Tag: AMD RX 9070 XT

  • CES 2025 Review: A Quarter In, It’s Not Aging Well

    CES 2025 Review: A Quarter In, It’s Not Aging Well

    Key Takeaways

    1. Nvidia made misleading claims about the RTX 5070’s performance compared to the RTX 5090, which were quickly disproven.
    2. Nvidia’s AI announcements, including an AI assistant for gaming graphics, failed to resonate and were overshadowed by AMD’s Strix Halo APU.
    3. AMD’s passive approach included a lack of initiative, exemplified by the RX 9070 XT’s unannounced appearance at CES and reliance on media for pricing.
    4. Intel continues to struggle with limited product offerings, and their future chip releases, including Nova Lake and Panther Lake, face significant delays.
    5. Overall, CES 2023 has not delivered the expected excitement, as many announcements and products have aged poorly or failed to materialize.

    It’s been a little over three months since Nvidia, AMD, and Intel had us glued to livestreams packed with dense investor jargon, trying to find the few bits of info that actually matter to chip buyers. Now, looking back, it seems like most of those bits turned out to be nothing but shiny distractions, their luster worn away by marketing mistakes and avoidable blunders. While these stories may not be brand new, they illustrate how this year’s CES has aged badly compared to others.

    Misleading Claims from Nvidia

    A major example of poorly aged statements is Nvidia’s claim that the RTX 5070 would perform similarly to the RTX 5090. It’s almost unbelievable they made such a statement in the first place. Jensen might have wanted to replicate the significant jumps seen in past generations, such as the RTX 3070 matching the RTX 2080 Ti, but it should have been clear from the start that this claim wouldn’t hold up. And indeed, it didn’t — it was quickly disproved once the review media got their hands on it, just like the recent attempt to mask the poor performance of the RTX 5060 Ti 8GB by only sending out samples of the 16 GB model to reviewers.

    AI Announcements Fall Flat

    Although their other big announcements were AI-related rather than for gamers, these didn’t fare any better. The idea of adding an AI assistant to gaming graphics card software seemed like a solution in search of a problem, and it appeared increasingly disconnected as Nvidia’s drivers began to face issues. Perhaps more importantly, Nvidia’s Project DIGITS mini-PC, which was meant for local AI, was outdone by AMD’s Strix Halo APU. This APU seemed perfectly set up to take advantage of the market, but it only appeared in a few products. Based on how the Framework Desktop version isn’t even arriving until Q3 this year, it clearly isn’t being produced in sufficient quantities to capitalize on the chance that fell into AMD’s lap.

    AMD’s Passive Approach

    Rather than executing poorly, the first few months of the year for AMD have been characterized by a noticeable lack of initiative. The infamous appearance of the RX 9070 XT at CES without an actual announcement is the prime example. They even had to rely on tech media for pricing, but ended up so unsure that the final announcement had to be overdubbed, making Radeon appear comically passive. The next major release, the RX 9060 XT, was approached with greater confidence. However, the silence surrounding it has led gamers to eagerly await any information, with leaks and rumors being the only updates before its expected release on May 18. AMD Gaming’s YouTube channel teased a mystery livestream that turned out to be a rather dull showcase of FSR 4 in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered.

    Intel’s Ongoing Struggles

    As for Intel, they weren’t doing well even when CES was happening, and they really had nothing to showcase. Everything they had at that time, both products and plans, has aged poorly. News about Battlemage graphics cards being limited by older CPUs came out right after CES, and later that month, it was confirmed that their next-gen Nova Lake desktop chips wouldn’t be available until 2026. Additionally, their Panther Lake mobile CPUs were supposed to launch later this year, but leaks indicate that even that timeline has slipped. For Intel, all it can rely on is what’s currently available, and with those products already feeling outdated, it’s going to be a long wait for the next three quarters.

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  • RX 9070 Series Ray Tracing Demo Shows Gap with RTX 50-Series

    RX 9070 Series Ray Tracing Demo Shows Gap with RTX 50-Series

    Key Takeaways

    1. The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is priced at $599, offering competitive specs similar to Nvidia’s RTX 5070 Ti.
    2. A tech demo, ToyShop, showcases AMD’s advancements in path tracing but suffers from issues like blurry textures and visual glitches.
    3. Denoising challenges in the demo lead to visible artifacts and out-of-focus backgrounds, particularly during rapid motion scenes.
    4. AMD still trails Nvidia in ray tracing performance, raising questions about the true value of the RX 9070 series among gamers.
    5. Upcoming comparisons of FSR 4 and DLSS 4 are anticipated as the release date for the RX 9070 series approaches on March 6.

    After AMD’s RDNA 4 reveal last week, the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT’s price of $599 has met what many anticipated. This graphics card appears to be quite a steal, especially when looking at its specs, which are similar to those of Nvidia’s RTX 5070 Ti. However, a new tech demo featuring AMD’s path-tracing has raised some eyebrows among gamers due to its blurry textures and other visual glitches.

    Tech Demo Highlights

    The ToyShop demo features a delightful robot that, after creating a companion, escapes into a vibrant city filled with busy streets. This video highlights AMD’s progress in path tracing, a more intricate form of ray tracing. At first, the lighting effects are captivating, but issues emerge during scenes with rapid movement.

