AMD’s strategic focus on midrange RDNA 4 GPUs is proving to be a masterstroke, particularly given the current state of the high-end GPU market. NVIDIA’s premium offerings, the RTX 5090 and 5080, are experiencing significant demand, pushing prices far beyond their already exorbitant launch figures, with limited availability. Meanwhile, the RTX 5070 Ti, while impressive, is rapidly approaching the $1,000 price point of the 5080. This creates a perfect opportunity for AMD’s Radeon 9070 and 9070 XT, set to launch on March 6th, to capture a substantial segment of the market.
Read: Bandwidth Blog & Smile 90.4FM Tech Tuesday: Microsoft Mojarana quantum computing!
Early briefings from AMD, while requiring independent verification, suggest that the RDNA 4 GPUs are poised to deliver compelling 4K and 1440p performance for gamers seeking value. The Radeon 9070’s $549 starting price and the 9070 XT’s $599 launch price are particularly noteworthy, especially when compared to the MSRPs of the RTX 5070 and 5070 Ti. While market dynamics will inevitably influence pricing, AMD’s initial figures are undeniably competitive.
A key selling point of the new cards is AMD’s Fidelity FX Super Resolution 4 (FSR4) upscaling technology. This iteration, powered by machine learning, mirrors NVIDIA’s DLSS, promising improved image quality, low latency, and frame generation when upscaling from lower resolutions. AMD claims significant performance gains with FSR4, citing examples like Space Marine 2, where the 9070 XT’s frame rate reportedly jumps from 53 fps to 182 fps in 4K. Furthermore, AMD’s HYPR-RX driver-level upscaler promises up to 3X performance improvements in titles like Star Citizen and Forza Horizon 5.
Both the Radeon RX 9070 and 9070 XT boast 16GB of VRAM, a notable advantage over the RTX 5070’s 12GB. The 9070 XT, with its 64 RDNA 4 compute units, ray tracing accelerators, and AI accelerators, as well as a higher power draw and boost clock, is geared towards 4K 240Hz gaming. The 9070, with slightly reduced specifications, is better suited for 1440p gaming with occasional 4K ventures.
AMD’s benchmark comparisons, while primarily against the RX 7900 GRE, also include notable comparisons to older-generation cards. The company claims the RX 9070 XT is significantly faster than the Radeon 6900 XT and the RTX 3090, while the RX 9070 outperforms the RX 6800 XT and the RTX 3080. While direct comparisons to newer-generation cards would have provided a more comprehensive picture, AMD’s chosen benchmarks highlight the performance gains achieved.
Beyond gaming, AMD emphasizes the RDNA 4 media engine’s improved H.264 encoding and 8K/80fps encoding and decoding capabilities. The cards also demonstrate significant AI performance improvements, particularly in applications like Davinci Resolve and Procyon SD XL.
If AMD can maintain stock levels and adhere to the announced pricing, the Radeon 9070 and 9070 XT have the potential to attract even NVIDIA loyalists. The upcoming RX 9060 series, scheduled for the second quarter, further expands AMD’s competitive offerings. The combination of competitive pricing, advanced features, and strong performance positions AMD to make a significant impact on the midrange GPU market.
