Much has been said and speculated about AMD's Radeon 9070 series GPUs, so much so that it feels like we've reviewed them already. But until now, we've only had leaks and first-party benchmarks to go on, neither of which are particularly reliable. But finally, today we're taking an in-depth look at AMD's top RDNA 4 GPU to see what it's truly capable of.AMD is releasing the standard Radeon RX 9070, which is a binned version of the 9070 XT, and the full-fledged XT version we're testing today. Both are based on the same 357mm die, manufactured using TSMC's N5 process the same process used for RDNA's graphics compute die.The Radeon 9070 XT features 4,096 cores, while the 9070 has a reduced core count of 3,584 a 13% decrease. The 9070 operates at 2,070 MHz, which is 14% lower than the XT version, though actual clock speeds under load will vary. Both models share the same memory configuration: 16GB of 20Gbps GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit memory bus, delivering 640GB/s of bandwidth.Radeon RX 9070 XTRadeon RX 9070Radeon RX 7900 XTXRadeon RX 7900 XTRadeon RX 7900 GREPrice MSRP [$US]$600$550$1000$900$550Release DateMar 2025Dec 2022Feb 2024ProcessTSMC N4PTSMC N5 (GCD) / TSMC N6 (MCD)Die Size (mm2)357 mm2529 mm2Core Config4096 : 256 : 1283584 : 224 : 1286144 : 384 : 1925376 : 336 : 1925120 : 320 : 192L2 Cache (MB)64 MB96 MB80 MB64 MBGPU Boost Clock2400 MHz2070 MHz2500 MHz2400 MHz2245 MHzMemory Capacity16 GB24 GB20 GB16 GBMemory Speed20 Gbps18 GbpsMemory TypeGDDR6Bus Type / Bandwidth256-bit, 640 GB/s384-bit, 960 GB/s320-bit, 800 GB/s256-bit, 576 GB/sTotal Board Power304W220W355W315W260WThis design suggests that the 9070 series should be cost-effective to produce, given its die size is similar to that of the 7800 XT, and the memory subsystem remains unchanged. AMD managed to sell the 7800 XT for $500 or less, so even the cut-down 9070 should be profitable. The 9070 has an MSRP of $550, while the full 9070 XT is set at $600.On paper, the comparison between the previous-gen 7900 XT and the 9070 XT is intriguing. The 9070 XT has 24% fewer cores, a 33% smaller die, 20% less cache, 20% less VRAM, and 20% lower memory bandwidth yet it's expected to deliver similar or better performance. That will be very interesting to test.The CardsFor testing, we have several Radeon 9070 XT graphics cards on hand. All benchmark results were obtained using the Sapphire Pure, but we also have the Nitro+, XFX Mercury, Asus TUF Gaming, and Asrock Taichi models.Under load, hotspot GPU temperatures ranged from 75C (XFX Mercury) to 87C (Nitro+). Interestingly, the Sapphire Pure maxed out at 81C, which is lower than expected given the Nitro+ result. The Asus TUF Gaming ran at 80C, while the Asrock Taichi peaked at 85C. However, since these are hotspot temperatures, all models ran relatively cool overall.The GDDR6 memory operated at 85C on the Asus and XFX models, while the rest reached 90C.For GPU VRM temperatures, there was a significant range. The Asrock Taichi and Sapphire Nitro+ peaked just above 80C, while the Sapphire Pure reached 79C. Meanwhile, the XFX Mercury and Asus TUF Gaming managed to keep their VRM temperatures comfortably below 70C.When it came to noise levels, the Asrock Taichi, Sapphire Pure, and Nitro+ were virtually silent, producing less noise than our case fans. The XFX Mercury was also very quiet, only barely audible over the case fans. The Asus TUF Gaming, however, was noticeably louder but still reasonably quiet.As for core clock speeds, all models performed similarly, with no more than a 3% variance out of the box. Now, let's get into the blue bar graphsTest System SpecsCPUAMD Ryzen 7 9800X3DMotherboardMSI MPG X870E Carbon WiFi (BIOS 7E49v1A23 - ReBAR enabled)MemoryG.Skill Trident Z5 RGB DDR5-6000 [CL30-38-38-96]Graphics CardsGeForce RTX 4070 GeForce RTX 4070 Super GeForce RTX 4070 Ti GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super GeForce RTX 4080 GeForce RTX 4080 Super GeForce RTX 4090 GeForce RTX 5070 GeForce RTX 5080 GeForce RTX 5090 Radeon RX 7700 XT Radeon RX 7800 XT Radeon RX 7900 GRE Radeon RX 7900 XT Radeon RX 7900 XTX Radeon RX 9070 Radeon RX 9070 XTATX CaseMSI MEG Maestro 700L PZPower SupplyMSI MPG A 1000G ATX 3.0 80 Plus Gold 1000WStorageMSI Spatium 1TB M470 PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2Operating SystemWindows 11 24H2Display DriverNvidia GeForce Game Ready 572.60 AMD Radeon Adrenalin 24.12.1BenchmarksMarvel