AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT Review
AMD’s new RDNA 3 based top-end gaming GPUs, the Radeon RX 7900 XT and XTX, show marked improvements over the last generation.
Although cheaper than their Nvidia counterparts, the RTX 4080 and 4090, the performance gap between the AMD cards and Nvidia in 4K does not always leave the XTX at the same level as the RTX 4080. Cards at the RTX 4080’s nominal price of $1,200 are not in stock, and the RX 7900’s pricing is yet to be seen. Despite this difficulty to determine the value, the XTX holds extra sensors and slightly higher specs within the same slot width for temperature monitoring and power allocation.
Although installation of the XTX may seem daunting, as the card is bigger and heavier than its predecessor, it comes with a bonus USB-C port. RDNA 3 also enables DisplayPort 2.1 support, with faster link bandwidth and HDR capabilities. AI acceleration, ray tracing, and FidelityFX Super Resolution are yet to be fully implemented to determine their benefits. Performance and latency may improve with the arrival of Hyper-RX Mode and Rage Mode, but some rendering issues are present in certain applications. Overall, the 80 RX 7 series cards may provide a boost in performance, but their overall value is still uncertain to say the least.
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT and 7900 XTX Review Summary
This review takes a closer look at AMD’s latest next-gen gaming GPUs. It compares their features and performance against Nvidia’s top-end models. The review finds that the Radeon RX 7900 models show marked improvement, offering better value for money than Nvidia’s RTX 4080 and 4090 for 4K and 1400p resolutions with ray tracing. But the 7900’s hit only the same level of performance occasionally, and whether their cost gap remains a full $500 is yet to be determined.
AMD’s new RDNA 3 architecture introduces several advances, with the first being the implementation of chiplets, which allow optimization of the graphics core and memory cache separately. Other features include support for DisplayPort 2.1, with link bandwidth to facilitate 165Hz at 8K and up to 480hz in 4K. It also introduces AI acceleration and much-improved raytracing accelerators to compete with Nvidia.
The link to purchase an AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT from Amazon can be found here
With the taller design of the 7900 XT and 7900 XTX cards, users may experience compatibility issues in certain chassis types. SmartAccess Video and Memory technologies come with the RDNA 3 when users install the cards on a late-generation AMD motherboard. This will allow for the Ryzen 7000 CPU and RX 7000 GPU to distribute encoding and decoding tasks, resulting in improved performance.
AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution 3 is also yet to be released, presumably with updates which can improve a card’s performance without sacrificing details. Additional driver countability Hyper-RX mode is due in June and could add further optimisation. There have been some reports of rendering issues with Microsoft Word and Outlook, however this may not be the case for everyone.
The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT, Final Conclusion:
The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT and 7900 XTX cards show great improvement and potential with the new RDNA 3 architecture, offering better value compared to Nvidia’s RTX 4080 and 4090. Although the cards may not be able to compete in all areas, they do offer dedicated AI acceleration and improved raytracing capabilities. Future driver updates and technologies may improve their performance in 4K and 1440p resolutions even further. Thus, until more information is made available, the conclusion that we are trying to draw here is that the Radeon RX 7900 cards show great promise and could be a competitive option.
The link to purchase an AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT from Amazon can be found here
Pros of the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT:
- • AMD’s new RDNA 3 architecture is faster than their previous generation
- • Cheaper than Nvidia’s latest top-end models, the GeForce RTX 4080 and 4090
- • Both cards can handle 4K and 1440p maxed out with ray tracing
- • Comes with more features such as USB-C port and support for DisplayPort 2.1
- • Modular building blocks of modern processor design
- • Dedicated AI acceleration and improved ray tracing accelerators
- • Smarter memory clock speeds to conserve power draw
- • Smart Access Video technology
Cons of the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT:
- • AMD’s still lags Nvidia in ray tracing performance
- • Physically larger than previous models
- • Not enough full size DisplayPort connectors
- • SmartAccess Video not yet available for anyone to use
- • FidelityFX Super Resolution 3 not yet available
- • Some type rendering issues in certain applications
Bullet Points to consider with the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT:
- • AMD’s new RDNA 3 architecture is faster than their previous generation
- • Cheaper than Nvidia’s latest top-end models
- • Both cards can handle 4K and 1440p maxed out with ray tracing
- • Comes with more features such as USB-C port and DisplayPort 2.1
- • Modular building blocks of modern processor design
- • Dedicated AI acceleration and improved ray tracing accelerators
- • Smarter memory clock speeds to conserve power draw
- • SmartAccess Video technology
- • Physically larger than previous models
- • Not enough full size DisplayPort connectors
- • SmartAccess Video not yet available for anyone to use
- • FidelityFX Super Resolution 3 not yet available
- • Some type rendering issues in certain applications
Purchase Decision Bottom Line: AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT
While offering higher speeds and features at a lower price than Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 4080, making them a viable alternative for high-end graphics gaming. However, AMD still lags behind in ray tracing performance, and additional features such as SmartAccess Video have yet to be fully tested and released.
Five FAQ regarding the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT and XTX:
Q: What are the benefits of the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT and XTX?
- A: These GPUs offer higher speeds and features than Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 4080, and are cheaper. They also come with more features, such as USB-C port, support for DisplayPort 2.1 and dedicated AI acceleration, which provides improved ray tracing performance.
Q: Are the Radeon RX 7900 XT and XTX physically larger than previous models?
- A: Yes, the 7900 XT and XTX measure 5.3 inches (135 millimeters) above the motherboard, compared to 4.7 inches (120 millimeters) for the RX 6950 XT.
Q: What are some features of the modular building blocks on the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT and XTX cards?
- A: The modular building blocks on these cards allow AMD to use different process sizes on the same die, such as a 5nm graphics core and 6nm memory cache die. This can result in the ability to optimize the performance of the two separately and fit a better processor in the same power envelope as earlier models.
Q: Are there any additional driver capabilities available for the Radeon RX 7900 XT and XTX?
- A: Yes, Hyper-RX mode is a one-click optimizer for performance and latency. Also, FidelityFX Super Resolution 3 will potentially provide improved performance without sacrificing detail. These capabilities are due in June.
Q: Are there any rendering issues with the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT and XTX?
- A: Some type rendering issues have been reported in Microsoft Word and Outlook. It is also possible that Rage mode, AMD’s automatic overclocking feature, may not provide a marked improvement in performance in certain games.