AMD RDNA 3 GPUs rumored to be serious rivals for Nvidia RTX 4090 and 4080
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AMD’s RDNA 3 graphics cards are almost here, and a latest rumor dump has popped up on YouTube that made some interesting revelations, though we’ll have to maintain a skeptical stance when reviewing all of this.
The video comes from Moore’s law is dead (opens in new tab) (MLID), which is a major contributor to GPU leaks (and CPU leaks for that matter), with the clip touching on a whole host of topics related to RDNA 3’s impending launch, including power consumption, performance, and possible stock levels.
MLID begins by stating that its sources have confirmed the specification information previously disclosed by VideoCardz as correct, and that both the first models of RDNA 3 graphics cards should be the RX 7900 XT and a slightly more powerful 7900 XTX version. They will apparently run with 10,752 stream processors (SPs, or cores) and 12,288 SPs, with 20 GB and 24 GB of VRAM respectively (running at 20 Gbps, with a 384-bit and 320-bit memory bus respectively).
The reason the XTX flavor of the 7900 is being introduced instead of the 7950 XT is that AMD wants to leave room for a more powerful flagship in the future (as happened with the 6950 XT).
As for power consumption, MLID claims the 7900 XTX will likely run at 350W (AMD’s reference board, this is), with the 7900 XT at around 300W. As always, remember that third-party versions of these graphics cards can be boosted in power (maybe up to 450W or so) and with clocks, but this is what AMD’s reference cards work with (and some third-party models, no doubt).
So, what to expect in terms of performance, then? MLID warns us that the top-of-the-line 7900 XTX is unlikely to outperform Nvidia’s RTX 4090 in terms of rasterization (non-ray tracing) at 4K.
That said, this is where the theoretical 7950 XT comes into play at some point, with enough headroom to push performance further with clocks, faster VRAM and more Infinity Cache.
Analysis: A robust rival to the RTX 4090 – and more so to the 4080?
MLID notes with performance that it’s possible that the 7900 XTX could end up very close to the RTX 4090, at least in rasterization (the gap with ray tracing will be wider because Nvidia has the clear advantage here). In fact, the AMD flagship GPU can pack a punch with the RTX 4090, perhaps decreasing performance in some scenarios, so this is far from a bad situation for Team Red.
Plus, even if the reference board falls a little short, those beefier 450W (or more) third-party 7900 XTX models could still be a good match for the RTX 4090 – though it’s really too early to say.
As for power, this new grapevine gossip matches what we’ve heard in recent leaks about the RDNA 3 flagship only with 2 x 8 pin power connectors. In fact, it’s even better news, as not only will the 7900 XT use that configuration, but so will the XTX version if this rumor is true that it runs at 350W. (Dual 8-pin connectors provide 150W each, for 300W, plus 75W from the PCIe slot itself gives 375W, enough to fuel a 350W card).
If that’s true, expect AMD to make a lot of noise about this in light of Nvidia’s rival flagship RTX 4090, which uses that 4 x 8-pin adapter configuration (for those without one of the new ATX 3.0 power supplies). which is the 16-pin connector of the 4090 native). Mainly because of all the adapter melting controversy that Nvidia is currently embroiled in, of course.
MLID does note that AMD’s graphics card maker partners can push to 3 x 8-pin connectors with boards that go up to more than 450W and are significantly more powerful; using beefier coolers, of course, too. (MLID suggests those cooling solutions may end up with a different destination than RTX 4090 designs, in fact, with 4090 cards ending up thinner on the ground than expected).
AMD’s more powerful clocked graphics cards won’t come until later, mind you, and initially the 7900 XT and XTX products we’ll see coming out will line up with the reference cooler. As to when we might first see these on the shelves, well, MLID is thinking late November or early December, which is what we’ve heard elsewhere in the rumor mill. So you’ll probably wait a month to actually buy these RDNA 3 graphics cards (and several months for the purported sturdier version of the third-party formula).
As for pricing, MLID theorizes that AMD will pin a premium tag on the 7900 XTX, but it will undercut the RTX 4090 – though the leaker’s sources aren’t sure how much. That sounds a bit ominous as if the pricing might be close to the 4090’s hefty price tag, sadly – but the 7900 XT could be a different story and could undercut Nvidia more aggressively.
There are a lot of question marks here because it seems like AMD itself hasn’t made the final decision on cost yet – and of course any relative value proposition depends on how these graphics cards perform in terms of performance versus the RTX 4090 and 4080.
Speaking of the RTX 4080, MLID believes the RX 7900 XT could be more than a match for it, possibly beating the Nvidia graphics card a bit for frame rates, and certainly for power efficiency, while also being smaller, and a lot less. of headaches to fit into your average PC case.
A final note on stock levels: MLID states that while AMD may get off to a slow start on launch day (probably early December as stated), week-over-week things should improve quickly, with decent amounts of RDNA 3 graphics cards available sooner. 2022 is over. The theory is that AMD will be able to ship at least the same volume as Nvidia manages with its Lovelace GPUs, or maybe more – although stock could still sell out quickly, and scalping could still play a part, unfortunately.