RivalsFirst up, we have Marvel Rivals at 1440p, where the 9070 XT averaged 88 fps. This made it 7% slower than the 5070 Ti and just 6% faster than the 7900 XT not a bad result, but not an outstanding one either.At 4K, the gap widened, with the 9070 XT trailing the 5070 Ti by an 11% margin, delivering an average of 51 fps.Stalker 2: Heart of ChornobylMoving on to Stalker 2, the 9070 XT once again lagged behind the 5070 Ti at 1440p, this time by a 9% margin, making it 2% slower than the 7900 XT a disappointing outcome.Increasing the resolution to 4K helped slightly, narrowing the gap to 5% behind the 5070 Ti while still managing to be 5% faster than the 7900 XT. However, with just 39 fps on average, the performance remains underwhelming.Counter-Strike 2When testing Counter-Strike 2, the 9070 XT was 10% slower than the 5070 Ti, a significant margin. In fact, it only managed to match the 7900 GRE, making this a very weak result. Unfortunately, AMD did not benchmark this game in their review guide, so we cannot confirm if they observed the same poor performance. It is also surprising that they did not test the most-played game on Steam.At 4K, things got even worse. Here, the new Radeon GPU trailed the 5070 Ti by 16%, performing roughly on par with the RTX 5070.God of War RagnarkGod of War Ragnark was the first game where the 9070 XT was able to match the 5070 Ti. While it was technically 1% faster at 1440p, this is within the margin of error. However, achieving RTX 4080-like performance here was impressive.The 4K results followed a similar trend, with the 9070 XT just 1% slower than the 5070 Ti, again delivering performance comparable to the 7900 XTX and RTX 4080.Delta ForceThe Delta Force performance was underwhelming. The 9070 XT averaged 160 fps, making it 8% slower than the 5070 Ti and 10% slower than the 7900 XT, putting it in line with the 4070 Super.At 4K, results improved significantly, with the 9070 XT matching the 7900 XT. However, it was still 6% slower than the 5070 Ti.Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2The 9070 XT performed exceptionally well in Space Marine 2, even surpassing the 7900 XTX. It was 17% faster than the 5070 Ti at 1440p.At 4K, the gap widened significantly, with the 9070 XT outperforming the 5070 Ti by 36%. The reason for the poor performance of the new GeForce 50 series in this game remains unclear, and Nvidia has yet to address the issue.Star Wars Jedi: SurvivorIn Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, the 9070 XT was actually slower than the 7900 XT at 1440p albeit by just 2 fps. More importantly, this made it 12% slower than the 5070 Ti.At 4K, the gap narrowed slightly to 8%, but with an average of just 53 fps, the 9070 XT was only marginally faster than the 4070 Ti Super and 7900 XT.A Plague Tale: RequiemThe 9070 XT performs well in A Plague Tale: Requiem, coming in just behind the 7900 XTX at 1440p. However, this makes it 7% slower than the 5070 Ti. Still, it's a solid result overall.At 4K, the 9070 XT is 4% slower than the 5070 Ti, averaging 65 fps. This puts it at the same performance level as the RTX 4080, which is impressive.Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom LibertyRadeon GPUs have always performed well in Cyberpunk 2077, and the 9070 XT is no exception. At 1440p, it rendered 125 fps, matching the 5070 Ti and outperforming the 7900 XT by 11%.At 4K, it pulled slightly ahead of the 5070 Ti, though only by a 3% margin. More notably, this put it 17% ahead of the 7900 XT an excellent result overall.Dying Light 2 Stay HumanUnfortunately, the 9070 XT struggles in Dying Light 2, only barely beating the 7900 XT and coming in 12% slower than the 5070 Ti.The 4K results tell a similar story, with the 9070 XT once again trailing the 5070 Ti by 12%, though it was also 12% faster than the 7900 XT.Call of Duty: Black Ops 6Call of Duty has always favored AMD, and Black Ops 6 is no exception. The 9070 XT delivered an impressive 118 fps at 1440p, roughly matching the 7900 XTX and beating the 5070 Ti by a significant 22% margin.At 4K, it maintained a 19% lead over the 5070 Ti, once again delivering performance comparable to the 7900 XTX an excellent result for the new 9070 XT.Dragon Age: The VeilguardNext, we have Dragon Age: The Veilguard. This game utilizes some ray tracing with the ultra preset, but even so, the 9070 XT performed decently, coming in 4% slower than the 5070 Ti. However, we are essentially