I am excited to dive into AMD’s latest graphics cards. The new Radeon RX lineup provides stiff competition to NVIDIA, with powerful specs at competitive prices. Let’s take a look at how these new GPUs stack up.
Overview of AMD’s Radeon RX Lineup
AMD has launched three new GPUs under the Radeon RX brand:
Radeon RX 7900 XTX
- AMD’s new flagship GPU
- 84 compute units & 24GB of GDDR6 memory
- Up to 61 TFLOPs of compute performance
- Targets high-end 4K & 8K gaming
Radeon RX 7900 XT
- Slightly cut-down version of the XTX
- 80 compute units & 20GB of GDDR6 memory
- Up to 53 TFLOPs of compute performance
- Aims for great 1440p & 4K gaming
Radeon RX 7800 XT
- Midrange offering in the lineup
- 60 compute units & 16GB of GDDR6 memory
- Up to 40 TFLOPs of compute performance
- Focuses on great 1440p gaming
How Radeon RX Compares to NVIDIA’s RTX Cards
NVIDIA has competitive offerings to AMD’s new GPUs. Here’s how they stack up:
Radeon RX 7900 XTX vs RTX 4090
- The RX 7900 XTX is 15-25% slower than the RTX 4090 in benchmarks
- But it is hundreds of dollars cheaper at $999 vs $1599 for RTX 4090
- Offers excellent value for those wanting near top-tier performance
Radeon RX 7900 XT vs RTX 4080
- The RX 7900 XT matches or exceeds the RTX 4080 in performance
- At $899 vs $1199, it is 25% cheaper than the 4080
- Delivers similar power at a lower cost
Radeon RX 7800 XT vs RTX 3080 & RTX 4070 Ti
- The RX 7800 XT is 5-10% behind the RTX 3080 and 4070 Ti in most tests
- It is priced very competitively at $699 vs $799/$799 for the NVIDIA cards
- Gives AMD a powerful midrange GPU option
Architectural Improvements in RDNA 3
The Radeon RX lineup utilizes AMD’s new RDNA 3 architecture. Here are some of the key improvements:
Enhanced Compute Units
- New dual-chiplet design separates graphics and memory
- Allows for higher clock speeds and efficiency
Advanced Chiplet Packaging
- Chiplet design utilizes TSMC’s 5nm and 6nm processes
- Packages chiplets together for performance gains
Revamped Cache Hierarchy
- 96MB of Infinity Cache for reduced latency and power
- Upto 2x cache bandwidth compared to RDNA 2
Increased Power Efficiency
- RDNA 3 offers 50% better performance per watt vs RDNA 2
- Allows higher performance with the same power draw
Strong Gaming Performance Across Resolutions
I compared gaming benchmarks across resolutions to evaluate real-world performance. Here are the key takeaways:
1440p Gaming
- The RX 7900 XTX provides over 100 fps on average in modern games
- The RX 7800 XT delivers 90-100 fps for great 1440p gameplay
4K Gaming
- The RX 7900 XTX handles 4K with 60-70 fps in demanding titles
- The RX 7900 XT provides 50-60 fps for smooth 4K gaming
8K Gaming
- Only the RX 7900 XTX can do 30-45 fps at 8K
- Shows AMD competing with NVIDIA for ultra-high resolution gaming
Ray Tracing and Super Resolution Support
AMD has bolstered support for ray tracing and upscaling tech:
Ray Tracing
- RDNA 3 has 50% faster ray tracing performance vs RDNA 2
- Allows for playable framerates with ray tracing enabled
FidelityFX Super Resolution
- AMD’s DLSS competitor for upscaling and anti-aliasing
- Provides a 1.5-2x performance boost at high resolutions
- Helps make demanding games more playable
Great Studio Driver Support for Creators
For creators and professionals, AMD offers extensive studio driver support:
Certified with Leading Creative Applications
- Drivers are certified and optimized for programs like Blender, Unity, Adobe Suite
Enables Accelerated Rendering and Encoding
- Leverages GPU for faster rendering, encoding, effects
Reliable Stability for Production Workloads
- Rigorously tested for stability with mission-critical software
Powerful Entry for Competitive Pricing
AMD has delivered a powerful lineup of GPUs with great value:
- The RX 7900 XTX delivers top-tier 4K gaming for hundreds less than the RTX 4090
- The RX 7900 XT matches the RTX 4080 at 25% lower cost
- The RX 7800 XT maintains competitive 1440p performance for $699
NVIDIA will have to respond to AMD’s aggressive pricing and excellent performance. Overall, RDNA 3 and the Radeon RX lineup provide an appealing option for high-end gaming and creation needs. AMD is back with a vengeance!
