The AMD Radeon RX 9070 has arrived, and it is already making waves in the GPU market. With its RDNA 4 architecture, 16GB of GDDR6 memory, and a price tag of $550, AMD positions this GPU as a direct competitor to NVIDIA’s RTX 5070. However, what makes the RX 9070 unique is its ability to offer impressive gaming performance, high efficiency, and an exceptional price-to-performance ratio. While it does sit below the RX 9070 XT, the performance gap between the two is relatively small, making the standard RX 9070 an attractive option for gamers and content creators alike. In this review, we will dive into the specs, performance benchmarks, efficiency, and whether the RX 9070 is worth your money.
AMD RX 9070: Specs and Architecture
At its core, the RX 9070 is powered by AMD’s latest RDNA 4 architecture, which provides enhanced efficiency, improved ray tracing capabilities, and refined power consumption. Here’s a breakdown of the RX 9070’s key specifications compared to its competitors:
| GPU Model | Compute Units (CUs) | VRAM | Memory Bus | Boost Clock | Power Draw (TDP) | Price (MSRP) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RX 9070 XT | 64 | 16GB GDDR6 | 256-bit | 2400 MHz | 304W | $600 |
| RX 9070 | 56 | 16GB GDDR6 | 256-bit | 2070 MHz | 220W | $550 |
| RTX 5070 | 52 | 12GB GDDR6 | 192-bit | 2250 MHz | 215W | $550 |
With 16GB of VRAM, the RX 9070 offers more memory than NVIDIA’s RTX 5070 (which only has 12GB), giving it an advantage in games that require larger textures and future-proofing for upcoming AAA titles. The RDNA 4 improvements also result in better power efficiency, keeping the RX 9070’s power consumption at just 220W, which is significantly lower than the RX 7900 series from the previous generation.
Gaming Performance: 1440p and 4K Benchmarks
1440p Gaming Benchmarks
The RX 9070 performs exceptionally well at 1440p, maintaining an average of 100+ FPS in most modern AAA titles. Across 18 tested games, the RX 9070 was only 8% slower than the RX 9070 XT, which is an impressive result given the $50 price difference.