AMD is back with their new Radeon RX 9000 Series, built on the latest RDNA 4 architecture — and it’s looking seriously good. These new cards are designed to go head-to-head with NVIDIA’s RTX 50 Series, and they’re offering a solid mix of performance, efficiency, and price.
What’s New with RDNA 4?
RDNA 4 is AMD’s next-gen graphics architecture, and it brings some nice upgrades:
- Better power efficiency
- Improved performance in modern games
- More capable ray tracing
- Some AI enhancements for graphics
It’s not quite on NVIDIA’s level when it comes to fancy ray tracing and AI tricks, but AMD is closing the gap fast — especially in regular gaming performance (what most people actually care about).
Meet the Cards
RX 9070 XT
- VRAM: 16GB GDDR6
- Performance: Great for high-end 1440p and decent 4K gaming
- Position: AMD’s current top card for most gamers
RX 9070
- VRAM: 16GB GDDR6
- A slightly toned-down version of the XT — still fantastic for 1440p gaming
RX 9070 GRE (Golden Rabbit Edition)
- VRAM: 12GB GDDR6
- Target: Budget-friendly gamers
- Originally released for China, but popping up in more places now
These cards are built to handle modern games with ease, and they give great bang for your buck — especially if you’re not overly concerned about ray tracing.
Gaming Performance
AMD’s strong suit is still rasterization — basically, traditional game graphics without ray tracing. In this area, the RX 9070 XT often matches or beats NVIDIA’s RTX 4070 Ti.
Ray tracing is better than last gen, but NVIDIA still leads there. AMD’s FSR 3 (FidelityFX Super Resolution) helps boost frame rates, especially on lower-end cards, but it’s not quite as polished as NVIDIA’s DLSS 4.
Efficiency and Cooling
These cards run cooler and use less power than RDNA 3 models. If you care about quiet fans and lower electricity bills, RDNA 4 is a step in the right direction.
Prices and Availability
Prices have been a bit up and down depending on where you are:
- RX 9070 XT: Around $600 at launch, but closer to $850 in some places now due to demand
- Still cheaper than NVIDIA’s top cards, with similar performance in many games
Who Should Buy One?
- Gamers playing at 1440p or 4K who want great performance without spending a fortune
- Content creators who need solid VRAM (16GB is a nice sweet spot)
- Anyone avoiding NVIDIA’s pricing or looking for something different
The Bottom Line
AMD’s RX 9000 Series is a strong return to form. They’ve improved power use, added solid features, and kept the price fairly reasonable (at least compared to NVIDIA). If you’re not obsessed with having the absolute best ray tracing, these cards offer serious value and are perfect for most modern gaming setups.