ASUS ROG Strix RX 6800 XT LC Preview

Video

Up Close – Overview

If you very carefully cropped this picture to remove the lengthy cooling hoses and 240mm radiator we think it’s fair to say that the internet would be up in arms. The hateful blower cooler style that has been the bane of many a cards potential performance is, however, only required to keep the GDDR6 and VRMs cool, a job that someone with good lungs and a straw could manage, and so we don’t mind at all. Whilst it doesn’t look spectacular when it’s powered off, as you can see above there is plenty of RGB when it’s on.

  

Having spare room for a 240mm radiator is going to be the defining factor in how interested you are in this particular card. Most people have room in their case roofs, but those are full of CPU AIO radiators. We can count the number of cases with room in the exhaust spot for two fans on the fingers of one hand, so it’s going to have to go in the front of your case and either pump hot air into your case, or you’ll have to find an alternative arrangement to bring that cool air in. At least ASUS have given us plenty of cooling hose length to maximise your options.

  

The two colour shroud might have looked a little flat in our opening picture, but turn it towards the light and it comes alive. It’s certainly eye catching and will also catch the attention of any RGB lighting you have in your case. Such as the fans on the Strix RX 6800 XT LC radiator.

  

Like all the other RX 6800 XTs we’ve looked at the Strix has a pair of 8pin PCIe power inputs. We might have expected another given it has a pump to power, but nope. Just the two.

  

Powering fans is always a cable tidying nightmare and when you need to power them from something up to 60cm away it is not all that surprising that the Strix LC has a big bundle of cables attached to one of its carefully braided hoses.

  

As well as RGB fans and RGB lighting on the shroud there is also the famous ROG eye logo next to the hose hole. Beneath all of this ASUS have included a huge copper plate to cover both the GPU and GDDR6, so your key elements will be kept frosty under even the hardest loadings, whilst an additional heatsink is powered by the blower fan and keeps the power stage cool.

  

Discuss the ASUS ROG Strix RX 6800 XT LC in our OC3D Forums and come back soon for our full review.