The Radeon RX 7900 XTX is AMD’s fastest RDNA 3 graphics card. Priced at $949, it competes with the GeForce RTX 4080 (and the 4080 Super). Despite being cheaper, it often delivers similar performance as its NVIDIA rival, even surpassing it sometimes. We compared the two high-end GPUs across a few dozen gaming benchmarks at 1080p and 1440p, with ray tracing cranked to ultra.
Specifications: Cores, Clocks, and Cache
On paper, the Radeon RX 7900 XTX has the RTX 4080 beat in most scenarios. It features 50% more memory than the RTX 4080 (24GB vs. 16GB), 50% more cache (96MB vs. 64MB), and a 50% wider bus (384-bit vs. 256-bit). Ergo, the RX 7900 XTX has a significantly better memory subsystem.
RTX 4080 | RTX 4080 Super | RX 7900 XTX | |
---|---|---|---|
GPU | AD103 | AD103 | Navi 31 |
SMs | 76 | 80 | 96 |
Shaders | 9,728 | 10,240 | 6,144 |
VRAM | 16 GB | 16 GB | 24 GB |
L2 Cache | 64 MB | 64 MB | 96 MB |
Memory bus | 256-bit | 256-bit | 384-bit |
Memory Clock | 22.4 Gbps | 23 Gbps | 20 Gbps |
Memory Bandwidth | 716.8 GB/s | 736.3 GB/s | 960 GB/s |
GPU Boost Clock | 2,505 MHz | 2,550 MHz | 2,498 MHz |
TBP | 320W | 320W | 355W |
MSRP | $1,199 | $999 | $949 |
The GeForce RTX 4080 features more cores than the 7900 XTX (9728 vs. 6144), faster GDDR6X memory (22.4 Gbps vs. 20 Gbps), and lower power consumption (320W vs. 355W). The Radeon RX 7900 XTX has a clock speed rating of 2498 MHz, while the RTX 4080 is marketed at 2550 MHz. In reality, both GPUs run between 2.7 GHz and 2.8 GHz, depending on the power consumption and thermal conditions.
Test Bench
- Motherboard: ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero.
- CPU: Intel Core i9-13900K.
- Cooler: Lian Li Galahad 360.
- Memory: 16GB DDR5 x2 @ 6,000MT/s CL30.
- Power Supply: Corsair HX1000i.
Test Methodology
- We tested the two graphics cards on a Z790 motherboard with a Core i9-13900K and 32GB DDR5 memory.
- Eleven games were benchmarked at 1440p and 4K using the highest quality preset, followed by the highest ray-tracing quality preset at 1440p.
- The performance is measured using the average FPS and 1% lows. The latter represents a figure higher than the lowest 1% frame rates. It’s used to gauge the performance in resource-intensive scenarios.
AMD RX 7900 XTX vs NVIDIA RTX 4080: 1440p Gaming Benchmarks
A Plague Tale: Requiem
A Plague Tale: Requiem runs slightly faster on the RTX 4080, which holds a 7% lead over the Radeon RX 7900 XTX. A similar deficit can be observed in the lows.
Assassins Creed: Valhalla
Assassins Creed: Valhalla runs a smidge faster on the RX 7900 XTX, but the GeForce RTX 4080 produces superior lows, 6% higher than on the Radeon.
Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077 is 11% faster on the Radeon RX 7900 XTX, with superior lows and smoother frame pacing than the RTX 4080.
Dying Light 2
Dying Light 2 performs slightly better on the RTX 4080, but the 7900 XTX delivers markedly higher lows than its pricier rival.
F1 2022
F1 2022 tends to favor AMD hardware, and it shows. The RX 7900 XTX is ~7% faster than the RTX 4080 with similar lows.
Ghostwire: Tokyo
Ghostwire: Tokyo is another game that runs better on the Radeon RX 7900 XTX, with a 4% lead over the RTX 4080. The difference in lows is more palpable, conferring the former with a 24% advantage.
Hitman 3
Hitman 3 produces nearly matching results on the two GPUs. The Radeon has a slightly higher average, while the 4080 yields superior lows.
