The subsequent few months will utterly redefine each rating of the best graphics cards. With Nvidia’s RTX 50-series and AMD’s RDNA 4 most definitely launching in January — and even Intel presumably increasing its Battlemage lineup — there’s rather a lot to look ahead to.
However as for me, I already know which GPU I’m most enthusiastic about. And no, it’s not Nvidia’s rumored almighty RTX 5090. The GPU I’m wanting ahead to is AMD’s upcoming flagship, which can presumably be the RX 8800 XT. Under, I’ll inform you why I feel this GPU goes to be so essential not only for AMD but in addition for your complete graphics card market.
Setting the tempo
Going into RDNA 3, many individuals thought that we’d see AMD compete in opposition to Nvidia’s high GPU. That didn’t occur, and it almost certainly won’t happen now. Actually, AMD is prone to be behind not simply the RTX 5090 but in addition the RTX 5080.
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That’s not essentially dangerous information. Actually, most leaks level to a GPU that’s going to hit the candy spot between high-end and funds; one thing able to operating new AAA video games with out being too overkill — and I’m all for that.
I’ve been retaining a detailed eye on all types of leaks in regards to the upcoming technology of AMD playing cards, and whereas specifics have been scarce, most tipsters are united in the concept AMD is retaining issues extra mainstream this time round. AMD itself has mentioned as a lot, regardless of feedback from CEO Dr. Lisa Su who mentioned that RDNA 4 will ship “a robust enhance in gaming efficiency.”
Proper now, the whole lot we all know in regards to the RX 8000 collection comes down to some imprecise statements, some rumors, and a whole lot of guesses. However there’s one factor I do know for certain: These GPUs will set the tempo not only for AMD but in addition for its rivals.
Seeing the AMD flagship will dispel a whole lot of doubt from the get-go. We’ll know the path AMD’s GPU enterprise is heading in, and simply that one resolution is sure to echo all through your complete GPU market.
We already know that AMD is making a daring resolution by not making an attempt to compete in opposition to Nvidia’s future flagship. It’s sticking to midrange graphics playing cards, which signifies that RDNA 4 will probably be a complete new chapter for AMD. There will probably be no query as to which GPU will high the charts — it’s going to be Nvidia’s RTX 5090, plain and easy.
GPUs just like the upcoming RTX 5090 are thrilling, that’s true. It’s laborious to disclaim that it’s thrilling to see a graphics card utterly obliterate what we thought was unachievable just some years in the past. However how many individuals get these playing cards for gaming? Not that many. It’s the mainstream market that will get probably the most traction.
Extra life like choices
Yr after 12 months, it’s GPUs alongside the likes of Nvidia’s RTX 3060 that high the charts within the Steam {Hardware} Survey, and that’s largely as a result of most of us don’t have any use for top-shelf graphics playing cards and simply desire a every day driver that may be capable to run current video games. One current instance of how a midrange card can actually make all of the distinction is Intel’s Arc B580.
By itself, the Arc B580 is a reasonably unassuming GPU, with modest specs and efficiency near the Nvidia RTX 4060. However while you add the $250 price ticket to the equation, you’re immediately left with a graphics card that provides you a whole lot of GPU energy at an inexpensive worth — and gamers are buying out the card in record time.
Circling again to AMD, the RDNA 3 technology of GPUs was a bit everywhere when it comes to worth. Though many of the GPUs had been actually strong, among the pricing might have stunted their potential barely.
Take the RX 7900 XTX, for instance. It launched at $1,000, which was $200 cheaper than its principal competitor, the RTX 4080. However with related rasterization capabilities, worse ray tracing, and no DLSS 3 body technology, it wasn’t fairly sufficient to be thought of a steal. Positive, it saved you $200, nevertheless it was nonetheless a reasonably costly GPU, all issues thought of.
However, RDNA 3 supplied some graphics playing cards that I’d suggest to anybody, and that’s as a result of their worth was good. Take the RX 7800 XT or the RX 7900 GRE, for instance, each of which supplied an ideal mix of efficiency and affordable pricing. These had been the GPUs that avid gamers turned to in the event that they wished a value-oriented construct.
On this new technology, the place AMD itself says that it’s concentrating on the mainstream market, we’d see a shift within the earlier dynamic. Many individuals anticipate each the RTX 5090 and the RTX 5080 to be costly; it’s simple to think about that the RTX 5070 Ti received’t be low cost, both. But when AMD manages to create a GPU that may provide comparable efficiency — this time with higher ray tracing — and costs it competitively … Effectively, we’d have an identical state of affairs to Intel’s B580 on our fingers.
With comparable choices at cheaper price factors, we’d see avid gamers turning to AMD, permitting it to set the tone for the remainder of the GPU market. With extra competitors, we’d even see Nvidia regulate its pricing, if solely just a bit bit. If AMD can provide one thing actually aggressive within the bracket the place avid gamers are the most definitely to purchase it, Nvidia would possibly start to really feel the warmth — and that’d be nice information for us all.
Higher or worse?
What can we anticipate from the RX 8800 XT, if that’s what it’ll find yourself being referred to as? Will they be extra aggressive with Nvidia than AMD’s current-gen playing cards?
