Abstract

• The AMD RX 9070 XT provides higher worth than the NVIDIA RTX 5070 Ti as a result of it prices much less whereas being virtually as quick, and since FSR 4 is a improbable improve over FSR 3, providing higher picture high quality than DLSS 3 upscaling.
• RTX 50 GPUs carry minimal efficiency beneficial properties in comparison with the earlier technology whereas sporting increased costs and affected by a number of points.
• The RX 9070 XT is a considerable improve from my RTX 3070, boasting about 80% increased gaming efficiency and bumping the quantity of reminiscence from 8GB to 16GB.

After greater than 4 years, it is time to retire my trusty RTX 3070. However as an alternative of upgrading to yet one more NVIDIA GPU, like I’ve been doing for the previous decade, I’ve ordered myself an AMD RX 9070 XT.

It is not a call I took frivolously, however ultimately there are a number of causes that AMD’s subsequent technology of graphics playing cards ticked the packing containers. Worth performs a bit function, however so does availability and the presence of {hardware} issues. Maybe most constructive, although, is AMD’s comeback as an organization who can as soon as once more rival NVIDIA.

The RX 9070 XT Provides Extra Worth Than the RTX 5070 Ti

Taking a look at their MSRPs, the RX 9070 XT packs extra worth than the RTX 5070 Ti, the cardboard I had my sights on initially. The distinction in non-ray tracing gaming efficiency is lower than 10%, with NVIDIA’s card being about 15% quicker in ray tracing, however the AMD card is 20% extra reasonably priced.

Even after I bear in mind road costs, the RX 9070 XT nonetheless offers extra worth. Right here in Europe, I managed to attain an RX 9070 XT for €810, which is 17% over the EU MSRP (€689). On the flip aspect, essentially the most reasonably priced RTX 5070 Ti would price me about €1120, 27% above its €884 EU MSRP and €320 or 28% increased than what I paid for my RX 9070 XT. I do not find out about you, however that deal is not very engaging to me.

The state of affairs within the US is best however removed from excellent. Yow will discover just a few RX 9070 XT MSRP listings, however these will most certainly keep out of inventory. If we’re wanting realistically, an RX 9070 XT will price you about $730 until you reside close to a Micro Heart.

Alternatively, if we disregard the RTX 5070 Ti MSRP and Micro Heart listings, you’d need to pay at the least $900 for an RTX 5070 Ti, which is sort of $200 increased than the RX 9070 XT’s worth and, personally, not well worth the slim efficiency bump you are getting with the RTX 5070 Ti.

The RTX 50 Collection Barely Provides Enhancements Over the 40 Collection

I had been planning to switch my getting older RTX 3070 for some time now. Late final yr, I made a decision to attend as an alternative of getting an RTX 4080 Tremendous to see what the RTX 50 sequence will carry and whether or not AMD could have a solution with its RDNA 4 structure. Within the worst case, I may snag myself a used RTX 4080 for lower than €1,000, proper?

And oh boy, was I upset with NVIDIA. Not solely did the RTX 50 sequence, except for the RTX 5090, carry disappointing efficiency uplifts over the earlier technology, however the playing cards are one way or the other much more costly. The RTX 5070 Ti prices virtually as a lot as what you’d need to pay for the RTX 4080 Tremendous in late 2024 whereas boasting zero efficiency uplift. The one improve you are getting is DLSS Multi-Frame Generation, which I’ve zero curiosity in.

As a result of RTX 50 pricing being so dangerous, I can not even get a used RTX 4080/4080 Tremendous at an inexpensive worth. Used playing cards are listed for greater than 1,000 euros right here, which is bonkers.

Conversely, the RX 9070 XT brings a large efficiency bump over the RX 7800 XT, the cardboard it replaces (technically, it replaces the 7700XT, however the RX 7800 XT ought to’ve carried the 7700 moniker). You are getting a 36% efficiency bump with out ray tracing, with greater than 40% uplift whenever you allow ray tracing results. That is a generational uplift I am glad with.

AMD’s FSR 4 Upscaling Can Lastly Compete With DLSS

I will be trustworthy right here: If FSR 4 had been a disappointment and noticeably worse than DLSS 3 upscaling, I would have an extended take into consideration upgrading to an RTX 5070 Ti. I am utilizing a 3440×1440 ultrawide monitor, and whereas I principally stream games to my ASUS ROG Ally, upscaling is a should after I sport on the ultrawide. And FSR 3 and older variations of the upscaler completely demolish picture high quality.

