AMD has finally pulled back the curtain on its RDNA 4 GPUs, showcasing them in an exciting presentation on February 28. Crammed with performance stats and pricing details, this reveal was something enthusiasts, myself included, had been both anticipating and dreading.
I must confess, I was apprehensive about this announcement. What if AMD dropped the ball with over-the-top pricing, subpar performance, or unimpressive FSR 4 upgrades? Thankfully, they didn’t.
The big headline, in my eyes, is how the RX 9070 XT holds its own against the RTX 5070 Ti. It performs almost identically, with only a slim 2% performance dip at 4K ultra settings. This is without factoring in the performance boosters from FSR 4 or DLSS 4.
Despite the plethora of graphs and tables displayed, you might be wondering, did AMD set itself up for failure with its pricing strategy? On the contrary, the RX 9070 XT enters the market with a very attractive $599 MSRP. That’s $150 less than the advertised cost of the RTX 5070 Ti, a figure that rarely matches reality.
In the wild, the RTX 5070 Ti can hit the $1,000 mark, not accounting for speculative price hikes from resellers. This positions AMD to grab a bigger slice of the GPU pie if the supply chain holds steady.
Set your reminders for March 6, as that’s when AMD’s RDNA 4 GPUs, including the RX 9070 XT and its economically friendly counterpart, the $549 RX 9070, are slated to debut with assurances of “wide availability.”
If all goes as planned, I’m aiming to be among the first to snag what AMD is boasting as “the world’s best graphics card under $600.” Here’s why I’m feeling excited.
AMD’s entry into the mid-range GPU scene seems like a breath of fresh air. So many gamers, including myself, have long awaited a budget-friendly option capable of gaming’s modern demands. NVIDIA’s “Blackwell” RTX 5000 series left the mid-range segment devastated, as steep costs and scarcity made those GPUs elusive to most.
Although the RTX 5070, tagged at $599, is expected soon, history leaves us questioning its accessibility. Similarly, it remains a game of wait-and-see with the RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 scheduled for March 5. However, whispers suggest retailers have been holding onto RDNA 4 stock since December 2024, giving weight to AMD’s promise of availability.
Two additional next-gen GPUs in the mid-range market mean more choice for PC aficionados and inject some much-needed competition for NVIDIA. The 9070 XT matches the performance capabilities of NVIDIA’s RTX 5070 Ti while costing considerably less. AMD says this offers a 23% better performance-per-dollar ratio — music to a gamer’s ears.
For those who have paused their purchasing finger waiting for a stellar mid-range GPU, AMD’s RX 9070 XT may just be the answer.
While NVIDIA still leads the pack when it comes to ray tracing, AMD isn’t trailing as distantly as before. Personally, I’m not a staunch advocate for ray tracing in every game I play—but having a GPU where it’s non-negotiable is a bonus. The RX 9070 XT appears more than capable in those scenarios.
Contrary to resting on their laurels between RDNA 3 and RDNA 4, AMD has been hard at work. In games like Spider-Man 2 and Far Cry 6, the RX 9070 XT maintains competence against the 5070 Ti, while showing a 66% boost in ray tracing at 4K compared to its predecessor, the RX 7900 GRE.
The jump is even steeper at 1440p, the resolution I prefer, with the 9070 XT offering a 68% improvement over the 7900 GRE. I can’t wait to see how these metrics translate into real-world tests once the reviews are live, but I doubt there’ll be a significant divergence to deter my purchase.
FSR 4 has been the game-changer I had high hopes for. AMD made strides by switching to machine learning for FSR 4, aligning it closer to the AI-driven DLSS of NVIDIA. This boost, combined with RDNA 4’s stronger hardware, hits the sweet spot of what I was anticipating.
With FSR 4 activated on the RX 9070 XT, AMD mentions up to 4.4 times better performance at 4K resolution. Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 benefits the most, soaring from 43 FPS to 191 FPS with FSR 4. Even Spider-Man 2 sees an impressive spike, going from 48 FPS to 192 FPS at 4K. Monster Hunter Wilds also sees a 3.5x surge, proving the tech’s potential.
An analysis from Hardware Unboxed reveals FSR 4 isn’t just about frame rate victories; it drastically improves the representation of intricate details, an area where FSR 3.1 lagged. With DLSS 4 as the yardstick for upscaling marvels, quality frames in high doses? I’m sold.
At last, NVIDIA faces a genuine contender. AMD’s unveiling of the RX 9070 XT, albeit delayed, arrived right when necessary. My allegiance shifted from RTX 5070 expectations to embracing AMD’s offering for my impending upgrade from an RX 6800. Coupled with a Ryzen 7 9800X3D, the RX 9070 XT will bring a substantial uplift.
NVIDIA’s own-goals, from RTX 5090 power hiccups to pricing woes, have left scars. Despite being the performance giants, NVIDIA’s drama assures us that AMD’s resurgence is a boon to those eyeing a purchase around $600.
Are you ready to hop onto the RX 9070 XT bandwagon? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
