AMD’s latest mid-range GPU has been compared to the Nvidia RTX 4070, with its benchmarks and specifications proving it to be a superior choice across the board.
The AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE stands out as one of the most impressive graphics cards from AMD in recent years, delivering exceptional performance at a competitive price point. Despite facing stiff competition in the mid-range GPU market, its value proposition remains strong, overshadowing any minor drawbacks it may have.
Competition is excellent, and the recent release of the AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE demonstrates this fact. The introduction of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Super has clearly motivated AMD to reconsider the GRE’s limited availability in China, leading to a broader release of a highly impressive graphics card.
Competition is beneficial, and the launch of the new AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE serves as evidence of that. The arrival of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Super has prompted AMD to expand the availability of the GRE beyond China, resulting in the release of a truly compelling graphics card.
The current market is flooded with options for the best graphics card, coming from both AMD and Nvidia. The GRE is the latest addition to the already competitive midrange market. After thoroughly testing this pixel pusher for the past few weeks, I can say that it has been a pleasantly surprising experience, despite some anticipated, albeit minor, drawbacks.
Specs.
The Navi 31 GPU powers the Radeon RX 7900 GRE, which is the most stripped-down version of this chip compared to its counterparts, the Radeon RX 7900 XT and RX 7900 XTX. While the expected specifications such as stream processors, ray accelerators, and memory bandwidth have been reduced, there are also some unexpected changes that play a crucial role in the GRE’s performance.
The RX 7900 GRE and RX 7900 XT may seem similar in some aspects, but they differ significantly in others. While the 7900 GRE has slightly fewer stream processors and ray accelerators compared to the 7900 XT, the most notable distinction lies in their clock speeds. The game clock of the 7900 GRE falls short by 145MHz, and the boost clock by 150MHz in comparison to the 7900 XT. Although these variances are not drastic, they are indeed noteworthy.
The RX 7900 GRE boasts a memory bandwidth of 576GB/s, which falls short not only of the RX 7900 XT’s 800GB/s but also of the Radeon RX 7800 XT’s 624GB/s. Despite both the GRE and 7800 XT having 16GB of GDDR6 VRAM and a 256-bit memory bus, the 7800 XT’s faster memory clocks result in higher bandwidth.
The memory specification of the RX 7900 GRE surpasses that of Nvidia’s competing GPUs. With a memory bandwidth that exceeds both the GeForce RTX 4070 and RTX 4070 Super, the GRE stands out. Additionally, the RX 7900 GRE’s total board power (TBP) is 260W, which is 55W lower than the RX 7900 XT. This places it in a similar power consumption range as the RX 7800 XT, which has a power draw of 263W. As a result, the GRE performs more closely to its Navi 32 relative, the Radeon RX 7800 XT, rather than its Navi 31 counterparts, as demonstrated in our benchmarks.
Performance.
We have gathered performance data for the Radeon RX 7900 GRE at native 1080p, 1440p, and 4K resolutions, along with upscaled resolutions utilizing FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR). In the interest of conciseness and significance, our analysis and visual representations will predominantly center on 1440p, which we believe is the optimal resolution for this graphics card.
Instead of providing a reference card, AMD has chosen not to release its cooler design to the public outside of China and PC manufacturers. Our benchmarks were conducted using the stunning Sapphire Pure Radeon RX 7900 GRE. This graphics card boasts slightly higher clock frequencies compared to the reference model, featuring a 1,972MHz game clock and 2,333MHz boost clock. Additionally, it showcases an attractive white color scheme and the solid build quality typical of Sapphire’s Pure models.
Ray tracing benchmarks.
Although ray tracing is usually a drawback for AMD graphics cards, the Radeon RX 7900 GRE benchmarks show a different story. At 1440p, the GRE outperformed the Radeon RX 7800 XT by 9% and even surpassed the GeForce RTX 4070 with a 3% advantage. The performance gap between these two cards priced at can vary based on the specific game, but the competition between AMD and Nvidia is a positive development.
The Radeon RX 7900 GRE is not necessarily the go-to choice for a ray tracing graphics card in this price range, as it still lags behind the GeForce RTX 4070 Super by an average of 12%, despite being just cheaper at. However, when the resolution is increased to 4K, the performance gap narrows significantly to just 3%, thanks to the GRE’s additional VRAM and higher memory bandwidth.
The Radeon RX 7900 GRE may not be as powerful as the Radeon RX 7900 XT in the Radeon 7000 series, but the price difference between the two makes the GRE a better value proposition. Despite the 14% performance boost of the 7900 XT over the GRE, gap at MSRP vs. favors the GRE. Even when the 7900 XT goes on sale for, the 7900 GRE remains a more attractive choice.
