In this hypothetical situation, let’s imagine it is December 2022 once more, and the Radeon RX 7900 XT is making its debut. However, this time around, the graphics card comes with nine months of driver refinement and a reduction in the MSRP. It is worth noting that the GeForce RTX 4060 series and Radeon RX 7600 have also hit the market, but for now, we will direct our attention solely to the Radeon RX 7900 XT.
Upon returning to the real world, it was evident that the Radeon 7900 XT had been released with certain driver-related problems that affected its performance. Initially priced at, it is now possible to purchase at least one model for, with several boards being sold for less than. In light of these developments, we believed it was necessary to conduct a re-evaluation to determine the potential improvements that could have been made to the 7900 XT.
This review will not cover every aspect of the GPU, but we will focus on the games that have shown performance enhancements, those that have not, and analyze the average data from 15 games. By doing so, we can reassess the cost per frame and determine the standing of this GPU.
We possess several Radeon RX 7900 XT cards for evaluation that have not been reviewed previously. A number of these variants have been priced at in recent weeks. For instance, the Sapphire Pulse model was priced as low as in the middle of July and has consistently been below the manufacturer’s suggested retail price since March.
The Asrock Phantom Gaming is available for, although it was being sold for as low as last month. Its price has been or lower since March.
MSI Gaming Trio Classic is not as readily available compared to other models. While Newegg has listed it for in the past, the price has not dropped as significantly as the Asrock and Sapphire models. It is important to mention that MSI entered the 7900 series market later than other brands, which may have impacted the pricing of their custom cards.
In order to conduct the testing, our Ryzen 7 7800X3D test system equipped with 32GB of DDR5-6000 memory is being utilized, along with the most up-to-date display drivers. Consequently, the 7900 XT will be evaluated against our review driver to assess the advancements made by AMD in terms of drivers within the last nine months.
Benchmarks.
The initial game on the list is The Last of Us Part 1, and in this particular game, AMD has implemented several enhancements, resulting in a 14% performance increase at 1080p, thus making the 7900 XT 8% faster than the 4070 Ti. Additionally, there is a notable 19% improvement over the 6950 XT, which, although falling short of AMD’s original target, still represents a significant improvement from the previously observed 4% increase.
The margin decreases to 11% at 1440p with the new driver, resulting in an average frame rate boost from 89 fps to 99 fps. While this is a notable improvement, it falls short of the impressive performance increase seen at 1080p.
Subsequently, when operating at 4K resolution, we are observing a mere 8% improvement with the updated driver. Nevertheless, as the performance of the 4070 Ti diminishes at this particular resolution, the 7900 XT enjoys a significant 21% performance edge.
Regarding Resident Evil 4, there is no noticeable improvement in performance with the most recent driver, as is often the case with our 15 game sample.
Forza Horizon 5 is the sole game, apart from The Last of Us Part 1, that showcases a significant boost in performance or any performance enhancement. The most recent driver update increased the performance of the 7900 XT by 19% at 1080p, narrowly surpassing the 4070 Ti by just a 5% difference. Despite this, the improvement is noteworthy considering it used to lag behind the 6950 XT.
However, the margin decreases noticeably at 1440p, with the most recent driver update providing only a 12% increase in performance. While this boost is significant, it is still lower than the improvement seen at 1080p.
At 4K, we are observing a mere 4% increase, allowing us to effectively compete with the 6950 XT. While this outcome may not be remarkable at such a high resolution, it still represents a significant advancement.
At 4K, we have only witnessed a 4% rise, enabling us to essentially equal the performance of the 6950 XT. Despite not being particularly impressive at this level of resolution, it does signify a necessary improvement.
The F1 2022 benchmark revealed a slight enhancement in performance at 1080p, essentially falling within the margin of error, showcasing a mere 2% rise in the average frame rate.
When running at 1440p, the frame rate only slightly increased by less than 2%, going from 118 fps to 120 fps, and then further increasing by 3% at 4K. It is important to note that the minimum frame rates experienced a more significant 7% increase, which remained consistent during the F1 2022 testing.
15 Game Average.
Here is an overview of the 15-game average statistics, beginning with the 1080p figures. As previously mentioned, two games experienced significant improvements while the remaining 13 showed minimal to no change. Consequently, the overall performance only increased by 3% at 1080p. Although this will benefit the 7900 XT, it is not a groundbreaking change in terms of overall performance.
At 1440p, the margin decreases to only 3%, resulting in the overall frame rate increasing from 135 fps to 139 fps. While any improvement is welcome, it still does not have a significant impact on the 7900 XT’s performance.
