The AMD Radeon RX 9070 and 9070 XT are set to be released today, March 6, 2025, with IT media in various countries starting to release reviews. The consensus among reviews is that the Radeon 9070 can clearly outperform its competitor, the GeForce RTX 5070, making it the most cost-effective GPU for gaming at 1440p.
PC World reported that in gaming tests at 1440p resolution, the Radeon 9070 decisively outperforms the 5070 (with an average difference of 11%). On the other hand, the 9070 XT outperforms the 5070 Ti in multiple tests despite being $150 cheaper, although in certain games like Black Myth Wukong that utilize complex ray tracing, the GeForce side performs slightly better.
Another highlight for AMD in this round is its improved ray tracing performance, addressing past shortcomings in Radeon cards. The Radeon 9070’s ray tracing graphics run on par or even better than the GeForce 5070 in most cases. Additionally, the FSR 4 technique now using AI power shows significantly improved performance over FSR 3.1, narrowing the performance gap with DLSS, albeit with limited game support at the moment, a concern that is expected to improve gradually over time.
With AMD offering 16GB RAM with a 256-bit bus while NVIDIA provides 12GB RAM with a 192-bit bus (for the 5070 model), AMD’s side becomes a more value-for-money option capable of supporting high-end games in the future.
Engadget echoes similar sentiments, praising the excellent performance at 1440p and the better value proposition compared to GeForce GPUs, along with improved ray tracing support and FSR 4 capabilities.
Weaknesses include limited game support and slightly inferior performance in 4K resolution relying on frame generation, an area where NVIDIA’s technology still excels. In terms of power usage, AMD’s cards are simpler and can directly draw power from the PSU with an 8-pin cable. The minimum requirement for AMD’s specifications is a 650W PSU, although some GPU manufacturers may recommend slightly higher specifications for certainty.
In conclusion, the Radeon 9070 XT emerges as a highly performance-effective option over the 5070 Ti in many cases, with a $150 price advantage unless facing inflated retail prices. IGN rates the 9070 at 8/10 and the 9070 XT at 10/10, dubbing it as “Radeon’s Ryzen moment,” likening it to the Ryzen CPU’s groundbreaking introduction.
IGN commends AMD for strategically aiming at the mainstream gamer market rather than chasing the high-end market occupied by the GeForce 5090, with the 9070 XT being touted as the best card in the market at $599. The RDNA 4 architecture contributes to its excellent performance, with the 9070 XT matching the 4070 Ti’s performance at a slightly higher speed in most cases. The notable downside is the 9070 XT’s slightly increased power consumption comparable to the previous-gen top-tier 7900 XT (around 300W).
As for the non-XT 9070 model, it performs well at 1440p, but the significant price difference of only $50 from the 9070 XT translates to an 8% performance gap, making the XT version a better investment if willing to spend a bit more.
TLDR: The AMD Radeon RX 9070 series impresses with its performance, value proposition, and improved ray tracing capabilities compared to competition, with the 9070 XT standing out as a top pick for gamers at a competitive price point.
Leave a Comment