Further exploring the downsides of stock RAM kits: Asus ROG Strix G15 Advantage Edition with RX 6800M tested in 13 games

AMD launched the RX 6000M mobile GPUs, and one of the first gaming laptops to feature the high-end RX 6800M model is the Asus ROG Strix G15 Advantage Edition. Now, as we were reporting last week, Jarrod’s Tech discovered that this particular version features a sub-par RAM kit that slows down the GPU quite a bit. Jarrod initially tested it in Shadow of the Tomb Raider and noticed that the FPS could be increased by 20% with a faster RAM kit from Crucial. Meanwhile, Jarrod managed to perform more elaborate tests in 13 game titles, some of which are seeing  FPS improvements of over 20%.

There is barely any difference at the 1080p highest settings in ray tracing games that rely almost exclusively on the GPU like Cyberpunk 2077 and Control. Red Dead Redemption 2 is also the least affected at the highest settings. At the polar opposite we find games like Call of Duty: Warfare that sees 24% FPS improvements at max settings, Shadow of the Tomb Raider again with up to 28% FPS improvements for lowest settings, plus Watch Dogs: Legion with 25% FPS boost at low settings.

The average FPS gain at max settings for all 13 titles is around 9%, but it ramps up to 15% for lowest settings. Jarrod again shows that the absence of a MUX switch leads to further gimped performance, as the RX 6800M was able to pump up to 33% more FPS with the Crucial kit and an external screen HDMI 2.1 connection in Shadow of the Tomb Raider.

Apparently, the MUX switch will be offered on more expensive AMD-based models, but the RAM problem could still persist even on those models as Asus is now invoking some supply issues caused by the ongoing shortages.