Although it may not be the top performer in ray tracing for the, the Radeon RX 7900 GRE comes in a close second to its pricier competitor. This marks a significant achievement for a Radeon graphics card in this type of rendering, surpassing its main competitor, the GeForce RTX 4070. It would be beneficial for AMD to consider officially reducing the MSRP of its higher-end options, such as the Radeon RX 7900 XTX, to encourage more competitive pricing in the upper echelon of the GPU market.
3DMark Speed Way benchmark.
3DMark Speed Way serves as a valuable tool for establishing a standard performance level for real-world ray tracing on the Radeon RX 7900 GRE. During this assessment, the Radeon RX 7900 GRE is positioned between the Radeon RX 7800 XT and GeForce RTX 4070, surpassing the former by 387 points and falling short of the latter by 171 points.
The variances are minor, yet they demonstrate that the variance in ray tracing capabilities between the GRE and 7800 XT is more significant than that between the GRE and the RTX 4070.
The variances are subtle, but they highlight that the distinction in ray tracing capabilities between the GRE and 7800 XT is more pronounced than that between the GRE and the RTX 4070.
The Radeon RX 7900 GRE outperforms the Radeon RX 7800 XT by 10% in terms of percentages, but falls behind the GeForce RTX 4070 by 4%. It is important to note that the actual performance differences may fluctuate significantly based on the specific game being tested.
Returnal ray tracing benchmark.
Ultimately, Returnal’s ray tracing capabilities produce outcomes reminiscent of those seen in Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. The Radeon RX 7900 GRE emerges as the top performer in the, boasting an average frame rate of 75fps. However, its victory is not easily achieved, as the GeForce RTX 4070 manages to achieve a result of 72fps.
The Radeon RX 7900 GRE maintains a comfortable 7fps lead over the GeForce RTX 4070 when looking at minimum frame rates, despite the narrow 3fps difference between the two graphics cards.
Rasterization benchmarks.
The Radeon RX 7900 GRE’s dominance over its GeForce counterparts, even without ray tracing effects, is not unexpected. Nevertheless, its significant lead over the GeForce RTX 4070, RTX 4070 Super, and RTX 4070 Ti Super is truly remarkable.
The Radeon RX 7900 GRE’s superiority over its GeForce rivals, even when ray tracing effects are turned off, is unsurprising. Nonetheless, its impressive lead over the GeForce RTX 4070, RTX 4070 Super, and RTX 4070 Ti Super is truly remarkable.
In similar situations, the Radeon RX 7900 GRE outperforms the GeForce RTX 4070 by a significant 37%. Despite both graphics cards being priced at, this outcome clearly distinguishes AMD’s product as a superior class of graphics card. Furthermore, the GRE surpasses the pricier GeForce RTX 4070 Super by 14% in our tests, and even matches the performance of the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super.
In all honesty, the Radeon RX 7900 GRE faces significant competition solely from the Radeon RX 7800 XT in this scenario. Our tests revealed a 5% performance advantage for the GRE, making the 7800 XT a more cost-effective option for individuals uninterested in ray tracing. However, for users who appreciate both rendering methods, investing an additional in the GRE would be the wise decision.
3DMark Time Spy Extreme benchmark.
3DMark Time Spy Extreme establishes a solid foundation for the Radeon RX 7900 GRE, achieving a score of 10,367. This places it above the GeForce RTX 4070 (9,701) but below the GeForce RTX 4070 Super (11,835). AMD continues to excel in rasterization, as evidenced by the Radeon RX 7900 GRE outperforming the more affordable Radeon RX 7800 XT, which scored 9,356, surpassing the GeForce RTX 4070.
In the gaming benchmarks presented below, it is evident that both of these cards excel in the top two spots within the of graphics cards, particularly in terms of rasterization performance in games.
Returnal rasterization benchmark.
Navigating through Atropos’ environments without ray tracing enabled is most convenient on the Radeon RX 7900 GRE when compared to other options, establishing itself as the top performer in the for Returnal. With an impressive average frame rate of 116fps, although the minimum of 72fps falls slightly below, it still exceeds the 60fps threshold. This performance gap has been consistent across all GPUs tested in this game.
The Radeon RX 7900 GRE continues to demonstrate its impressive performance by trailing just 4fps behind the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super in this test. In comparison, the GeForce RTX 4070 appears lackluster with an average frame rate of only 90fps.
Benchmarking rasterization performance in Total War: Warhammer 3.
