RX 7800 XT Vs RX 7900 XT: Our Recommendation

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Uzair Qureshi

At Tech4Gamers, I proudly wear the title of Comparisons Specialist. Focused on CPUs and GPUs, I bring forth a wealth of hands-on experience and a keen eye for detail to provide our audience with the latest insights and analyses.

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The latest generation of graphics cards has been giving mediocre performance while being highly-priced. This is why we’ve set up RX 7800 XT vs RX 7900 XT against each other to evaluate if the latest effort from AMD has broken this sub-standard track record or if it blends in with the rest of the competition.

Comparison Table

Architectural Differences

1. Process Node: Both cards feature AMD’s RDNA 3 core architecture, employing a hybrid design using both 5nm and 6nm transistors. 
2. Clock Speed: The 7900 XT boasts higher clock speeds with a base of 1500MHz compared to the RX 7800XT’s 1295MHz. However, the RX 7800XT surpasses in boost clock at 2430MHz versus the 7900 XT’s 2394MHz.
3. TDP: The RX 7900 XT has a TDP of 300 watts, whereas the RX 7800 XT pushes the TDP down to around 263 watts.
4. VRAM & Memory Bandwidth: The RX 7900 XT uses 20GB, whereas the RX 7800XT uses 16GB of VRAM. Both VRAM buffers use GDDR6 memory, though the bandwidth on the higher-tier card is also proportionally higher.
5. Bus Width: The fewer memory modules on the RX 7800 XT allow it to have a 256-bit bus, whereas the RX 7900 XT makes use of a wider 320-bit memory bus.
6. Other Features: Both cards support ray tracing with performance roughly equivalent to the RTX 30 series. These cards also boast FSR chops, which AMD has made available on a driver level to allow compatibility with any game running on your system.

RX 7800 XT Vs RX 7900 XT: Gaming Benchmarks At 4K

The best way to evaluate the performance is to hold them against each other in real-world benchmarks, which is why we decided to put them to the test.

Testing Rig

• CPU: Ryzen 7 7800X3D
• RAM: Sabrent Rocket DDR5 16GB – 4600MHz 
• Storage Drive: XPG Gammix S70 Blade 2TB NVMe
• Power Supply: be quiet! Dark Power Pro 13 1300W 
• CPU Cooler: Corsair ICUE H150I Elite
• OS: Windows 11

A Plague Tale: Requiem

• The RX 7800 XT missed the 60 FPS mark, giving a performance of 53 FPS on average. In contrast, its elder brother flew past it with an average performance of 67 FPS.
• In terms of 1% lows, the RX 7800 XT maintained a minimum framerate of 45 FPS, whereas the RX 7900 XT had a much more bearable performance of around 61 FPS.

Resident Evil 4

• Playing at the highest graphics preset on the RX 7800 XT, we observed an average of 74 FPS, whereas the RX 7900 XT averaged 92 FPS, outshining its little brother.
• 1% lows were adequate on the cheaper card, where the RX 7800 XT maintained 66 FPS, whereas the RX 7900 XT displayed an average of 83 FPS.

Cyberpunk 2077

• In our observation, Cyberpunk 2077 had a playable experience on the RX 7800 XT, managing 45 FPS at the highest preset whereas the RX 7900 XT obtained 58 FPS.
• The 7800 XT maintained a minimum 1% low of around 40 FPS in the more demanding scenes. In contrast, the 7900 XT had a minimum framerate of around 53 FPS.

Hogwarts Legacy

• In my observation, the RX 7800 XT handled this game with an average framerate of 51 FPS, whereas the RX 7900 XT had an average framerate of around 69 FPS.
• The stutters in this game were very noticeable, with the 7800 XT dropping its framerate to 42 FPS, whereas the 7900 XT dropped its framerate to around 53 FPS.

Forza Horizon 5

• The RX 7900 XT had an average framerate of 113 FPS, whereas the RX 7800 XT still managed a rather fluid 101 FPS average.
• The RX 7800 XT showed us 1% lows of around 83 FPS, whereas the RX 7900 XT dropped its framerate to 94 FPS occasionally.

Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered

• Here, the RX 7800 XT ran at a framerate of around 88 FPS on average, whereas the RX 7900 XT was much smoother with an astonishing 118 FPS average.
• The 7800 XT showed us lows of around 74 FPS, whereas the RX 7900 XT remained above a hundred frames at all times with lows of around 107 FPS.

The Last Of Us

• In this game, we saw that the RX 7800 XT ran at an average of around 44 FPS, whereas the RX 7900 XT was more playable, showing us around 57 FPS.
• To our surprise, 1% lows dipped quite far below the averages of these cards, with the RX 7800 XT reaching 33 FPS. Whereas the 7900 XT faired better at lows of 49 FPS. 

Fortnite

• Using the DX11 API, Fortnite ran on the barely reached 60 FPS using the Epic settings. In contrast, the RX 7900 XT was much smoother and showed us an average of 84 FPS.
• Though well-optimized, Fortnite has always had a stuttering problem. Here, the 7900 XT dropped its performance to 46 FPS, whereas the 7800 XT went down to 32 FPS.

Overall Gaming Performance

According to our calculations at 4K, the RX 7800 XT gave us an average framerate of 62 FPS, whereas its 1% lows dipped to around 52 FPS. The 7900 XT, however, showed us a much smoother side than its little brother. It averaged a framerate of around 83 FPS, whereas its lows were around 68 FPS.

Power Consumption

We saw the 7900 XT consume 457 watts under load, whereas it was cruising at around 93 watts when idle. In contrast, the 7800 XT came in around 70 watts less than its big brother, with a load power consumption of around 385 watts, while the idle power consumption stood unchanged at 93 watts.

Price And Availability 

The RX 7900 XT comes in at a current price of around $760-$950, whereas the 7800 XT massively undercuts it at a price range of $510-$580. Both of these cards are widely available around the world and can be had from any computer parts retailer or online sites.

RX 7900 XT Vs RX 7800 XT: Which One Do I Recommend?

RX 7900 XT: If you wish to obtain a GPU with incredible performance without being bound by any budget, we recommend you get the RX 7900 XT. It is also a future-proof card that is designed to deliver high performance, especially at 4K.

RX 7800 XT: If you’re looking to get high performance along with relatively better power efficiency on a budget, we highly recommend you go for the RX 7800 XT. This card promises the ultimate gaming experience at 1440p.

Whichever GPU you choose to go with, ensure that it goes well with your preferences and requirements. 

Pros And Cons

More From RX 7800 XT

• RX 7800 XT Vs RX 6800 XT
• RX 7800 XT Vs RX 7900 GRE
• RX 7800 XT Vs RTX 3090

More From RX 7900 XT

• RX 7900 XT vs RTX 4080
• RX 7900 GRE Vs RX 7900 XT
• RX 7900 XTX Vs RX 7900 XT

Uzair Qureshi

[Comparisons Specialist]

I’m a passionate computer hardware expert specializing in CPUs and GPUs. With a lifelong curiosity for hardware and extensive hands-on experience, I provide valuable insights, practical advice, and in-depth analysis on these components. Engaging with the hardware community, I exchange knowledge and stay at the forefront of technological advancements.

Get In Touch: uzair@tech4gamers.com