Sapphire Radeon RX 9070 XT Review: Serious 4K Competition at an Affordable Price

Introduction

The launch of the Radeon RX 9070 XT marks AMD's strategic focus on the mid-to-high-end market segment, deliberately avoiding the ultra-premium flagship race to concentrate on higher-volume sales. This graphics card aims squarely at competing with NVIDIA's offerings whilst delivering the most attractive performance-per-pound ratio possible, challenging both the RTX 4070 Series and the newer RTX 5070 and 5070 Ti.

AMD presented detailed benchmark results during the announcement of its new graphics card range several weeks ago, emphasising the RX 9070 series' positioning against the competition and enabling users to easily compare capabilities and features. The new nomenclature adopted by AMD clarifies product positioning relative to NVIDIA's offerings. The Radeon RX 9070 XT primarily targets Full HD and 4K resolutions; according to AMD, this graphics card achieves raw performance levels comparable to the previous flagship cards, the Radeon RX 7900 XT and RX 7900 XTX.

AMD offers no reference cards, leaving the entire initial offering in the hands of its partners. Consequently, this review examines a Sapphire model, the Radeon Nitro+ RX 9070 XT OC. This represents a factory-overclocked model, though in practice the difference from a reference model remains negligible. The crucial question: what is this new Radeon RX 9070 XT actually worth at its recommended retail price of £690?

As is frequently the case with this product category, particularly during the initial weeks following launch, graphics card availability proves sporadic with stock shortages occurring regularly. With demand vastly exceeding supply, actual prices tend to escalate. Resist temptation regardless: at £850 or higher, our assessment of this Radeon RX 9070 XT changes dramatically.

RDNA 4 Architecture: A New Foundation

The Radeon RX 9070 XT employs AMD's entirely new RDNA 4 architecture, featuring a Navi 48 graphics chipset manufactured by TSMC using 5nm fabrication with the N4P process. The monolithic die incorporates 64 Compute Units specifically optimised and designed to deliver superior performance compared to the previous generation's compute units found on the Radeon RX 7900 XT and XTX.

The RDNA 4 architecture introduces significant improvements to the shader pipeline, register management, and memory subsystem, ensuring superior exploitation of hardware resources. Compute unit efficiency has been optimised compared to RDNA 3 architecture by increasing active tasks per clock cycle through more homogeneous instruction distribution within the pipeline. Execution units benefit from more precise control to process calculations more efficiently across different precisions (INT4, INT8, FP16, or FP32). Registers are now allocated dynamically according to task complexity, optimising utilisation of available register banks.

RDNA 4 also integrates third-generation ray tracing accelerators, with throughput per compute unit doubled compared to RDNA 3. Practically, this should significantly improve AMD's new generation cards' performance in games employing ray tracing, an area where Radeon cards previously lagged noticeably behind GeForce offerings.

Second-generation AI accelerators have undergone a major redesign, offering up to 8 times more INT8 throughput for sparse matrices compared to the previous architecture. These AI units now support a broader range of operations, including FP8, INT8, BF8, and INT4 precisions, with enhanced performance for lower-precision calculations.

The RDNA 4 architecture retains the same GDDR6 memory as the previous range: the RX 9070 series features 16GB of memory clocked at 2518MHz on a 256-bit bus, achieving effective bandwidth exceeding 640GB/s. 64MB of low-latency, high-bandwidth cache memory – baptised Infinity Cache by AMD – contributes to improving memory efficiency and overall performance, particularly in scenarios where memory bandwidth represents a limiting factor.

Reference operating frequencies have been revised upwards, likely consequent to improvements in the fabrication process. The Radeon RX 9070 XT displays a game frequency of 2400MHz and a Boost frequency reaching 2970MHz, all for an announced TBP (Total Board Power) of 304 watts. This theoretical maximum reference consumption may vary substantially according to different manufacturers' versions, with some increasing this value by approximately ten percent on their factory-overclocked models.

The RDNA 4 architecture is designed to optimally support AMD's upscaling and image enhancement technologies, notably FSR 4 (FidelityFX Super Resolution 4). Compared to FSR3.1, this new version introduces a neural upscaling model based on machine learning, aimed at reconstructing image details from rendering performed at a lower resolution. As a competitor to NVIDIA's DLSS, FSR 4 unfortunately remains available only in a limited number of games for the RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT launch.

Sapphire Nitro+ Design and Build Quality

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The Sapphire Nitro+ range enjoys a reputation for refined aesthetics emphasising the card's premium character. With its audacious, modern, aggressive design, smooth finish, and precise assembly, the Nitro+ RX 9070 XT OC maintains this tradition. Occupying three complete expansion slots and featuring a cold-rolled steel chassis ensuring reinforced structural rigidity, Sapphire's card inspires robustness and immediately conveys manufacturing quality. It won't suit every case: its dimensions of 33.1 x 16.6cm prove rather imposing, and its weight reaching 1.59kg on the scales necessitates the support bracket included amongst the card's accessories.

