The High Point of RDNA 3 | Radeon RX 7900 XT

Arguably, the RX 7000 series has been somewhat underwhelming, particularly when compared to its predecessors. The RX 7600 and 7700 series, in particular, have struggled to outshine the previous generation. However, the RX 7800 XT is academically interesting due to its potential linkage with the forthcoming PS5 Pro GPU, and the RX 7900 XT presents strong value, essentially a rework of the 6950 XT. It's worth noting that only the top two models in this series offer tangible, new performance improvements.

As someone upgrading from a 6900 XT to a 7900 XT, I wanted to explore the buzz surrounding this new GPU. My Sapphire Pulse RX 7900 XT was provided for review by Scan Computers. For my channel, I primarily test older CPUs and GPUs. Upgrading to the 7900 XT is substantial for me, especially with RDNA 3's AV1 encoding and decoding, a more efficient video codec compared to the H.265.

On my channel, I focus on graphics card reviews for mid-range budget gamers, so my test platform reflects this. I utilize a moderately priced gaming PC (~£500-£600), incorporating a Ryzen 5 7500F paired with a mid-range MSI B650 motherboard, 32GB of Corsair DDR5-6000 RAM, and other mid-range components. My primary testing resolutions are 1440p and 4K, often bypassing FSR.

Let's dive into performance metrics against several games:

Ghost of Tsushima

Despite being a cross-gen platform title, it ran well on both the 6900 XT and the 7900 XT. The RX 7900 XT posted 106 FPS on average at 1440p and about 60 FPS at 4K, slightly better than the 6900 XT’s 93 FPS at 1440p and 50 FPS at 4K.

Horizon Forbidden West

Closely mirroring Ghost of Tsushima's performance, the 7900 XT scored high with minimal drops, maintaining closer to 60 FPS at 4K, while the 6900 XT hovered around the lower end of 60 FPS.

Hellblade 2

A challenging title for current-gen GPUs, the 7900 XT managed 63 FPS at 1440p and around 30+ FPS at 4K, while the 6900 XT struggled more, particularly at 4K with sub-50 FPS averages.

Alan Wake 2

Performing surprisingly well without ray tracing, the 7900 XT managed 74 FPS at 1440p and nearly 40 FPS at 4K. However, enabling RTX on this game proved tough for both the 7900 XT and its predecessor.

Avatar: Frontiers Of Pandora

Brute force was the name of the game here, with the 7900 XT managing 84 FPS with default FSR at ultra settings, and remaining playable without FSR at this level. At 4K with adjustments, it kept near 60 FPS.

Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart

Another strong performer, the 7900 XT hit 120 FPS without ray tracing at 1440p. However, enabling ray tracing dropped performance significantly, making it barely tolerable at 4K.

Resident Evil 4 Remake

Enjoying impressive results, both cards handled 1440p effortlessly with near-max settings and minimal issues at 4K. The 7900 XT scored 129 FPS at 1440p and remained above 60 FPS at 4K, while the 6900 XT showed a small performance decline but remained strong.

The Last Of Us

Well-optimized, the 7900 XT ran without problems at 1440p surpassing 100 FPS, while at 4K, a few tweaks were necessary to stay above 60 FPS. The 6900 XT, naturally, delivered slightly lower but still respectable results.

Forza Horizon 5

Another easy run, this title saw the 7900 XT reaching 136 FPS at 1440p with all settings maxed out, and over 90 FPS at 4K. The 6900 XT closely followed in performance, only slightly behind its newer sibling.

Starfield

Despite known CPU limitations, the 7900 XT managed 72 FPS at 1440p without FSR. At 4K, dips below 50 FPS were noted, necessitating FSR.

Cyberpunk 2077

Delivered solid results, with the 7900 XT nearly hitting 100 FPS at 1440p and retaining a mostly 60+ FPS experience at 4K Ultra. Both cards struggled significantly with ray tracing enabled.

Conclusion

The RX 7900 XT, although not an affordable upgrade, provides improved performance and features over its predecessor. AV1 encoding is a significant upgrade for content creation. While the RX 6900 XT remains a viable option, particularly for 1440p gaming, the 7900 XT provides noticeable 4K performance improvements, justifying the additional cost.

Keywords

RX 7000 series
RX 7600
RX 7700
RX 7800 XT
RX 7900 XT
Sapphire Pulse
RDNA 3
AV1 encoding
Ryzen 5 7500F
MSI B650
Ghost of Tsushima
Horizon Forbidden West
Hellblade 2
Alan Wake 2
Avatar: Frontiers Of Pandora
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart
Resident Evil 4 Remake
The Last Of Us
Forza Horizon 5
Starfield
Cyberpunk 2077
Ray tracing
AMD vs Nvidia

FAQ

What makes the RX 7900 XT a significant upgrade over the RX 6900 XT?

The RX 7900 XT offers a 20% performance increase in most scenarios, especially at 4K resolutions. Additionally, it features AV1 encoding/decoding, which is more efficient for video editing and streaming.

Is the RX 7900 XT good for 4K gaming?

Yes, the RX 7900 XT can manage most 4K games at 60 FPS with high settings, though some titles may still require compromises or upscaling techniques like FSR.

How does the RX 7900 XT perform with ray tracing enabled?

While the RX 7900 XT performs better than the RX 6900 XT in ray tracing, it still falls short compared to NVIDIA's RTX line. It's viable for some games but struggles in more demanding titles.

Is the RX 6900 XT still a good option for gaming?

Absolutely, the RX 6900 XT remains a solid choice, particularly for 1440p gaming and even some 4K scenarios. It's also cost-effective compared to the RX 7900 XT.

What advantages does RDNA 3's AV1 encoding offer?

AV1 encoding provides better compression, resulting in smaller file sizes without sacrificing quality. This is particularly advantageous for content creators and streamers.

Will the RX 6900 XT support AMD's upcoming machine learning-based FSR?

It’s uncertain whether the RX 6900 XT will support next-gen FSR, which might use RDNA 3's AI functionality. This could make the RX 7900 XT a better long-term investment.