AMD and Nvidia lack features such as FSR or DLSS in Total War: Warhammer 3, making it a level playing field for the Radeon RX 7900 GRE and its rivals. Despite this, the GRE manages to outperform the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super, with the additional only resulting in a mere 3fps increase for the GeForce card, which averages at 83fps.
The Radeon RX 7900 GRE outperforms the GeForce RTX 4070 with its 62fps result, and also surpasses the 73fps achieved by the GeForce RTX 4070 Super. However, the Radeon RX 7800 XT is still a close competitor to the GRE, trailing by only 4fps.
FSR benchmarks.
The Radeon RX 7900 GRE is already impressive in terms of raw performance, and it can achieve even greater heights with the addition of FidelityFX Super Resolution. While support for the latest version of the feature suite, FSR 3, is increasing, AMD’s Frame Generation technology has not yet been implemented in Cyberpunk 2077. This puts the Radeon RX 7900 GRE at a disadvantage compared to its GeForce RTX 4000-series rivals, which have access to DLSS 3.
FSR 2 provides a significant performance boost for the Radeon RX 7900 GRE in Cyberpunk 2077 when ray tracing is enabled. The native rendering frame rate nearly doubles, increasing from an average of 32fps to a much more acceptable 57fps. However, DLSS 3 gives the GeForce RTX 4070 a clear advantage over the Radeon RX 7900 GRE, with an average frame rate of 87fps. The difference is largely attributed to DLSS Frame Generation, as Super Resolution alone only achieves a result of 67fps, which, while still better than the GRE, does not close the gap significantly.
Frame rates provide only a partial picture, as the visual fidelity of these frames is significantly superior on GeForce graphics cards compared to Radeon cards. This is attributed in part to the varying upscaling methods, with Nvidia leveraging its Tensor hardware for DLSS Super Resolution, as well as its DLSS Ray Reconstruction technology, resulting in more intricate ray traced effects.
Disabling ray tracing in this game leads to better outcomes, as the Radeon RX 7900 GRE successfully resists the advancements made by the GeForce RTX 4070 and GeForce RTX 4070 Super. FSR provides a significant boost to the AMD GPU, increasing the frame rate from 102fps to 129fps. Although not as dramatic as the ray tracing results, this improvement is still appreciated.
The benchmark shows that both the GeForce RTX 4070 Super and Radeon RX 7900 GRE achieved an average frame rate of 129fps. The Radeon RX 7900 GRE performed exceptionally well, especially considering its minimum frame rates of 110fps, which are significantly faster than the more expensive Nvidia GPU’s 62fps.
Above all, the Radeon RX 7900 GRE could offer even more performance in Cyberpunk 2077 once CD Projekt Red implements FSR 3. While the impact of AMD’s frame generation technology remains uncertain, it is likely to propel this mid-range GPU to the forefront without the need for ray tracing.
Conclusion.
If the Radeon RX 7900 GRE marks the conclusion of the Radeon RX 7000 series, AMD is certainly making a powerful statement with this generation. Priced at, this mid-range contender poses a significant challenge to the GeForce RTX 4070, making it hard to argue in favor of the Nvidia card over the GRE. Despite the RTX 4070’s superior DLSS 3 support and higher DLSS quality compared to FSR, it would be nearly redundant if not for these factors.
It is evident that AMD can effectively challenge Nvidia by pricing its hardware competitively, as seen with the Radeon RX 7900 GRE and its predecessor, the Radeon RX 7800 XT. However, the gap between these two GPUs presents consumers with a challenging decision. This situation could have been prevented if AMD had lowered the price of the 7800 XT when reintroducing the GRE to the market. One must wonder if AMD failed to learn any lessons from the launch of the Radeon RX 7700 XT.
The Radeon RX 7900 GRE not only surpasses the GeForce RTX 4070 in performance, but its 16GB of VRAM also instills more assurance in its longevity as a key component in your system. With the increasing texture sizes in modern games, especially at higher resolutions, this GPU proves to be a versatile choice for those seeking a mid-range graphics card that excels in various tasks.
Alternatives.
If the Radeon RX 7900 GRE does not meet your requirements in a graphics card, consider exploring these other options:
The GeForce RTX 4070 Super, although pricier than the Radeon RX 7900 GRE, distinguishes itself mainly through superior ray tracing capabilities. Despite having slightly less VRAM at 12GB versus the GRE’s 16GB, it offers enhanced performance features like DLSS 3 and additional perks such as RTX HDR.
The Radeon RX 7800 XT offers comparable performance to the Radeon RX 7900 GRE, with a slightly lower price point. However, it lags slightly in terms of ray tracing capabilities. Despite this distinction, it still boasts 16GB of VRAM, along with a slightly higher memory bandwidth.