Based mostly on the identical core GPU as its greater sibling, the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT provides you a cutdown spec for a saving of $100. That is not a lot of a value distinction for the drop in spec, but it surely’s nonetheless refreshing to see two top-end GPUs launch under $1,000 in these high-priced instances and the Radeon RX 7900 XT remains to be a potent card.
At Customized PC, we have been reviewing the most recent gaming GPUs since 2003, and we run quite a few grueling benchmarks in an effort to gauge efficiency. Our sport exams embrace measuring the body price in Cyberpunk 2077, Doom Everlasting, and Metro Exodus, all with and with out ray tracing, and we additionally check with Murderer’s Creed Valhalla. For extra info, please learn our How we check web page.
The Radeon RX 7900 XT relies on AMD’s new RDNA 3 structure, which divides the GPU package deal right into a Graphics Compute Die (GCD), containing all the principle processors, and several other Reminiscence Cache Dies (MCDs), which comprise the L3 cache and reminiscence controller system.
The Radeon RX 7900 XT solely has 5 enabled MCDs, in contrast with six on the Radeon RX 7900 XTX, which drops the L3 cache right down to 80MB from 96MB, and in addition reduces the width of the reminiscence interface from 384 bits to 320.
It additionally means the cardboard can solely tackle 20GB of reminiscence, somewhat than 24GB, however that is nonetheless lots and it runs on the similar 2500MHz (20GHz efficient) velocity because the reminiscence on the flagship GPU. The result’s an general reminiscence bandwidth of 800GB/sec, which is nicely behind the 960GB/sec of the Radeon RX 7900 XTX, however nonetheless above the 716.8GB/sec of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080.
A number of the Compute Models (CUs) on the GCD have additionally been disabled, giving the Radeon RX 7900 XT 84 CUs in comparison with 96 on its greater sibling. Every CU incorporates a 2nd-generation AMD ray tracing core and 64 dual-issue stream processors, that means you get 5,376 of the latter in whole on the Radeon RX 7900 XT.
Clock speeds have additionally been dropped a bit on the 7900 XT, with AMD quoting a typical sport clock of 2025MHz and a 2394MHz increase clock. Nonetheless, as with the Radeon RX 7900 XTX, we discovered these figures have been extremely conservative, with the Radeon RX 7900 XT peaking at 2913MHz throughout benchmarking.
The decrease clocks and lesser spec put much less of a pressure on the cooler than on the Radeon RX 7900 XTX, although. The peak GPU temperature we recorded throughout testing was 62°C with a high sizzling spot studying of 78°C, that are comparable outcomes to the temperature readings from the GeForce RTX 4080 Founders Version with its colossal cooler.
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT efficiency
Regardless of its lesser spec, the Radeon RX 7900 XT will get off to a fantastic begin in our benchmarks (over the web page), beating the GeForce RTX 4090 in Murderer’s Creed Valhalla at 1,920 x 1,080. It additionally holds its personal towards the GeForce RTX 4080 on this sport at 2,560 x 1,440. It is solely if you up the decision to 4K that the XT begins to falter, but it surely’s nonetheless not far off the GeForce RTX 4080 right here, and it is nicely forward of the Radeon RX 6950 XT and GeForce RTX 3090 Ti.
This sport is famend for preferring AMD’s GPUs, although, so how does it maintain up in different video games? Shifting to Metro Exodus with out ray tracing, the Radeon RX 7900 XT is slower than the RTX 4080 at 2,560 x 1,440, however not by an enormous margin and it is nicely forward of all of the last-gen GPUs. Once more, efficiency drops off at 4K, with its common body price dropping by 15fps in comparison with the XTX, though it is nonetheless completely playable on the XT.
Add ray tracing to the combination, although, and the Radeon RX 7900 XT is not as convincing. Its common falls behind the last-gen RTX 3090 at 2,560 x 1,440, whereas nonetheless sustaining a strong body price, but it surely drops right down to 51fps at 4K, placing it behind the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti and 10fps behind the Radeon RX 7900 XTX.