The phrases of AMD CEO Lisa Su sound promising, what with the “robust efficiency enhance.” Nonetheless, efficiency acquire or not, we’re unlikely to see something a lot stronger than the RX 7900 XT, at the very least when it comes to specs like VRAM or compute items (CUs). Even so, a slight enhance in VRAM isn’t utterly out of the query, as AMD is mostly far more beneficiant with reminiscence capability than Nvidia. Even the RX 7900 XT had 20GB, which is greater than Nvidia’s $1,000 RTX 4080 Super, and simply 4GB lower than the ever-so-expensive RTX 4090.
I’m guessing that 16GB is an absolute minimal for the next-gen AMD flagship, however I may simply see 20GB or 24GB as a risk too, and that’s one thing to be enthusiastic about. Present AAA video games actually push VRAM necessities to the restrict, making it in order that 8GB GPUs tend to struggle with newer titles. A technique or one other, I anticipate AMD’s RX 8800 XT to supply extra VRAM than a comparable card from Nvidia.
All in all, efficiency may find yourself being fairly nice. I’ve been retaining my expectations low after listening to that AMD is sitting out of the high-end race, however current leaks have gotten my hopes up but once more.
In response to probably the most recent rumors, the RX 8800 XT might provide a efficiency similar to Nvidia’s RTX 4080. That GPU is across the similar degree because the RX 7900 XTX in rasterization, and much forward in ray tracing.
Ray tracing is one space the place AMD will reportedly have a greater probability at success this time round. One leaker mentioned that the ray tracing efficiency of the RX 8800 XT was as much as 45% higher than the RX 7900 XTX in Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, and that’s an enormous distinction. However, it’s too quickly to belief these numbers blindly — RE 7 isn’t very demanding on the subject of ray tracing, which makes it simpler to deal with for AMD GPUs than heavy-hitters like Cyberpunk 2077. Nonetheless, that’s sufficient to at the very least present some hope.
Even when the ray tracing predictions don’t fairly pan out, AMD’s been clear on the truth that we will anticipate ray tracing enhancements in its next-gen GPUs. If all goes properly, we’d get a alternative for the RTX 4080 with extra VRAM, comparable ray tracing, and higher worth.
Wait — will or not it’s of higher worth?
It’s all about worth
Worth is an extremely essential a part of the potential success of AMD’s RX 8800 XT and the remainder of the playing cards within the lineup (which proper now might only include the RX 8600/XT). Intel’s current Battlemage launch confirmed simply how a lot efficiency per greenback issues within the mainstream market.
Intel’s Arc Alchemist, its first technology of mainstream graphics playing cards, didn’t obtain anyplace close to the identical degree of curiosity as Battlemage. Actually, the demand for these GPUs should have come as a shock each to Intel and to retailers, as a result of it’s largely offered out proper now.
The nice and cozy reception that Battlemage obtained tells me that it’s clear that avid gamers are open to utilizing one thing aside from Nvidia. They only want a bit of push.
The Nvidia bias is actual, however for some, it’s fading. I used to be this shut to picking AMD after I constructed my present PC in late 2023. Actually, when AMD first introduced RDNA 3, my plan was to lastly ditch Nvidia and purchase the RX 7900 XTX. I used to be genuinely excited in regards to the card, and though the worth was a bit of larger than I anticipated, I used to be prepared to tug the set off and go for it.
However as soon as the GPUs launched and the primary evaluations got here in, I began to doubt my earlier resolution. The RX 7900 XTX merely didn’t provide sufficient of a worth reduce versus the RTX 4080 for me to resolve to surrender on DLSS 3 and ray tracing. If you’re spending over $1,000 on a GPU, you type of anticipate to get all of it, and the RX 7900 XTX — whereas nice in its personal proper — does require some compromise. Ultimately, I ended up (virtually begrudgingly) sticking with Nvidia.
All of it comes right down to the truth that AMD was taking pictures for the moon with the RX 7900 XTX, nevertheless it was nonetheless Nvidia that landed nearer to the goal. Because of this, many anticipated the 7900 XTX to be cheaper — nearer to the worth it sells for now, which is $870. At that worth, I’d have purchased it in a heartbeat.
AMD’s change of tempo for RDNA 4 offers me hope that this case might not repeat itself. Workforce Pink shines on the midrange, with playing cards just like the RX 7800 XT main the cost in opposition to Nvidia, and if that is AMD’s focus in 2025, the ensuing worth warfare could be nice for each side of the fence.
That’s largely why I’m so excited for the RX 8800 XT, in addition to the remainder of AMD’s RDNA 4 lineup. Nvidia’s been dominating the GPU market; in the meantime, AMD’s gaming enterprise suffered some major losses in 2024. However there’s a whole lot of potential right here with AMD’s new strategy, and if the celebs align, we’d lastly see a contest that spurs Nvidia to maintain the costs affordable.
Yeah, I could be delusional if I’m relying on some severe competitors, given the market share distinction between the 2 firms. However I’ll keep delusional at the very least a short time longer, as each AMD and Nvidia will announce their new graphics playing cards in early January. Till then, let me dream.
