AMD recently unveiled its Radeon RX 9000 series graphics cards at a press conference, shedding light on the core highlights of its new RDNA 4 architecture. The performance data for the flagship Radeon RX 9070 XT has garnered particular attention, especially due to its significant leap over the previous-generation Radeon RX 7900 GRE.
According to official data, the Radeon RX 9070 XT delivers astonishing results in tests across more than 30 games at 4K resolution with “Ultra” quality settings. On average, it outperforms the RX 7900 GRE by 42%, with peak gains reaching as high as 168%. At 1440p resolution, the advantage remains notable, with an average uplift of 38%. The performance boost is especially pronounced in ray-tracing (RT) heavy games like Cyberpunk 2077, Dying Light 2, F1 24, and Hitman 3, where improvements range from 56% to 66%, and in some scenarios nearly double. This suggests that the RDNA 4 architecture has achieved a qualitative leap in ray-tracing capabilities, making it more competitive in the mid-to-high-end GPU market.
Meanwhile, the non-XT version, the Radeon RX 9070, also performs admirably. Though it lags behind the RX 9070 XT by 16.1% at 1440p and 18.3% at 2160p under ultra settings, it still achieves 20% and 21% improvements over the RX 7900 GRE, respectively. This indicates that even non-flagship models benefit noticeably from the advancements of RDNA 4.
In terms of technical specs, the Radeon RX 9070 XT features 4,096 stream processors, 16GB of GDDR6 memory with a bandwidth of 640GB/s, and a peak clock speed of up to 3.1GHz. This configuration brings it close to some high-end competitors while maintaining power consumption between 260W and 330W, showcasing solid energy efficiency. By comparison, the RX 7900 GRE also has 16GB of memory, but its compute units and architectural efficiency fall short of the new model, resulting in a clear performance gap. The current flagship RX 7900 XTX, with 24GB of memory and superior compute power, is outperformed by the RX 9070 XT in many scenarios thanks to RDNA 4’s ray-tracing optimizations.
AMD chose not to directly compare the RX 9070 XT to NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 5070 Ti or its own RX 7900 XTX, instead using the RX 7900 GRE as a benchmark. This decision likely reflects market positioning, as the RX 9070 series targets the mid-to-high-end mainstream segment rather than competing head-on with top-tier flagships. Rumors suggest that the RX 9070 XT’s performance may approach that of the RTX 4080, particularly in ray-tracing scenarios, though AMD has yet to confirm this. Unlike NVIDIA’s focus on frame generation technologies (e.g., DLSS 4), AMD emphasizes tangible improvements in native rendering and ray-tracing performance.
Pricing for the RX 9070 series is also a hot topic. A leak from a Canadian retailer suggests the RX 9070 XT could retail for around $697, with the RX 9070 at $586—approximately 5,000 RMB and 4,200 RMB in China, respectively. If accurate, these prices might not feel like a great value proposition. Additionally, a leaked package for the RX 9070 XT Red Devil edition confirms it features 64 compute units and recommends a 900W PSU, hinting at its substantial performance potential.
Notably, the RDNA 4 architecture doesn’t just enhance hardware performance—it also advances AMD’s FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) technology. The upcoming FSR 4 will introduce a machine learning-based super-resolution algorithm for the first time, optimized specifically for the RX 9000 series and promising high-quality 4K image enhancements. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 will be among the first titles to support FSR 4, expected to further elevate the gaming experience. AMD also noted that FSR 4 might later be adapted for the RDNA 3 architecture, broadening its compatibility.
AMD plans to officially launch the Radeon RX 9070 series on February 28, with more details—including full specifications, pricing, and partner non-reference designs—to be revealed then. As the release date nears, the RX 9070 series’ real-world performance and market reception will come into focus. For tech enthusiasts chasing 4K gaming and ray-tracing effects, this GPU is undoubtedly worth watching. For IT professionals, the architectural advancements and AI optimization potential of RDNA 4 could also open new possibilities for future graphics computing tasks.