Factory-overclocked, the RX 9070 XT Nitro+ displays a TBP (Total Board Power, representing the card's theoretical maximum consumption) of 330 watts, substantially higher than the reference model's 304 watts. In exchange, Sapphire's card offers maximum Game and Boost frequencies of 2520MHz and 3060MHz respectively. For reference, AMD's recommendations for the RX 9070 XT specify 2400MHz for Game frequency and 2970MHz for Boost frequency.

The lengthy ARGB LED light bar on the front face provides an attractive spectacle when the card operates, provided you appreciate RGB lighting. The manufacturer's TRIXX software offers complete customisation of lighting effects, and an ARGB connector enables synchronisation of this illumination with the motherboard and other compatible peripherals.

Sapphire has applied particular care to practical aspects with the integration of a removable metal backplate. This is not only ventilated to promote thermal dissipation but also equipped with openings to facilitate passage of power and ARGB cables. More innovatively still, it employs magnets to simplify installation and removal.

The RX 9070 XT's thermal dissipation relies on a massive cooling system comprising a large radiator and three 100mm axial fans with dual ball bearings. These benefit from a specific design baptised AeroCurve, with seven blades joined at the periphery and slightly elevated to optimise airflow and cooling efficiency. The fans can moreover be easily removed, facilitating cleaning. Traversed by six heat pipes, the thermal dissipator contacts the graphics chipset, video memory chips, and voltage regulators of the 16-phase power delivery stage. The manufacturer has opted for Honeywell PTM7950 thermal interfaces renowned for their high thermal conductivity.

Equipped with a PCI-Express 5.0 x16 interface like competing GeForce RTX cards, the Nitro+ RX 9070 XT OC possesses a 12V-2x6 (12VHPWR) power connector astutely integrated and concealed once the metal backplate is installed. A 3x8-pin to 12V-2x6 adapter ships with the card to ensure compatibility with older power supplies. The card finally possesses two HDMI 2.1 outputs and two DisplayPort 2.1a ports, a more original choice than the more frequent configuration of three DisplayPort and one HDMI.

Gaming Performance: Benchmarks and Results

To test this Radeon RX 9070 XT from Sapphire, we employ a configuration adapted to the gaming market, sufficiently powerful to allow the graphics card to express its full potential. The system comprises an AMD Ryzen 9 7950X processor, an Asus ROG Strix X670E-F Gaming WiFi motherboard, 32GB of Kingston DDR5-5200 memory at CL16, a BeQuiet! Pure Power 11 FM 1000W power supply, a BeQuiet! Pure Loop 2 FX 240 cooling system, and a 4TB Samsung 990 Pro SSD, all installed in a BeQuiet! Pure Base 500 chassis. All measurements were conducted with the case closed to obtain values similar to those any gamer would achieve at home.

The game panel used to measure this graphics card's performance groups together more or less recent and demanding titles based on varied 3D engines: Cyberpunk 2077 (REDengine 4), Black Myth: Wukong (UE5), Hogwarts Legacy (UE4), Forza Motorsport (ForzaTech), Marvel Rivals (UE5), Shadow of the Tomb Raider (Foundation), and The Riftbreaker (Schmetterling). Measurements were conducted under Windows 11 24H2 in Full HD, QHD, and 4K UHD with different graphical settings.

Full HD Performance

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Regardless of chosen graphical settings, the RX 9070 XT from Sapphire never faces difficulties at Full HD and offers decent framerate sufficient for a vast majority of gamers. It proves faster than the RX 7900 XTX in all titles we tested, regularly positioning itself between the RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5080, occasionally even exceeding the latter... provided we're not discussing ray tracing. Whilst the RDNA 4 architecture indeed performs better than RDNA 3 with this rendering type, this doesn't always suffice for the RX 9070 XT to compete equally with the competition. According to games, AMD's new graphics card then positions itself rather between the RTX 5070 and 5070 Ti.

QHD Performance Excellence

The RX 9070 XT's performance at QHD proves similarly more than adequate for any gamer, even with the highest graphical settings. The card demonstrates generally superior speed to the RX 7900 XTX, particularly when ray tracing is activated. Against the competition, the 9070 XT situates itself between the RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5080, with one exception: Black Myth: Wukong with ray tracing. The Game Science studio title is renowned for challenging Radeon cards under these conditions.

4K Gaming Capability

In 4K UHD, the RX 9070 XT again performs slightly better than AMD's previous generation's most premium model. Against GeForce RTX cards, it maintains its position between the 5070 Ti and 5080, with a handful of exceptions where the RTX 5070 Ti very slightly surpasses it. Globally, this RX 9070 XT proves adapted to this resolution, with framerate exceeding 60 frames per second in all titles from our test panel.