    Denoising Challenges

    Neural super sampling denoising is supposed to enhance images without adding any noise. Sadly, during the ToyShop demo, as cars zoom down the street, you can see visual artifacts on those vehicles. Furthermore, stationary buildings in the background start to appear out of focus. Perhaps the most concerning issue is the foliage near a park entrance, which turns into a muddled blur of textures.

    AMD vs. Nvidia

    Prior to the RX 9070 series, Nvidia held a notable edge when it came to ray tracing abilities in games. While the demo does indicate some progress, AMD still has a ways to go before they can catch up to Nvidia. Consequently, discussions on Reddit are buzzing about whether the RX 9070 series truly offers good value. The RX 9070 XT might have enough power to back up its price tag, but the less powerful RX 9070 is only $50 cheaper.

    Some enthusiasts supporting AMD claim that the quality of path tracing shouldn’t be the main reason for purchasing. Even though this feature isn’t present in every game, it serves as a significant motivation for upgrading from older GPUs.

    Future Comparisons

    The demo has also reignited the conversation about FSR 4 versus DLSS 4 and the ongoing advantages of Nvidia’s upscaling technology. With the release date for the RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT set for March 6, potential buyers can expect to see more detailed comparisons in the near future, helping them make informed decisions.

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    RX 9070 Series Ray Tracing Demo Shows Gap with RTX 50-SeriesRX 9070 Series Ray Tracing Demo Shows Gap with RTX 50-Series
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  • RTX 5070 Ti Performance Loss: Defects Cause Major Issues

    RTX 5070 Ti Performance Loss: Defects Cause Major Issues

    Key Takeaways

    1. Several RTX 50 models, including the RTX 5090 and RTX 5070 Ti, are missing some ROPs, impacting performance.
    2. Nvidia claims the performance loss is only about 4%, but independent tests show up to 11% reduction in benchmarks for the RTX 5070 Ti.
    3. Performance differences vary by benchmark, with some tests showing minimal gaps (around 3% slower) between affected and fully functional cards.
    4. Gamers who purchased the RTX 5070 Ti at high prices may feel disappointed due to these performance issues.
    5. AMD sees this situation as an opportunity to compete with its upcoming RX 9070 XT GPU, aimed at rivaling the RTX 5070 Ti.

    As reports emerge about the recent RTX 50 launch, it appears that a few models, specifically the RTX 5090, RTX 5090 D, and RTX 5070 Ti, have been found to be missing some ROPs. Nvidia has acknowledged this problem and asserts that the impact on gaming performance is only around 4%. However, independent tests conducted by a gamer using an affected RTX 5070 Ti suggest that the situation might be more severe.

    Performance Testing Reveals Issues

    In tests carried out by a user known as “Der Zeitgeist” on their MSI GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Gaming Trio OC, which has 8 fewer ROPs (88 instead of 96), the card showed around an 11% reduction in performance on the 3DMark Time Spy Graphics benchmark, scoring 24,755 compared to ComputerBase’s figure of 27,727. Additionally, in the 3DMark Speed Way benchmark, the flawed RTX 5070 Ti achieved a score of 7,046, which is 8% lower than the 7,665 score from ComputerBase.

    Minimal Differences in Some Benchmarks

    When it comes to the 3DMark Steel Nomad test, the performance gap between the RTX 5070 Ti with 88 ROPs and the complete 96 ROPs is the smallest. In this case, the impacted RTX 5070 Ti was around 3% slower than its fully functional counterpart.

    In summary, the RTX 5070 Ti that lacks some ROPs faces noticeable performance drops, with some tests showing losses that reach double digits, as highlighted by Der Zeitgeist’s findings. It remains unclear how significant the impact of the fewer ROPs will be in actual gaming scenarios. Even if Nvidia’s claim of a mere 4% deficit holds true, it is still disappointing for gamers who purchased the RTX 5070 Ti at prices exceeding the $749 MSRP.

    AMD’s Counterplay

    For AMD, this situation presents a golden chance to compete with the RX 9070 XT, which is designed to rival the RTX 5070 Ti. AMD is scheduled to unveil this GPU in just a few days.

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    RTX 5070 Ti Performance Loss: Defects Cause Major Issues
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  • RTX 5070 Ti Release Date Leaked by EU Retailer

    RTX 5070 Ti Release Date Leaked by EU Retailer

    This year’s Nvidia GeForce RTX 5000 series has introduced the GeForce RTX 5090, 5080, and 5070 Ti, all revealed during the same event. The RTX 5090 is set to be the first available for purchase (though the January 30 release date is now uncertain). Meanwhile, the more budget-friendly GeForce RTX 5070 Ti appears to be delayed compared to its higher-end siblings.

    Expected Release Date

    A leak from the well-known European retailer, Proshop, suggests that the RTX 5070 Ti may officially launch on February 20. This date comes three weeks after the anticipated availability of the GeForce RTX 5090 and 5080, but it falls at least a month before AMD’s RX 9070 and 9070 XT GPUs, which are now expected to debut in March.

    Strategic Moves by Nvidia and AMD

    During the Nvidia RTX 5000 series launch, the company was quite vague about the specific release dates, only mentioning “January” for when retail sales would begin. The RTX 5070 Ti is likely to compete directly with AMD’s RX 9070 XT, launching just ahead of the March AMD RDNA 4 release. It seems like both AMD and Nvidia are being more strategic than ever regarding pricing, launch dates, and media announcements.

    GPU Recommendations

    If you are looking for a new graphics card, you might want to consider the Sapphire Pulse AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT, which is currently priced at $659.99 on Amazon.

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