I Review Graphics Cards for a Living, Let Me Help You Pick an AMD GPU

Building a gaming PC? Your most crucial decision is the graphics card. AMD offers excellent value, especially if you want powerful performance without breaking the bank on unnecessary extras. All current-generation AMD cards support ray tracing and FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR), an upscaling technology supported by many games. While higher-end options exist, AMD cards like the Radeon RX 9070 XT deliver impressive 4K performance at a reasonable price. For 1440p gaming, AMD shines, providing exceptional performance per dollar.

Need a quick answer? Here are the best AMD graphics cards:

Top AMD Graphics Cards

Sapphire Pulse Radeon RX 7900 XTX (Best 4K AMD Graphics Card)

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AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT (Best Overall)

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AMD Radeon RX 9070 (Best for 1440p)

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Gigabyte Radeon RX 7600 XT Gaming OC Windforce (Best for 1080p)

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XFX Speedster SWFT Radeon RX 6600 (Best Budget Option)

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AMD's architecture powers the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, potentially aiding PC game optimization. However, remember that choosing the best AMD GPU depends on your desired resolution and budget.

Understanding Graphics Card Specs

Graphics cards are complex. Focus on these key aspects for AMD cards: Current-generation cards are identified by a '9' as the first digit in the model number (e.g., RX 9070 XT). 'XT' or 'XTX' denotes a performance upgrade within a generation. Older models (three-digit numbers like RX 580) should be avoided unless extremely cheap.

VRAM (Video Memory): More VRAM is better, especially at higher resolutions. 8GB is sufficient for 1080p, while 12-16GB is recommended for 1440p, and as much as possible for 4K.

Compute Units & Streaming Multiprocessors (SMs): More compute units translate to higher performance. Each AMD compute unit has 64 SMs.

Ray Tracing Cores (RT Cores): More RT Cores improve ray tracing performance.

Before purchasing, ensure your PC case and power supply (PSU) are compatible with your chosen card. Check the recommended PSU wattage for each card.

AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT: In-Depth

The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT delivers excellent 4K performance at a competitive price. It often outperforms more expensive competitors, offering a great value proposition. It handles ray tracing well and introduces FSR 4, an AI-based upscaling method providing improved image quality.

Product Specifications:

• Streaming Multiprocessors: 4096
• Base Clock: 1660 MHz
• Game Clock: 2400 MHz
• Video Memory: 16GB GDDR6
• Memory Bandwidth: 644.6 GB/s
• Memory Bus: 256-bit
• Power Connectors: 2 x 8-pin

AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX: For 4K Enthusiasts

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX is a high-end card capable of handling most AAA games at 4K max settings. While expensive, it offers exceptional performance, often matching or exceeding more costly Nvidia cards, especially in games that don't heavily rely on ray tracing. Its 24GB VRAM is beneficial for high-resolution textures.

Product Specifications:

• Streaming Multiprocessors: 6144
• Base Clock: 1929 MHz
• Game Clock: 2365 MHz
• Video Memory: 24GB
• Memory Bandwidth: 960 GB/s
• Memory Bus: 384-bit
• Power Connectors: 2 x 8-pin
• Outputs: 1 x HDMI 2.1a, 2 x DisplayPort 2.1, 1 x USB-C

AMD Radeon RX 9070: Optimized for 1440p

While close in price to the 9070 XT, the Radeon RX 9070 excels at 1440p gaming, offering high frame rates and FSR 4 support for enhanced image quality. It outperforms competing Nvidia cards at a similar price point.

Product Specifications:

• Streaming Multiprocessors: 3584
• Base Clock: 1330 MHz
• Game Clock: 2520 MHz
• Video Memory: 16GB GDDR6
• Memory Bandwidth: 644.6 GB/s
• Memory Bus: 256-bit
• Power Connectors: 2 x 8-pin

AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT: 1080p Powerhouse

The AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT is a budget-friendly option that delivers solid 1080p performance. Its 16GB VRAM ensures future-proofing. While ray tracing performance may be limited in demanding titles, it excels in most games at 1080p.

Product Specifications:

• Streaming Multiprocessors: 2048
• Base Clock: 1980 MHz
• Game Clock: 2470 MHz
• Video Memory: 16GB GDDR6
• Memory Bandwidth: 288 GB/s
• Memory Bus: 128-bit
• Power Connectors: 1 x 8-pin
• Outputs: 1 x HDMI 2.1a, 3 x DisplayPort 2.1

AMD Radeon RX 6600: Budget-Friendly Choice

The AMD Radeon RX 6600, while a last-generation card, remains a viable budget option for 1080p gaming, especially for esports titles. It offers good performance at a low price, but keep in mind its limitations with more demanding games and ray tracing.

Product Specifications:

• Streaming Multiprocessors: 1792
• Base Clock: 1626 MHz
• Game Clock: 2044 MHz
• Video Memory: 8GB GDDR6
• Memory Bandwidth: 224 GB/s
• Memory Bus: 128-bit
• Power Connectors: 1 x 8-pin
• Outputs: 1 x HDMI 2.1, 3 x DisplayPort 1.4a

FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution) Explained

FSR is AMD's upscaling technology. FSR 3.1 uses temporal upscaling, while FSR 4 uses AI for higher image quality, though with a slight performance trade-off. FSR frame generation adds extra frames for smoother gameplay, but is best used at higher frame rates (50-60fps).

Ray Tracing Explained

Ray tracing simulates realistic lighting in 3D scenes. While initially limited in games, advancements in RT Cores allow for full ray tracing (path tracing) in modern titles, enhancing visual fidelity but demanding more GPU power.