looking at 7900 XT-level performance in this case.At 4K, the 9070 XT matched the 4070 Ti Super, making it 10% faster than the 7900 XT but also 10% slower than the 5070 Ti.War ThunderThe Radeon GPU struggles against the GeForce competition in War Thunder when using the default DX11 mode. At 1440p, the 9070 XT could only match the 7900 XT, making it a massive 31% slower than the 5070 Ti.However, increasing the resolution to 4K changed things dramatically. Here, the 9070 XT delivered an impressive 227 fps, matching both the 7900 XTX and 5070 Ti.Marvel's Spider-Man RemasteredPerformance in Spider-Man Remastered was disappointing. At 1440p, the 9070 XT was slower than the 7900 XT and trailed the 5070 Ti by 8%.As seen in many cases, the 4K results were more favorable. Here, the 9070 XT matched the 5070 Ti, delivering 118 fps.Hogwarts LegacyThe Hogwarts Legacy performance looks promising until we consider that, despite being 4% faster than the 5070 Ti at 1440p, the 9070 XT is still slower than both the 7900 XT and XTX.However, things change at 4K. Here, the 9070 XT outperformed not only the 5070 Ti but also the 7900 XTX, delivering an impressive 87 fps on average.The Last of Us Part IIn The Last of Us Part I, the 9070 XT was 5% slower than the 5070 Ti, averaging 106 fps. This also made it a few frames slower than the 7900 XT.At 4K, it was 3% slower than the 5070 Ti but at least 9% faster than the 7900 XT.Star Wars OutlawsPerformance in Star Wars Outlaws was solid. At 1440p, the 9070 XT was 5% slower than the 5070 Ti but 13% faster than the 7900 XT.At 4K, it essentially matched both the 5070 Ti and 7900 XTX, making it 21% faster than the 7900 XT.StarfieldFinally, we have Starfield, where the 9070 XT was 7% slower than the 5070 Ti at 1440p, delivering performance comparable to the 7900 XT.The 4K results were more favorable, but even then, it only managed to roughly match the 5070 Ti while slightly outperforming Nvidia's RTX 4070 Ti Super.Performance Summary1440pAcross the 18 games tested, the 9070 XT averaged 119 fps at 1440p, making it 6% slower than the 5070 Ti. AMD likely expected parity here, and while it's not far off, the Radeon GPU was still slower overall.More concerning is AMD's claim that the 9070 XT offers a 35% improvement over the 7900 GRE in raster performance, whereas our testing found only a 20% increase in mostly rasterized workloads. Additionally, the 9070 XT is only 2% faster than the 7900 XT and 13% slower than the 7900 XTX, which is not an ideal position to be at.4KAt 4K, the 9070 XT fares slightly better, trailing the 5070 Ti by just 1% while outperforming the 7900 XT by 9%. While not an outstanding result, at a price of $600, it could still offer good value something we will examine shortly.Power ConsumptionIn terms of power consumption, the Radeon 9070 XT is neither exceptional nor disappointing, but compared to RDNA 3, there is little improvement. As seen in testing, it delivers performance similar to the 7900 XT while consuming about the same amount of power.In many cases, the 9070 XT uses around 20% more power than the 5070 Ti while delivering slightly weaker performance.RT - Metro Exodus EnhancedWhen it comes to ray tracing performance, the 9070 XT is significantly better than RDNA 3 GPUs such as the 7900 XT and even the 7900 XTX. In Metro Exodus at 1440p, the 9070 XT was 9% slower than the 5070 Ti but also 34% faster than the 7900 XT and 12% faster than the XTX.At 4K, it trailed the 5070 Ti by a 12% margin, yet outperformed the 7900 XTX by 18% and the 7900 XT by a massive 44%.RT - Alan Wake IIPerformance in Alan Wake II isn't great, but this is the first Radeon GPU capable of exceeding 30 fps at 1440p with upscaling while using high ray tracing settings. That's a notable achievement. The 9070 XT delivered a 44% uplift over the 7900 XTX, but despite this, it remained 36% slower than the 5070 Ti.At 4K, the demands are extreme, with even the 5070 Ti managing only 31 fps on average.RT - Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom LibertyThe 9070 XT's ultra ray tracing performance in Cyberpunk 2077 is quite impressive. At 1440p with upscaling, it rendered 68 fps, making it just 8% slower than the 5070 Ti an outstanding result for a Radeon GPU. This also meant it was 24% faster than the 7900 XTX and 51% faster than the 7900 XT.As expected, performance at 4K with upscaling is more challenging, but even then, the 9070 XT was only 12% slower than