How does AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT compare to Nvidia's RTX 3080 Ti? RDNA 3, specs, and more explained

The AMD Radeon RX 7000 series reference card design (Image via AMD)
The AMD Radeon RX 7000 series' reference card design (Image via AMD)

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT is the second among the two cards that Team Red will introduce in the first wave of RX 7000 series launches. It is a high-end entry in the lineup and will compete against the RTX 4080.

The RX 7900 XT is an interesting option. Since it has been competitively priced at $899, gamers can save a lot of money by opting for this video card when compared to the pricey RTX 40 series options.

The cards also come with massive performance improvements over its last-gen counterparts, the RX 6900 XT and the RX 6950 XT. These RX 6000 series video cards competed against the RTX 3080 Ti and the RTX 3090. Thus, analyzing the performance difference between the 3080 Ti and the 7900 XT is important.


By how much does the Radeon RX 7900 XT pull ahead of the RTX 3080 Ti?

The RX 7900 XT is a very powerful card for video gaming. The graphics card packs the flagship Navi 31 GPU, which can also be found on the more powerful RX 7900 XTX. However, the 7900 XT is a slightly-cut-down version of the $999 offering.

The 7900 XT comes with 5,376 stream processors, 336 Texture Mapping Units (TMUs), 192 Render Output Units (ROPs), 84 RT cores, and 20 GB of GDDR6 memory, which is based on a wide 320-bit bus.

Thus, it is no surprise that the 7900 XT will perform impeccably in every modern AAA title.

On the other hand, the RTX 3080 Ti is a very impressive graphics card too. It is a bumped-up version of the flagship RTX 3090, and is based on the same flagship AD102 processor as the BFGPU.

Under its hood, the AD102 packs 10,240 CUDA cores, 320 Texture Mapping Units (TMUs), 112 Render Output Units (ROPs), 80 RT cores, and 320 Tensor cores. The graphics card packs 12 GB GDDR6X memory, which is based on a wider 384-bit bus.

GPU Name

GA102

CUDA Core Count

10,240

Texture Mapping Units (TMUs)

320

Render Output Units (ROPs)

112

Ray Tracing (RT) Core Count

80

Tensor Core Count

320

Video Memory Size

12 GB

Video Memory Type

GDDR6X

Video Memory Bus Width

384 bit

Base Clock Speed

1365 MHz

Boost Clock Speed

1665 MHz

Memory Clock Speed

1188 MHz

MSRP

US$ 1,119

With these impressive specs, the RTX 3080 Ti almost catches up with the RTX 3090 and the RX 6950 XT in terms of performance in video games. Also, gamers can easily find the 3080 Ti for around $850 brand new these days. This makes it slightly cheaper than the RX 7900 XT.

However, the 7900 XT will be much faster than the RTX 3090 and the RX 6950 XT. Gamers can expect almost 40 to 50% more frames per second depending on the video game the card is being benchmarked in.

Thus, the RX7900 XT will beat the 3080 Ti by a similar if not bigger margin. Thus, for $50 more, gamers get a bunch more performance. Those who want to use the graphics card for four to five years should keep this difference in mind as it can be the difference between playable and unplayable games.

However, one should not blindly believe the numbers published by AMD in the launch event. These performance metrics are often recorded in environments that are difficult to replicate in a standard gamer's rig. Thus, users should wait until the reviews of these graphics cards drops, which should take a couple of weeks from now, before making a final decision.


Frequently Asked Questions about the Radeon RX 7900 XT

Q1: What is the price of the Radeon RX 7900 XT?

A1: The Radeon RX7900 XT is priced at $800, making it a more budget-friendly option compared to the RTX 40 series graphics cards.

Q2: How does the RX 7900 XT compare to its predecessor, the RX 6900 XT?

A2: The RX7900 XT offers significant performance improvements over the RX 6900 XT, with a higher number of stream processors, TMUs, ROPs, RT cores, and additional memory.

Q3: What are the specifications of the RX 7900 XT?

A3: The RX7900 XT features 5,376 stream processors, 336 TMUs, 192 ROPs, 84 RT cores, and 20 GB of GDDR6 memory with a 320-bit bus.

Q4: How does the RX 7900 XT's performance compare to the RTX 3080 Ti?

A4: The AMD Radeon RX7900 XT demonstrates approximately 24.76% greater performance in 1440P resolution and roughly 30.06% increased performance in 4K resolution.

Q5: Is it worth upgrading to the RX7900 XT for long-term gaming performance?

A5: Yes, the significant performance boost offered by the RX7900 XT can make a difference between playable and unplayable games over a 4-5 year period, making it a worthwhile investment for long-term gaming.

Q6: How does the RX 7900 XT's memory and bus width compare to the RTX 3080 Ti?

A6: The RX7900 XT has 20 GB of GDDR6 memory with a 320-bit bus, while the RTX 3080 Ti features 12 GB of GDDR6X memory with a wider 384-bit bus.

Q8: Is the Radeon RX 7900 XT suitable for modern AAA games?

A8: Yes, the RX7900 XT's impressive specifications ensure that it performs exceptionally well in modern AAA titles, making it an excellent choice for gamers.

Q9: What GPU does the Radeon RX7900 XT utilize?

A9: The Radeon RX7900XT uses the flagship Navi 31 GPU, which is also found in the more powerful RX7900 XTX.

With this FAQ section, we have provided answers to common questions about the Radeon RX7900XT. This information should help gamers make informed decisions when considering upgrading their graphics cards.

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