AMD has expanded its entry-level graphics lineup with the new Radeon RX 7400, bringing the same hardware foundation as the professional Radeon PRO W7400 to the consumer market. Designed for budget-conscious gamers and PC manufacturers, the RX 7400 delivers RDNA 3 architecture features, 8GB of VRAM, and ray tracing support—all in a compact, low-power package.
Core Specs at a Glance #
The RX 7400 shares almost identical specifications with the PRO W7400:
- 28 compute units
- 1,792 stream processors
- 28 ray accelerators
- FP32 compute: ~7.88 TFLOPS
- Memory: 8GB GDDR6, 128-bit bus, 10.8 Gbps effective speed
- Bandwidth: 173 GB/s
Compared to the Radeon RX 7600, which also uses the Navi 33 GPU, the RX 7400’s bandwidth is roughly 40% lower, signaling its more modest performance target.
Compact Design, Low Power #
With a total board power (TBP) of just 55W, the RX 7400 uses a single-slot design measuring around 167mm in length. It draws all its power directly from the PCIe slot—no 6-pin or 8-pin connectors required.
This makes it an excellent fit for:
- Pre-built business desktops
- Narrow tower cases
- Small form factor (ITX) builds
For PC builders, this means easier integration, lower cooling demands, and quieter operation.
Performance Positioning #
The RX 7400 scales down from the RX 7600 in two key areas:
- Compute units reduced from 32 → 28
- Memory speed lowered significantly
The result? While 8GB VRAM is more than adequate for most 1080p games, limited bandwidth can cause slowdowns in texture-heavy or post-processing-intensive titles. Expect smooth 1080p performance at medium settings for esports and lighter AAA games, but high-resolution textures and maxed-out effects will push the card beyond its comfort zone.
Ray Tracing: Possible, but Limited #
Hardware-level ray tracing is supported, but enabling it will often require lowering overall graphics quality or using frame generation to maintain smooth gameplay. For the best experience, stick to optimized rasterization settings or consider the RX 7600 for heavier workloads.
OEM-Centric Focus #
Everything about the RX 7400 points to an OEM-first strategy:
- No external power connectors
- Single-slot, short PCB design
- Easy drop-in replacement for integrated graphics
Several PC brands are already listing the RX 7400 as an option for both business and consumer desktops. While AMD hasn’t confirmed retail availability, an OEM-exclusive release seems likely.
Multimedia and Light Workloads #
Thanks to RDNA 3’s updated video engine, the RX 7400 supports:
- Hardware-accelerated encoding/decoding for mainstream video formats
- Multi-display setups
- Entry-level content creation, streaming, and HD playback
The extra VRAM compared to older entry-level GPUs reduces stuttering and texture swapping, though its bandwidth limits make it unsuitable for heavy 3D rendering or high-bitrate 4K editing.
Final Thoughts #
The Radeon RX 7400 is essentially the consumer twin of the PRO W7400—optimized for power efficiency, compact size, and cost control. It’s an ideal upgrade for users moving from integrated graphics who value compatibility, quiet operation, and minimal power draw.
However, if your priority is high frame rates, ultra-quality visuals, or serious ray tracing, the RX 7600 or a higher-tier GPU remains the better choice. For now, all eyes are on OEM deployments to see how widely this compact performer will reach the market.