FSR and Frame Generation Performance

The Radeon RX 9070 XT represents one of the first cards supporting FSR 4 and its neural upscaling based on machine learning. Unfortunately, too few titles currently offer compatibility: only one game from our panel does, with performance identical to that offered by FSR 3.1. This previous FSR version nonetheless remains effective since it successfully compensates entirely for the performance drop provoked by ray tracing activation in games, with Black Myth: Wukong once again the exception.

Apart from this title, the Radeon RX 9070 XT proves sufficiently performant to offer decent framerates in 4K with ray tracing when FSR is employed, and frame generation – when available – even enables exceeding 120 frames per second in numerous games.

Artificial Intelligence Performance

In terms of raw performance, the Radeon RX 9070 XT is theoretically capable of rivalling certain NVIDIA offerings: the integration of 128 AI accelerators providing 1557 TOPS represents notable progress compared to the previous generation. Unfortunately, our tests tend to demonstrate AMD still lags somewhat in this matter, with results well below expectations in the Procyon benchmark.

Conversely to GeForce RTX cards which can call upon the TensorRT API, the RX 9070 XT here employs Microsoft's Windows ML software interface. Future driver evolutions may consequently bring performance increases.

Thermal Performance and Acoustics

With peak consumption reaching 330 watts, one might have feared noise levels would escalate: this proves unfounded. Totally silent at rest with stopped fans, the Nitro+ RX 9070 XT OC continues protecting our ears at full load with only 29.9dB(A) measured (case closed, reading taken 50 centimetres distant).

Sapphire's cooling system thus proves extremely effective, particularly as it also maintains the graphics chipset cool: after 15 minutes running Furmark, GPU temperature stabilises at 62°C. The sole blemish: coil whine can prove rather irritating at times, particularly when the graphics card operates at full power and framerate is elevated.

Power Consumption Analysis

The Sapphire Nitro+ RX 9070 XT OC's TBP of 330 watts positions it slightly above the reference specification's 304 watts, though this remains competitive within its performance class. Under gaming loads, actual consumption varies according to title demands, with peak consumption reaching the specified 330-watt ceiling during intensive scenarios.

The card's power efficiency, whilst not class-leading, represents a reasonable compromise for the performance delivered. AMD's focus on the mid-to-high-end segment with RDNA 4 prioritises overall value rather than absolute power efficiency, a strategy reflected in the 9070 XT's power characteristics.

Value Proposition and Competition

At its £690 recommended retail price, the Radeon RX 9070 XT presents compelling value, particularly when compared against NVIDIA's competing RTX 5070 and 5070 Ti offerings. The card's positioning deliberately targets price-conscious gamers seeking high-end performance without flagship premiums.

However, early availability challenges and potential price inflation above MSRP significantly impact this value equation. At prices approaching or exceeding £850, the card's competitive advantage diminishes substantially, with alternative options potentially offering superior value.

The RX 9070 XT's greatest strength lies in its QHD and 4K gaming capabilities combined with FSR 4 support and improved ray tracing performance over previous RDNA 3 architecture. For gamers prioritising raw gaming performance over AI capabilities, the card represents an excellent choice at its intended price point.

Comparison to Previous Generation

The RX 9070 XT successfully surpasses AMD's previous flagship cards, the RX 7900 XT and RX 7900 XTX, in most scenarios whilst commanding a lower price. This achievement validates AMD's architectural improvements with RDNA 4 and represents a significant generational leap in price-to-performance ratio.

The card's improved ray tracing capabilities particularly stand out, with performance approximately double that of RDNA 3's equivalent compute unit count. Whilst still trailing NVIDIA's ray tracing performance in absolute terms, the gap has narrowed considerably, making ray-traced gaming more viable on AMD hardware.

Conclusion

With the Radeon RX 9070 XT, AMD returns seriously to the competition by offering a mid-to-high-end graphics card capable of confronting the latest GeForce RTX 5070 and 5070 Ti. Whilst consumption proves slightly higher than competing models, QHD and 4K performance remains solid, well aided by FSR and frame generation when ray tracing is activated. AMD here partially catches up its delay, with performance substantially higher than RDNA 3 architecture offered when launching rays.

Less expensive, equally rapid in traditional rendering, and faster in ray tracing than the previous generation: the RX 9070 XT succeeds in its gambit by directly pushing the more costly RX 7900 XT and XTX into retirement, and seriously encroaches upon NVIDIA's territory.

The Sapphire Nitro+ implementation particularly impresses with its cooling solution, maintaining whisper-quiet operation whilst keeping temperatures admirably low. The premium build quality, magnetic backplate, and comprehensive RGB lighting justify the slight premium over hypothetical reference models.

For gamers seeking excellent QHD and 4K performance without flagship pricing, the Radeon RX 9070 XT represents a compelling proposition. Provided availability improves and pricing remains near MSRP, this card deserves serious consideration from anyone building or upgrading a gaming system in 2025.