AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT Review

For the past few generations, AMD has relentlessly pursued Nvidia at the high-end. However, with the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT, Team Red strategically shifts focus, yielding the ultra-high-end to the RTX 5090 and concentrating on delivering the optimal graphics card for the majority of gamers—a goal it undeniably achieves.

Priced at $599, the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT rivals the $749 GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, immediately establishing itself as a top contender. AMD further enhances its appeal with FSR 4, marking the debut of AI upscaling on an AMD graphics card. This makes it the ideal choice for 4K gaming, especially for those unwilling to spend $1,999 on the RTX 5090.

Purchasing Guide

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT launched March 6th, starting at $599. Remember that prices may vary due to third-party models. Aim for a price under $699.

AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT – Photos

Specs and Features

Built on the RDNA 4 architecture, the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT boasts improved shader cores, but its standout features are the new RT and AI Accelerators. The AI Accelerators power FidelityFX Super Resolution 4 (FSR 4), introducing AI upscaling to AMD cards. While FSR 4 doesn't always boost frame rates compared to FSR 3.1, it significantly enhances image accuracy and quality. Fortunately, Adrenalin software allows disabling FSR 4 for prioritizing frame rates.

Beyond AI upscaling, AMD’s enhanced shader cores deliver superior per-core performance. Despite having 64 Compute Units (compared to the RX 7900 XT's 84), the RX 9070 XT achieves a substantial generational leap at a lower price. Each Compute Unit features 64 Streaming Multiprocessors (SMs) totaling 4,096, along with 64 ray accelerators and 128 AI accelerators.

The RX 9070 XT features 16GB GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit bus (compared to the RX 7900 XT's 20GB on a 320-bit bus). While this reduces capacity and bandwidth, it remains sufficient for most 4K gaming. The continued use of GDDR6, however, represents a missed opportunity for upgrade.

Despite architectural efficiency improvements, the RX 9070 XT consumes slightly more power (304W) than the 7900 XT (300W). However, testing revealed the 7900 XT actually consumed more power (314W) than the 9070 XT (306W). This power budget is typical for modern graphics cards, simplifying cooling solutions. Unlike previous generations, AMD isn't releasing a reference design; reliance on third-party manufacturers is necessary. My review unit, the Powercolor Radeon RX 9070 XT Reaper, maintained a temperature of 72°C during testing despite its compact triple-fan design.

Standard power connectors are used—two 8-pin PCI-E connectors—eliminating the need for potentially problematic adapters. A recommended 700W power supply is suggested. Connectivity includes three DisplayPort 2.1a and one HDMI 2.1b ports; a USB-C port would have been a welcome addition.

FSR 4

AMD's long-standing need for a DLSS competitor is addressed with the Radeon RX 9070 XT and its AI-powered FSR 4. Similar to DLSS, FSR 4 leverages AI accelerators to analyze previous frames and game engine data for accurate upscaling. While offering superior image quality to FSR 3's temporal upscaling, it does introduce a performance penalty.

In *Call of Duty: Black Ops 6* at 4K Extreme settings (FSR 3.1 set to "Performance"), the RX 9070 XT achieved 134 fps. Switching to FSR 4 reduced this to 121 fps (a 10% decrease) but with improved image quality. *Monster Hunter World* saw a 20% performance drop with FSR 4 (94 fps to 78 fps at 4K max settings with ray tracing and FSR 3). This performance reduction is expected due to the increased computational demands of AI upscaling. The improved image quality compensates for this in single-player games where visuals are prioritized over frame rate. FSR 4 is optional and can be disabled in Adrenalin software.

AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT & 9070 – Benchmarks

Performance

The Radeon RX 9070 XT significantly outperforms its predecessors. At $599, it undercuts the RTX 5070 Ti by 21% while delivering comparable performance (2% faster on average). The RX 9070 XT showcases a 17% improvement over the RX 7900 XT and a 2% advantage over the RTX 5070 Ti. Its 4K performance is particularly impressive, making it an excellent entry-level 4K card, even with ray tracing.

Testing utilized the latest drivers: Game Ready Driver 572.60 (Nvidia, except for the RTX 5070, which used review drivers) and Adrenalin 24.12.1 (AMD, except for the RX 9070 XT and RX 9070, which used pre-release drivers). 3DMark benchmarks show an 18% improvement over the 7900 XT in Speed Way, and a 26% improvement in Steel Nomad, even surpassing the RTX 5070 Ti by 7%.

Game benchmarks demonstrate the RX 9070 XT's strengths: a 15% lead over the RTX 5070 Ti in *Call of Duty: Black Ops 6*; a close match with the RTX 5070 Ti in *Cyberpunk 2077* (a 5% difference); near parity with the RTX 5070 Ti in *Metro Exodus*; a substantial lead in *Red Dead Redemption 2*; and wins in *Assassin's Creed Mirage* and *Black Myth: Wukong*. While it lags behind in *Total War: Warhammer 3*, the overall performance is compelling.

Test System: CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D; Motherboard: Asus ROG Crosshair X870E Hero; RAM: 32GB G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo @ 6,000MHz; SSD: 4TB Samsung 990 Pro; CPU Cooler: Asus ROG Ryujin III 360

The Radeon RX 9070 XT's unexpected reveal at CES 2025 positioned it as a powerful counter to Nvidia's Blackwell cards. At $599, it represents a welcome return to value in the graphics card market. While not matching the RTX 5080 or 5090, its performance surpasses those cards’ price-to-performance ratio for most users.

The RX 9070 XT evokes the spirit of the GTX 1080 Ti, offering flagship-level performance at a more accessible price point, making it a compelling choice for gamers seeking high-end performance without breaking the bank.