the 5070 Ti while still outperforming the 7900 XTX by 29%.RT - Marvel's Spider-Man RemasteredDespite encountering a CPU bottleneck in Spider-Man Remastered, the 9070 XT was still 22% faster than the 7900 XTX at 1440p.At 4K, the 9070 XT trailed the 5070 Ti by just 7%, though it was a few frames slower than the XTX.RT - Dying Light 2 Stay HumanNext, we have Dying Light 2, where the 9070 XT was 14% slower than the 5070 Ti at 1440p, but still slightly faster than the 7900 XTX another strong result.At 4K, it once again edged out the XTX, though it remained 29% slower than the 5070 Ti.RT - Black Myth: WukongBlack Myth: Wukong remains a tough challenge for Radeon GPUs. The 9070 XT managed just 30 fps at 1440p, which is an almost 60% improvement over the 7900 XTX but still only half the performance of the 5070 Ti.Given that, there's little need to discuss the 4K results but for completeness, they are included.RT - Indiana Jones and the Great CircleFinally, in Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, the 9070 XT struggled, delivering just 17 fps at 1440p with upscaling.The 4K results were even worse, though at this point, none of these GPUs provided what could be considered playable performance.Ray Tracing Performance Summary1440pHere's a look at the average ray tracing performance at 1440p. The 9070 XT was 21% slower than the 5070 Ti but an impressive 26% faster than the 7900 XTX. With RDNA 4, AMD has made significant strides in ray tracing performance.4KMany of the 4K results were disappointing for the Radeon 9070 XT, though the 5070 Ti also struggled in several titles. Even so, based on the data, the 9070 XT was, on average, 25% slower than the 5070 Ti.Cost per FrameMSRPNow, it's time for the all-important cost-per-frame analysis, starting with MSRP. However, MSRP is often misleading, particularly for Nvidia's Blackwell GPUs, which are difficult to find at their suggested prices.If the GeForce RTX 5070 Ti was readily available at $750 which it currently isn't the 9070 XT would offer just 15% better value. While that is reasonable, AMD has historically (in our opinion) needed to provide at least 20% better value to secure a strong recommendation in reviews.With RDNA 4, however, AMD has improved ray tracing performance and introduced FSR 4, which we are in the process of analyzing and will have a dedicated feature with tons of details very soon. Given these advancements, a 15% value advantage might be enough to earn a recommendation. We'll discuss this more shortly, but first, let's examine the "real" MSRP situation.Real MSRPIf AMD can launch the 9070 XT at $600 which multiple reliable sources indicate they can and will then the card would offer 29% better value than the 5070 Ti.This is a key factor because, based on sales data, AMD typically needs to deliver at least 30% greater value than the nearest GeForce competitor to convince GeForce owners to switch to Radeon.RetailComparing the Radeon 9070 XT to the best retail prices from mid-2024, it still presents a strong value proposition. It delivers nearly 20% better value than the discounted 7900 XT, which has been AMD's best value offering in this performance segment. Additionally, it offers 26% better value than the 4070 Ti Super.What We LearnedSo there you have it the new Radeon RX 9070 XT. On one hand, we feel some people will be disappointed with its performance, even considering the price. Perhaps that's on AMD and their performance claims, which we'll address soon. However, in the current market, the Radeon 9070 XT offers solid value and is worthy of recommendation.There are two main conclusions to draw here:If the RTX 5070 Ti remains well above MSRP typically around $900, with poor availability then at $600, the 9070 XT is a no-brainer. It offers nearly 30% better value, making it the obvious choice.If the RTX 5070 Ti drops to its $750 MSRP, then the 9070 XT becomes 20% cheaper to purchase and offers only 15% better cost-per-frame value. It is also over 20% slower on average in ray tracing, meaning buyers would have to weigh the trade-offs. Saving $150 by choosing the 9070 XT seems like the logical decision for most, but whether AMD can convince most gamers is another question. Based on past data, this may not be enough to convert GeForce owners.It's also worth noting that while we've compared the Radeon 9070 XT's performance to the GeForce 5070 Ti, its pricing is much closer to the standard RTX 