AMD Radeon RX 9070 and 9070 XT review: RDNA 4 fixes a lot of AMD’s problems – Ars Technica

AMD Takes Aim at Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 5070 with Radeon RX 9070 XT and RX 9070

The graphics card market has been dominated by Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 50-series for quite some time now, but AMD is looking to shake things up with its latest offerings, the Radeon RX 9070 XT and RX 9070. Priced competitively at $549 and $599, respectively, these cards aim to take on Nvidia’s RTX 5070 and undercut the more expensive RTX 5070 Ti.

AMD has a history of capitalizing on its competitors’ weaknesses, and Nvidia’s unimpressive RTX 50-series is no exception. With modest gains and high prices, the 50-series has left many consumers feeling underwhelmed. Tech YouTubers have been vocal about their disappointment, hinting at pent-up demand for competitive products from other companies. Enter AMD’s Radeon RX 9070 XT and RX 9070, designed to strike at the heart of the mid-range market.

RDNA 4 Architecture: A Game-Changer?

The key to AMD’s success lies in its RDNA 4 architecture, which promises significant performance increases per compute unit (CU). According to AMD, an RDNA 4 CU is nearly twice as fast as RDNA 2 in rasterized performance and nearly 2.5 times as fast in games with ray-tracing effects enabled. This translates to impressive performance gains, with the 9070 XT and 9070 often competing with AMD’s last-generation flagships, the RX 7900 XTX and 7900 XT.

Performance and Power Efficiency

In our testing, the 9070 XT and 9070 demonstrated impressive performance, with the XT model coming within a few frames per second of Nvidia’s RTX 5070 Ti in rasterized benchmarks. The regular 9070 model was also significantly faster than the RTX 5070, with gains ranging from 5 to 13 percent. Power efficiency is another area where AMD has made significant strides, with the 9070 series offering improved performance while reducing power consumption.

Design and Features

The 9070 XT and 9070 share the same design, with both models featuring a 16GB GDDR6 memory bus and a 256-bit memory bus. They also use a new 4 nm manufacturing process from TSMC, an upgrade from the 5 nm process used in the 7000 series. Both cards have identical designs, with two 8-pin power connectors and a triple-fan configuration.

Conclusion and Actionable Insights

The Radeon RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 are a significant step forward for AMD, offering competitive performance and improved power efficiency at a lower price point than Nvidia’s RTX 5070 Ti. For those looking to upgrade their graphics card, the 9070 series is definitely worth considering.

Actionable Insights:

  • If you’re in the market for a mid-range graphics card, the Radeon RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 are definitely worth considering.
  • AMD’s RDNA 4 architecture promises significant performance increases, making it a compelling option for those looking to upgrade.
  • The 9070 series offers improved power efficiency, making it a more attractive option for those with limited power supply options.

Summary:

AMD’s Radeon RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 are a significant threat to Nvidia’s dominance in the graphics card market. With competitive performance, improved power efficiency, and a lower price point than Nvidia’s RTX 5070 Ti, these cards are definitely worth considering for those looking to upgrade their graphics card.