When AMD introduced the RX 7900 XTX and the RX 7900 XT, it was obvious that the XTX model would be the more popular of the two. Even though the RX 7900 XTX is a strong GPU, the RX 7900 XT is relatively overshadowed by its sibling. However, with the release of Nvidia’s RTX 4070 Ti, there is still a chance for the RX 7900 XT to come back.
It may seem peculiar, but the release of the RTX 4070 Ti by Nvidia could effectively benefit AMD.
The RX 7900 XT is unusual because it offers a slight advantage over the RX 7900 XTX, making it a less logical purchase option.
On Newegg, prices for the RX 7900 XT can vary from $880 to $1,080, which is considered too high. Similarly, the RX 7900 XTX can be found for prices between $1,040 and $1,550, which is also regarded as high, and most are out of stock. However, the cheaper RDNA 3 card has a different issue, with most models available and in stock, which is not surprising.
The RX 7900 XT is a good-performing GPU; it outperforms the RTX 4070 Ti in many aspects. It’s only slightly slower, around 15% than the RTX 4080, but that GPU is significantly more costly. Despite this, the RX 7900 XTX remains a much more favorable option at its recommended retail price.
This creates a peculiar situation for the RX 7900 XT, making one question the reasoning behind its release and why it wasn’t offered at a lower price point. But, on the other hand, the superior model is so evident that it is easier to envision the RX 7900 XT ever selling out if there is another shortage of GPUs.
Although Nvidia’s newly released RTX 4070 Ti is considered one of the top graphics cards currently available, it is not considered an exceptional GPU or a good value. On the contrary, many people argue that it lacks in both aspects.
The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT also falls into this category. However, lagging behind its flagship model, the RX 7900 XTX, the RX 7900 XT appears to be equally misplaced as the RTX 4070 Ti.
When Nvidia originally released the RTX 4070 Ti, it was initially called the RTX 4080 12GB. It was announced simultaneously as the already existing RTX 4080, which performs much better. However, the 12GB version failed to live up to expectations, even in terms of its specifications. With a price point of $900, it was too costly to be considered a viable option next to the already expensive $1,200 RTX 4080, which has superior specifications.
Nvidia reconsidered and quickly “unveiled” the RTX 4080 12GB. However, it took only a short time for the GPU to come back at CES 2023, and it was released only two days later under the new name of RTX 4070 Ti. Of course, it is uncommon for a Ti version of a GPU to be released before the base RTX 4070, but that is another matter.
We had the opportunity to test this GPU and found it satisfactory, but with a catch. Given the prices range from $830 to $1,000 on Newegg, it could be more cost-effective than other GPUs in a similar price range. However, it does not perform as well as RTX 4090, and RTX 4080 in ray tracing nor surpass AMD’s performance in 4K or even 1440p.
This brings me to my conclusion: AMD should be grateful to Nvidia for releasing the RTX 4070 Ti with its features and price, as it makes their product look more favorable.
The RX 7900 XTX is currently the strongest GPU for AMD, but it only competes with the RTX 4080, while the RTX 4090 is superior to all other GPUs, without any doubt.
As the RX 7900 XTX competes against Nvidia’s RTX 4080, the RX 7900 XT was at a disadvantage from the beginning of its release. If it had been priced lower, it would have gained more attention. However, prices above $900 were unlikely to significantly impact the market.
However, Nvidia’s RTX 4070 Ti unexpectedly makes AMD’s products more attractive.
Although both cards can run games at a stable 4K, let’s compare their performance at 1440p since Nvidia promotes the 4070 Ti as a 1440p GPU. At that resolution, the Nvidia card is 8% slower than the RX 7900 XT and 14% slower than the RX 7900 XTX. The pattern is consistent throughout our testing. It performs better in ray tracing but not to the same extent as the RTX 4090.
This implies that Nvidia now has a rival in AMD. The RX 7900 XT can outdo the RTX 4070 Ti, and if you don’t prioritize ray tracing, you can get better performance at a similar cost. Although it is still preferable to get the RX 7900 XTX, if your budget is limited to $850 to $900, the 7900 XT is still a reasonable option.
If Nvidia had priced the RTX 4070 Ti at a lower cost, it would have been able to dominate AMD. Unfortunately, with an MSRP of $800 and no Founders Edition options, Nvidia’s partners are pricing it higher, making the final cost comparable to that of the RTX 4080 12GB, which still needs to be released.
This benefits AMD. The RX 7900 XT, which was previously overlooked, is a better option. Similarly, the RTX 4090 and RTX 4080, both of which are exorbitantly priced, the more expensive one is a better value.
Is this likely to persuade more people to switch to AMD and abandon Nvidia? It is unlikely, as Nvidia holds a significant market share. Nonetheless, it is an intriguing overview of the pricing of GPUs in this generation of cards – it only sometimes makes sense, and it is unfortunate for those who are looking to build a new PC.