Likewise, in Cyberpunk 2077 with out ray tracing, the Radeon RX 7900 XT held up fairly nicely, with a cracking common body price of 106fps at 2,560 x 1,440 and a still-playable common of 54fps at 4K. Allow the Medium ray tracing preset, although, and it begins to wrestle. It may nonetheless keep an honest body price at 2,560 x 1,440 if you happen to allow FSR 2.1, however it might probably’t cope at 4K.
In the meantime, transferring to Doom Everlasting confirmed up the gulf in processing energy between the 7900 XT and the XTX, with the previous repeatedly being about 40fps behind its greater sibling when you get above 1,920 x 1,080. It nonetheless coped nicely with this sport at excessive body charges, although, even at 4K with ray tracing enabled. It was considerably slower than the RTX 4080 on this check, but it surely’s nonetheless playable. Plus, let’s not overlook that the RTX 4080 prices £300 greater than the Radeon RX 7900 XT.
Lastly, we come to the energy draw, the place our system’s peak draw of 503W with the Radeon RX 7900 XT put in was 23W increased than with the RTX 4080 in place. The RTX 4080 has the sting on efficiency per watt, however the 7900 XT nonetheless attracts much less energy than the RTX 3080 Ti.
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT professionals and cons
Execs
- Below £900
- A lot quicker than Radeon RX 6950 XT
- Customary energy connectors
Cons
- Overpriced for spec
- Nvidia Ada GPUs are quicker at ray tracing
- Begins to wrestle at 4K
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT specs
The Radeon RX 7900 XT specs listing is:
| Stream processors | 5,376 dual-issue |
| RT cores | 84 |
| ROPs | 192 |
| Recreation clock | 2025MHz |
| Max increase clock | 2394MHz |
| Reminiscence | 20GB GDDR6 |
| Reminiscence clock | 2500MHz (20GHz efficient) |
| Reminiscence bandwidth | 800GB/s |
| Reminiscence interface | 320-bit |
| L3 cache | 80MB |
| Card interface | 16x PCIe 4 |
| Energy connectors | 2 x 8-pin |
| Card size | 276mm |
| Enlargement slots | 2 |
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT value
The value of the Radeon RX 7900 XT is $899 (£899) making it too near the value of its greater sibling for the distinction in spec.
Value: Anticipate to pay $899 (£899)
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT evaluate conclusion
If the Radeon RX 7900 XT price $799 USD / £799 GBP this might be a clear run for AMD, however at $899 USD / £899 GBP it muddies the waters to the purpose the place you would possibly as nicely get the a lot better efficiency of the XTX mannequin for simply $100 extra. It may’t compete with Nvidia’s newest GPUs both, however that is hardly stunning after they price a lot more cash. It is not far off the tempo of the RTX 4080, although, and it is a lot faster than AMD’s earlier flagship, the Radeon RX 6950 XT.
In case you’re taking part in video games at 2,560 x 1,440, then the Radeon RX 7900 XT is a strong card, even with ray tracing enabled and significantly if you happen to can allow FSR 2.1. Nonetheless, it begins to wrestle at 4K, particularly when you add ray tracing to the combination, and the Radeon RX 7900 XTX copes higher right here. That is an issue when there’s solely a small value distinction between the 2 playing cards. Arguably, the 7900 XT could be extra appropriately named the 7800 XT and have a lower cost.
That mentioned, it is nice to see AMD pricing each its two new GPUs beneath a grand in these instances, and the Radeon RX 7900 XT is no less than in inventory. The Radeon RX 7900 XTX provides you higher bang per buck, however the 7900 XT remains to be an honest selection if you happen to’re trying to play video games at 2,560 x 1,440. For extra GPU choices, try our finest graphics card information.
Curious to see how this card runs when taking part in different video games? Take a look at these GPU benchmarks over on the PCGameBenchmark FPS calculator.