At 4K resolution, we are observing a mere 3% increase in performance, which is not significant. Let us now proceed to analyze the cost per frame.
Cost per Frame (MSRP).
Let’s start by analyzing the price per frame data using the manufacturers’ suggested retail pricing. Even at the current MSRP of, the 7900 XT is disappointing, providing a cost per frame similar to older generation components like the Radeon RX 6600, which were not considered a good value at launch.
It would be optimal to have a component such as the Radeon 7900 XT that provides a minimum of 15% higher value compared to the RX 6800. However, with a MSRP, it ended up being 7% pricier.
If AMD had launched the 7900 XT at, it would have been 13% less expensive than the RX 6800, bringing it much closer to the price point we believe it should have been. Ideally, it should have been priced at, but represents a significant improvement from the original.
The current-generation GPUs are facing a significant issue with the abundance of older components. For instance, the Radeon 6950 XT is still available for as low as $640, rendering the $900 7900 XT practically obsolete. However, at $750, opting for the faster Radeon 7900 XT would be a wise choice for those seeking a high-end GPU. It is expected to have better longevity with ongoing driver updates and provides additional VRAM for improved performance.
The GeForce RTX 4070 Ti, priced at $800, is surpassed by it. For most gamers, a 16% premium for frame generation is not justifiable. It is difficult for us to believe this personally. However, if you are into competitive multiplayer games, frame generation holds no value. The 20GB VRAM buffer provided by the 7900 XT is a much more appealing feature compared to the 12GB available on the 4070 Ti. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section below.
Energy Usage.
We will briefly discuss power consumption using overall system statistics. In comparison to the 4070 Ti, power consumption in Hitman 3 increased by 9%, and both graphics processing units delivered identical frame rates in that scenario. Therefore, the 4070 Ti is undeniably more effective, although the variance is not substantial.
However, within Spider-Man Remastered, the 7900 XT increased overall system usage by 25%, despite being only 7% faster. Therefore, it can be concluded that the GeForce GPU is indeed more efficient, although the disparity may not always be substantial.
Lessons Gained (Months After).
It was determined nine months ago that the Radeon 7900 XT review should have reflected a maximum price of. This price point was considered the most reasonable for the GPU, and it remains true to this day. Depending on your location, you may still be able to buy a 7900 XT at that price.
During the creation of this review approximately one week ago, the Sapphire Pulse 7900 XT model could be purchased for on Newegg. However, the price has now been increased to. The PowerColor Hellhound was also frequently priced at, but currently, it is ranging between and, along with a few other options. It is anticipated that the pricing of the 7900 XT will fluctuate in the upcoming weeks and months. Therefore, it may not always be available for, so it is recommended to keep an eye out for any favorable deals.
When we conducted this review about a week ago, the Sapphire Pulse 7900 XT model was priced at on Newegg. However, the price has now been adjusted to. The PowerColor Hellhound was also commonly available for, but currently, it is priced between and, along with a few other alternatives. The pricing of the 7900 XT is expected to vary in the coming weeks and months. It may not always be available for, so it is advisable to search for a good deal.
The performance of the 7900 XT hasn’t seen much improvement compared to nine months ago, despite the significant enhancements in Forza Horizon 5 and The Last of Us Part 1. The main reason for this is the substantial price drop from the original. Additionally, the lowest price we could find for a GeForce RTX 4070 Ti is approximately, and we believe it would be unwise to choose that over a discounted 7900 XT.
Despite everything, it is unfortunate that AMD failed to deliver a successful release of the Radeon 7900 XT. We have recently been talking about the consistent underperformance of the Radeon division over the years, and even though RDNA 3 did not meet performance expectations, competitive pricing could have potentially led to the series being a major success.
However, we are of the opinion that this particular era was bound to face failure. The failure was a result of the sudden conclusion of the cryptocurrency boom, which resulted in AMD and Nvidia being burdened with excessive silicon orders from TSMC and Samsung. This led to an oversupply of GPUs that were not in demand by gamers, unless sold at a significant discount. Nevertheless, if the cryptocurrency boom had not come to an end, the situation for this generation would have been even more dire.
Although AMD had the option to launch the 7900 XT at a lower price initially, doing so would have resulted in an excess inventory of 6900 XT and 6950 XT models, which they wanted to avoid. However, it raises the question of whether sacrificing short-term profits to regain market share from Nvidia would have been a successful long-term strategy.
It is difficult to determine, but what is certain is that another generation has gone by and the Radeon group is still struggling to remain relevant, which is disappointing for gamers everywhere.
It is challenging to ascertain, but what is clear is that another generation has elapsed and the Radeon group is still grappling with irrelevancy, which is unfortunate for gamers everywhere.