AMD took the stage on February 28 to reveal its latest RDNA 4 GPUs, packed with performance stats and pricing details that had enthusiasts paying close attention.
I’ll admit, I had my concerns. The fear that AMD might drop the ball with RDNA 4 — be it through sky-high prices, performance woes, or underwhelming progress on FSR 4 — was real.
However, the standout highlight for me was the RX 9070 XT. It closely matches the performance of NVIDIA’s RTX 5070 Ti, sitting just 2% behind at 4K ultra settings, excluding any boost from FSR 4 or DLSS 4.
One might wonder if AMD shot itself in the foot with uncompetitive pricing, but the opposite is true. The RX 9070 XT’s MSRP is pinned at $599 — that’s a whopping $150 cheaper than what NVIDIA’s RTX 5070 Ti is listed for, though finding one at its $749 MSRP is like chasing a unicorn.
NVIDIA’s RTX 5070 Ti is soaring close to $1,000 on the market, minus the scalper-induced inflation. This gives AMD an unprecedented opportunity to carve out a significant slice of the GPU market share.
March 6 is earmarked for the launch of AMD’s RDNA 4 series, which besides the RX 9070 XT, includes its more budget-friendly sibling, the RX 9070 at $549. These GPUs promise “wide availability,” and if that holds true, I plan to be among the first in line for what’s been touted as “the world’s best graphics card under $600.”
These new RDNA 4 models could very well breathe new life into the mid-range market, a sector that NVIDIA’s RTX 5000 “Blackwell” line almost obliterated, despite its supposedly middle-range pricing. With the RTX 5070 Ti straying close to a grand due to supply issues and steep third-party prices, many gamers found it slipped beyond their financial reach.
There’s also talk of a $599 RTX 5070 expected to surface on March 6 after delays, but its availability remains a question mark. As for AMD’s offerings, rumors have been swirling about RDNA 4 GPUs arriving at retailers since December 2024, paired with AMD’s “wide availability” claim, which paints a promising picture.
Adding two new competitors in the mid-range space is nothing but a boon for PC enthusiasts, ensuring NVIDIA faces some much-needed pressure. The RX 9070 XT, with performance very close to NVIDIA’s RTX 5070 Ti and a $150 price edge, boasts a 23% better performance-per-dollar ratio. If you’ve been on the hunt for a mid-range GPU, the RX 9070 XT seems like a stellar choice.
NVIDIA still holds the crown for ray tracing, yet AMD has significantly closed the gap. I’m not one for enabling ray tracing in every game, and neither are many others. For those scenarios where it’s unavoidable, the RX 9070 XT steps up. While AMD’s ray tracing can’t fully rival NVIDIA’s yet, the strides made from RDNA 3 to RDNA 4 are evident.
During its presentation, AMD showcased some impressive 4K RT performance metrics. The RX 9070 XT tends to lag in all but two games — Spider-Man 2 and Far Cry 6 — against the 5070 Ti. Still, compare it to the previous-gen RX 7900 GRE, and there’s up to a 66% improvement in 4K ray tracing performance.
Given that 1440p is my preferred gaming resolution, the RX 9070 XT offers up to a 68% boost in ray tracing compared to the older 7900 GRE model. I’m eager to see how these numbers translate in real-world scenarios once the full reviews roll out, but I’m optimistic enough to say it won’t deter my buying decision.
On the FSR front, AMD’s leap to FSR 4 might just be what the doctor ordered. Moving to machine learning, FSR 4 now parallels NVIDIA’s DLSS more closely. With better hardware in the RDNA 4 cards, FSR 4 shows promise as a major upgrade. With FSR 4 active, the RX 9070 XT reportedly offers up to 4.4 times more performance at 4K.
Take Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, where frame rates leap from 43 FPS to an astounding 191 FPS with FSR 4. Spider-Man 2 sees a similar 4x boost, and Monster Hunter Wilds sees a 3.5x increase, hitting a steady 147 FPS at 4K.
Reports from Hardware Unboxed suggest FSR 4 doesn’t just hike frame rates but also smooths out issues like finer details at higher resolutions, which were pain points in the previous FSR 3.1. As much as DLSS 4 leads the pack, AMD’s FSR 4 has me all in.
Finally, after a bit of a wait, AMD’s RX 9070 XT enters the scene, right when the scales were tipping in NVIDIA’s favor. My anticipation for the RTX 5070 has been replaced by a strong leaning towards AMD for my upcoming upgrade.
Sure, NVIDIA commands the high-performance segment, but with the RX 9070 XT, AMD is poised to win over those looking around the $600 mark. Are you considering the RX 9070 XT? Share your thoughts with me in the comments below!