Hogwarts Legacy
Hogwarts Legacy is notably faster on the RX 7900 XTX, holding an average lead of 16% over the GeForce RTX 4080 in this NVIDIA partner title.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider
Shadow of the Tomb Raider is a tad faster on NVIDIA’s RTX 4080, with comparable lows in this well-optimized open-world game.
The Callisto Protocol
The Callisto Protocol is an AMD partner title that favors the GeForce RTX 4080 over the Radeon RX 7900 XTX. While the averages stay well over 100 FPS, the lows drop below 45 FPS on the latter.
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands is 9.5% faster on the RX 7900 XTX with a 16% deficit in 1% lows compared to the RTX 4080.
Average 1440p Gaming Performance
At 1440p, the RX 7900 XTX is about as fast as the RTX 4080. Its average frame rate across our 11-title benchmark suite is 173.34 FPS, just 1 FPS higher than the 4080. A tie.
Game | NVIDIA RTX 4080 (Avg FPS) | AMD RX 7900 XTX (Avg FPS) |
---|---|---|
A Plague Tale | 101.1 FPS | 94.2 FPS |
Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla | 157.8 FPS | 161.5 FPS |
Cyberpunk 2077 | 118.7 FPS | 131.9 FPS |
Dying Light 2 | 175.5 FPS | 171.2 FPS |
F1 2022 | 233.5 FPS | 249.6 FPS |
Ghostwire: Tokyo | 192.6 FPS | 200.7 FPS |
Hitman 3 | 204.8 FPS | 209.2 FPS |
Hogwarts Legacy | 132.5 FPS | 153.4 FPS |
Shadow of the Tomb Raider | 255.2 FPS | 241 FPS |
The Callisto Protocol | 142.7 FPS | 127.5 FPS |
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands | 182.5 FPS | 166.6 FPS |
11 Game Average | 172.17 FPS | 173.34 FPS |
4K benchmarks on the next page…
AMD RX 7900 XTX vs. NVIDIA RTX 4080: 4K Gaming Benchmarks
At 4K, the pixel count gets more than doubled to 8.3 million, up from <4 million at 1440p. The Radeon RX 7900 XTX can expand its lead over the RTX 4080 thanks to its superior memory subsystem.
A Plague Tale: Requiem
Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla
A Plague Tale and Assassin’s Creed perform roughly the same on the 4080 and the 7900 XTX. The averages and lows in both games are within the margin of error.
Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077 runs notably smoother on the Radeon RX 7900 XTX, expanding its lead over the RTX 4080 to 28.5%, with substantially higher lows (+50%).
Dying Light 2
Dying Light 2 nets similar averages on the two GPUs, but the Radeon manages notably smoother 1% lows compared to the GeForce RTX 4080.
F1 2022
F1 2022 delivers markedly higher performance on the RX 7900 XTX, averaging 22% higher than the 4080. A similar deficit can be observed in the 1% lows.
Ghostwire: Tokyo
Hitman 3
Hitman 3 runs a bit better on the Radeon, but the RTX 4080 produces a similar or slightly higher 1% FPS.
Hogwarts Legacy
Hogwarts Legacy is a decisive win for the RX 7900 XTX, with a 37% lead over the RTX 4080. The lows exhibit similar deltas on the two GPUs.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider
The Callisto Protocol
The Callisto Protocol performs better on the Radeon RX 7900 XTX at 4K with a more substantial 32% advantage in the 1% lows.
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands
Average 4K Gaming Performance
At 4K, the balance of power shifts to the Radeon RX 7900 XTX as it expands its overall lead over the GeForce RTX 4080 to 7%. A larger, more considerable deficit was recorded in the lows as the 7900 XTX pulled ahead using its superior memory subsystem. This is a win for the Radeon.