5070. However, the RTX 5070 is a poor-value option, offering just 12GB of VRAM, which means we won't recommend it. Comparing the 9070 XT to a GPU we already advise against seems like a waste of time.Cost-Per-Frame and Upscaling Quality ConsiderationsInternally, when we evaluated the Radeon 7000 vs. GeForce RTX 40 series, we agreed that AMD needed to offer at least 20% better cost-per-frame value for a Radeon GPU to earn our recommendation.However, with the Radeon 9000 vs. GeForce RTX 50 series we believe this threshold can be adjusted downward to 15% thanks to the improved ray tracing performance and because AMD's upscaling technology has improved dramatically, closing the gap to DLSS.Full disclosure: we are still busy investigating FSR 4, so it's a little to early to call right now, but what we can say is FSR4 is worlds better than FSR3. Whether gamers at large will feel the same remains to be seen, and AMD may still need to aim for a 30% discount to truly attract buyers.A Question of ValueIn a world where the 9070 XT can be purchased for $600 and the 5070 Ti for $750, it's difficult to recommend one over the other, there are pros and cons both ways, which is why we felt for AMD to really crush Nvidia's mid-range this generation the 9070 XT would have to hit $550... but, if supply of the 5070 Ti remains weak, and therefore prices remain sky high, the 9070 XT should still come out on top.If AMD can maintain a 20% cost-per-frame advantage over the 5070 Ti, then the 9070 XT becomes the obvious choice no debate necessary. Just buy the Radeon GPU and enjoy the savings.AMD's Performance Claims: Overly Inflated?Now to change gears for a moment, one concern is that AMD may have set unrealistic expectations for the 9070 XT. Comparing it to the 7900 GRE while citing heavily inflated performance figures at least relative to our independent testing doesn't help its case.AMD claimed the 9070 XT was, on average, 35% faster than the GRE in raster performance. However, our testing found only a 20% improvement.For example, AMD's claims vs. our actual results:Dragon Age AMD: 39% | Our result: 25%Starfield AMD: 32% | Our result: 20%Stalker 2 AMD: 29% | Our result: 16%Perhaps in games without built-in benchmarks, AMD is testing in areas with lighter loads. Regardless, AMD's numbers make the GRE appear much slower than it actually is. If the 9070 XT was truly 35% faster than the GRE, it would match the 7900 XTX and RTX 4080 Super, and many people expected that based on AMD's first-party benchmarks."Real" Pricing, AgainFinally, we have some concerns about how "real" the $600 MSRP actually is. After some investigation, it appears that AMD is providing retailers with a $50 rebate to achieve the $600 pricing. This strongly suggests the intended MSRP was actually $650, and AMD is temporarily subsidizing models to hit the lower price point.For example, XFX confirmed that the 9070 XT Mercury a model featured in this review will not cost $650. In fact, it won't even cost $700. Instead, the official MSRP is $770, and due to tariffs, its on-shelf price is expected to be $850 which would be tragic if true.From what we've gathered, it seems AMD is starting to play Nvidia's pricing game. This means that while some 9070 XT models may be available at $600 initially, most will likely be priced higher, and restocks at that price may be limited or infrequent. A lot will depend on how sales perform. AMD has a large stock of Radeon 9070 GPUs, so if demand slows after launch, we expect them to continue offering rebates to keep pricing competitive. However, we will have to wait and see how that plays out.As things stand, the Radeon RX 9070 XT is a strong offering that we expect will sell extremely well at $600. However, whether that price holds long-term is questionable. We've also heard from multiple sources that supply is excellent. If that's the case, then AMD may end up selling more 9070 XT units than Nvidia has sold 5090, 5080, 5070, and 5070 Ti units combined which would be crazy, and on that bombshell, we'll end this review right here.Shopping Shortcuts:AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT on AmazonAMD Radeon RX 9070 XT on AmazonNvidia GeForce RTX 5070 Ti on AmazonNvidia GeForce RTX 5080 on AmazonNvidia GeForce RTX 5090 on AmazonAMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX on AmazonNvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Super on AmazonAMD Radeon RX 7800 XT on Amazon