 XT (16GB) — Same class on paper, but double the memory clears a lot of 8GB landmines.
- Radeon RX 7700 XT (12GB) — A real 1440p path if you can stretch the budget.
- Intel Arc A770 (16GB) — A wildcard with improving drivers and generous VRAM for the price.
Related reads: GPU upgrade mistakes gamers avoid • Future-proof PC build 2025 • RTX 6090 rumor tracker
RX 7600 vs Today’s Mid-Tier: Quick Specs
| Spec | RX 7600 | RTX 4060 | RX 7600 XT | RX 7700 XT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architecture | RDNA 3 | Ada Lovelace | RDNA 3 | RDNA 3 |
| VRAM | 8GB GDDR6 | 8GB GDDR6 | 16GB GDDR6 | 12GB GDDR6 |
| Memory Bus | 128-bit | 128-bit | 128-bit | 192-bit |
| Typical Board Power | ~165W | ~115W | ~190W | ~245W |
| Best Use Case | 1080p raster on a budget | 1080p with extra feature headroom | 1080p to light 1440p without VRAM anxiety | Serious 1440p |
Who Should Still Consider an RX 7600?
- Ultra-tight budgets buying used at a steep discount.
- Esports 1080p with competitive settings and low textures.
- Small cases that need compact cards and simple power needs.
- Backup or secondary rigs where you don’t want to spend on high-end silicon.
- First-time builders learning the ropes on a budget-friendly GPU.
- Casual/light gamers sticking to indie titles, older AAA games, or cloud-assisted play.
Final Take: A Budget Card That Aged Out Fast
If the RX 7600 had shipped with 12GB or lower launch pricing, we’d be having a different conversation. At 8GB and a narrow bus, it became a cautionary tale. If you find one cheap, fine, pair it with sane settings at 1080p. Everyone else should step up a tier and skip the texture trims and micro-stutter.
Bottom line? The RX 7600 is the kind of card you buy if you like telling yourself “it was cheap” while lowering textures. If you actually want smooth frames and a GPU that won’t choke on tomorrow’s games, do yourself a favor and look at something newer. Even AMD’s own product page makes the 8GB ceiling look thin in 2025, and NVIDIA’s RTX 4060 overview shows how much further your money can go with modern features.