Game | NVIDIA RTX 4080 (Avg FPS) | AMD RX 7900 XTX (Avg FPS) |
---|---|---|
A Plague Tale | 56.4 FPS | 55.9 FPS |
Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla | 96.6 FPS | 100.7 FPS |
Cyberpunk 2077 | 54 FPS | 69.4 FPS |
Dying Light 2 | 175.5 FPS | 171.2 FPS |
F1 2022 | 164.7 FPS | 200.7 FPS |
Ghostwire: Tokyo | 101.9 FPS | 97.2 FPS |
Hitman 3 | 148.9 FPS | 163.5 FPS |
Hogwarts Legacy | 76.1 FPS | 104 FPS |
Shadow of the Tomb Raider | 142.5 FPS | 137.7 FPS |
The Callisto Protocol | 86.5 FPS | 94.7 FPS |
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands | 96.6 FPS | 91.8 FPS |
11 Game Average | 109.06 FPS | 116.98 FPS |
Ray tracing benchmarks on the next page…
AMD RX 7900 XTX vs. NVIDIA RTX 4080: Ray Tracing Benchmarks
Ray tracing is significantly more taxing on the GPUs, increasing register and cache usage for generating BVH structures and other ray-related info. The NVIDIA RTX 4080 holds a commanding lead in these benchmarks, often beating the Radeon RX 7900 XTX by 50% or more. We tested the following games using the highest ray-tracing preset at 1440p native, without any upscaling or frame generation.
A Plague Tale: Requiem
Cyberpunk 2077
A Plague Tale and Cyberpunk 2077 are nearly 50% faster on the RTX 4080 as the Radeon RX 7900 XTX struggles to hit 60 FPS.
Crysis Remastered
Dying Light 2
Crysis Remastered and Dying Light 2 are less harsh on the RX 7900 XTX, granting the RTX 4080 a lead of 32% and 37%, respectively.
F1 2022
F1 2022 and Hitman 3 run well on the Radeon, even with ray-tracing maxed out. The GeForce RTX 4080 is still faster, but the deficit is reduced to single-digit figures.
Hitman 3
Hogwarts Legacy
Hogwarts Legacy is a crushing defeat for the RX 7900 XTX as the RTX 4080 expands its lead to 80% with even better lows.
Ghostwire: Tokyo
Metro Exodus
Shadow of the Tomb Raider
The Callisto Protocol
The remaining titles are between 15% to 20% faster on the GeForce RTX 4080, even though the lows are nearly 40% lower on the 7900 XTX.
Average Ray Tracing Performance
Ray-tracing is a clean sweep for the GeForce RTX 4080. It wins 11 out of 11 titles with a satisfactory advantage nearly every time. Overall, it’s 23% faster than the Radeon RX 7900 XTX. A solid win for NVIDIA.
Game | NVIDIA RTX 4080 (Avg FPS) | AMD RX 7900 XTX (Avg FPS) |
---|---|---|
A Plague Tale | 67 FPS | 44.8 FPS |
Crysis Remastered | 168 FPS | 127.1 FPS |
Cyberpunk 2077 | 62.2 FPS | 41.3 FPS |
Dying Light 2 | 97.4 FPS | 71.3 FPS |
F1 2022 | 117.7 FPS | 110.2 FPS |
Ghostwire: Tokyo | 122.3 FPS | 102.8 FPS |
Hitman 3 | 76.1 FPS | 76.1 FPS |
Hogwarts Legacy | 68.6 FPS | 37.4 FPS |
Metro Exodus | 88.9 FPS | 75.2 FPS |
Shadow of the Tomb Raider | 180.8 FPS | 155.5 FPS |
The Callisto Protocol | 95.3 FPS | 90 FPS |
11 Game Average | 104 FPS | 84.7 FPS |
Thermals and Power Consumption
The GeForce RTX 4080 is miles ahead of the RX 7900 XTX in power efficiency. It is faster and more power efficient in ray tracing, drawing ~20% less. The reference 7900 XTX holds its thermals steady under 70C, thanks to a robust vapor chamber.
GPU | Peak Temp (C) | Peak power (W) | TBP |
---|---|---|---|
NVIDIA RTX 4080 | 69C | 303W | 320W |
AMD RX 7900 XTX | 70C | 366W | 355W |
Conclusion
The Radeon RX 7900 XTX is faster than the GeForce RTX 4080 across all resolutions in rasterized gaming. At 4K, it holds a lead of 7% over the RTX 4080 despite costing $50-100 less. Ray tracing is another story, however. The GeForce GPU rips through its rival with 11 definitive wins across 11 games, recording an average lead of 23% over the 7900 XTX.