Fizzling and blurry picture, temporal artifacts, poor texture readability, immense points with resolving superb element comparable to foliage—the checklist goes on. As a result of its tiny display, I am okay with FSR 3 and older variations when working video games on my ROG Ally. However on a big monitor, these points fully smash the expertise.

Fortunately, FRS 4 is a massive win for AMD. The corporate lastly launched a machine learning-based upscaler that trumps DLSS 3, which is praiseworthy. Certain, FSR 4 remains to be a tad behind DLSS 4 upscaling, however I am keen to simply accept small compromises to the readability of textures and picture stability if I am paying virtually a 3rd lower than what I would pay for an NVIDIA GPU.

The RX 9070 XT Is a Nice Improve From My Getting older RTX 3070

In comparison with my RTX 3070, the RX 9070 XT provides greater than 60% increased efficiency in ray tracing titles and about 80% higher efficiency in rasterization. I am going to gladly take these enhancements, thanks very a lot.

However crucial improve goes from, these days quite anemic, 8GB of video reminiscence to 16GB. The RTX 3070 remains to be a really succesful card, even for 1440p gaming. However its limited memory buffer signifies that, even when the cardboard’s bought sufficient uncooked horsepower for top or extremely settings, you will need to compromise by reducing the standard of textures, shadows, and different memory-intensive choices to achieve acceptable efficiency.

Whereas I can technically play some video games with ray tracing, enabling ray tracing results normally works effectively for about a couple of minutes earlier than the reminiscence buffer overflows and the sport turns right into a slideshow.

I Wish to Keep away from NVIDIA’s 50-Collection Points

The RX 9070 XT comes with two or three tried-and-true 8-pin energy connectors, relying on the mannequin. Nonetheless, NVIDIA determined to maintain the 16-pin 12VHPWR connector for its RTX 50 GPUs. The brand new connector, 12V-2×6, is a minor revision that solves zero points plaguing the 12VHPWR.

Someway, NVIDIA made the 12V-2×6 connector discovered on RTX 50 playing cards even worse than the 12VHPWR. This resulted in additional frequent situations of energy cables and connectors melting on RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 GPUs. The stated concern will proceed to have an effect on these GPUs until NVIDIA both redesigns circuit boards on these GPUs and features a higher fuse safety resolution or abandons the 12V-2×6 altogether. By the seems to be of it, neither will occur.

Now, it seems to be just like the RTX 5070 Ti is not affected by this concern as a result of the cardboard makes use of much less energy than high-end RTX 50 choices, however I would slightly not need to cope with the 12V-2×6 until I’ve no different selection.

I would have to make use of an adapter as a result of my PSU would not include a 16-pin energy connector, and I would need to bend it as a result of my case is simply too slender, which isn’t what producers advocate. For the reason that RX 9070 XT comes with common energy connectors, I haven’t got to fret about this.

What the RX 9070 XT additionally would not endure from are missing ROPs (Render Output Models), one other concern affecting RTX 50 GPUs. In a nutshell, ROPs are a part of the render pipeline; the less there are, the slower the GPU shall be. According to tests carried out by Players Nexus, you are as much as 10% slower efficiency in case your card is affected, which is a large drop.

Once more, I would slightly not fear in regards to the card I bought being faulty, pushing 10% fewer frames than it is alleged to. Then you have got the RMA course of, which is all the time a ache, particularly as a result of you need to await weeks earlier than getting a brand new card. I would slightly simply get the cardboard, put it contained in the case, and never need to open GPU-Z as quickly because the system boots to verify whether or not I’ll must return it lower than an hour after it has arrived.

---

Ultimately, I am assured in my resolution to go for an RX 9070 XT as an alternative of an RTX 5070 Ti. This is not one thing I may see myself saying just a few years in the past, however AMD’s resurgence as a drive to be reckoned with within the GPU sport is a welcome growth. All I’ve to do now could be wait till subsequent week for the cardboard to reach, and I am golden.

I am greater than glad with the efficiency bump I will be getting over my RTX 3070; 16 GB of reminiscence is excellent for a card priced this excessive, and the cardboard packs sufficient horsepower to permit me to get pleasure from high-refresh-rate gaming with max particulars (and even some ray tracing results enabled) for at the least a few years.