On February 28, AMD finally lifted the curtain on its highly anticipated RDNA 4 GPUs, sharing a wealth of information about their performance and pricing. The unveiling had me on edge—I admittedly feared a misstep, whether it came in the form of optimistic pricing, underwhelming performance, or uninspired FSR 4 updates.
For me, the showstopper was AMD’s RX 9070 XT performing neck and neck with NVIDIA’s RTX 5070 Ti, with a mere 2% performance drop at 4K ultra settings. And that’s just looking at the raw numbers, without factoring in enhancements like FSR 4 or DLSS 4.
Now, the question on everyone’s lips: Has AMD once again shot itself in the foot with uncompetitive pricing? Actually, they’ve done just the opposite. The RX 9070 XT is listed with a $599 MSRP, a significant $150 less than the RTX 5070 Ti’s MSRP—although, let’s face it, finding one at that price is a rarity.
In reality, the RTX 5070 Ti is brushing against the $1,000 mark on the open market, and that’s if you can dodge the scalpers. This scenario gives AMD a prime opportunity to capture a larger slice of the GPU pie.
Excitingly, AMD’s RDNA 4 lineup, featuring both the RX 9070 XT and the more budget-friendly $549 RX 9070, is set to hit shelves on March 6, promising “wide availability.” If they follow through, they’ll certainly have me lining up for what AMD touts as “the world’s best graphics card under $600.”
AMD’s latest RDNA 4 GPUs are truly breathing new life into the mid-range market. Anyone—myself included—hungry for a decently priced, mid-range GPU capable of modern gaming has been sorely disappointed by the state of the market, courtesy of NVIDIA’s RTX 5000 “Blackwell” series. Despite its mid-range label, the reality has been starkly different, characterized by scarce supply, inflated third-party pricing, and opportunistic scalping, driving the RTX 5070 Ti to nearly $1,000 despite a $749 MSRP.
An upcoming $599 RTX 5070, delayed but expected on March 6, might change the scenario, but its actual availability remains a mystery. Similarly, the launch fate of AMD’s RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 around March 5 also hangs in balance. Yet, whispers from retailers hinting at stocking RDNA 4 chips since December 2024, coupled with AMD’s vow of “wide availability,” paints a promising picture.
Having two fresh contenders in the mid-range sector is undoubtedly a boon for PC enthusiasts, bringing the competitive edge NVIDIA needs. The RX 9070 XT delivers performance comparable to the RTX 5070 Ti, a noteworthy feat considering the $150 price gap. AMD highlights a 23% better performance-per-dollar ratio. For anyone, like me, holding out for a mid-range GPU with the chops for modern gaming, the RX 9070 XT seems poised to steal the spotlight.
While NVIDIA claims the crown in ray tracing, AMD narrows the gap with its latest offerings. Personally, I’m not wedded to ray tracing in every game, but I’m eager for a GPU that can handle it when it’s non-negotiable. The RX 9070 XT checks that box.
Even though NVIDIA retains the edge, the RX 9070 XT exhibits major improvements compared to its precursor, the RX 7900 GRE, showing up to 66% better ray tracing performance at 4K ultra settings. At 1440p—the resolution I game at—the numbers soar even higher, with a 68% uptick. With RDNA 4 reviews looming, I’m eager to contrast AMD’s benchmarks with practical results, though I doubt there’ll be any deal-breaking surprises.
On the upscaling front, AMD’s new FSR 4 has taken a bold leap towards the future. Moving away from spatial algorithms, AMD now embraces machine learning for FSR 4, aligning more closely with NVIDIA’s AI-powered DLSS technology. Thanks to RDNA 4’s hardware advances, FSR 4 promises the transformative improvement I was eager to see.
AMD claims that with FSR 4, the RX 9070 XT can deliver up to 4.4 times better performance at a 4K resolution. In games like Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2, frame rates leap from 43 FPS to 191 FPS with FSR 4 enabled. Spider-Man 2 also benefits, quadrupling from 48 FPS to 192 FPS at the same resolution. Monster Hunter Wilds isn’t left out of the party, with frame rates boosting 3.5 times—from 42 FPS to 147 FPS.
After assessing FSR 4’s capabilities post-AMD’s CES 2025 showcase, it’s clear that beyond just improving frame rates, FSR 4 triumphs in handling intricate details that its predecessor struggled with, especially as resolutions climbed. With quality and quantity of frames at play, I’m sold on FSR 4, even if DLSS 4 still sits atop the heap.
With the RX 9070 XT, AMD is offering NVIDIA serious competition at long last. Although delayed for nearly two months, the revelation comes just in time. I’ve transitioned from eagerly awaiting the RTX 5070 to pitching my tent firmly in AMD’s camp for my next PC build. Upgrading from an RX 6800 to an RX 9070 XT will be nothing short of revolutionary, especially paired with my Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU.
Since the launch of NVIDIA’s RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 on January 30, NVIDIA has suffered numerous setbacks—from meltdowns of RTX 5090 power cables to issues with ROPs in their latest cards, paired with inaccessible prices and scarce availability. Such hurdles considerably tarnish NVIDIA’s standing amongst PC gamers.
While NVIDIA continues to offer the muscle in the GPU space, AMD’s RDNA 4 shift promises to be a game-changer for anyone seeking a $600 card that doesn’t skimp on performance. Are you considering hopping on the RX 9070 XT train? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
