- RX 8800 XT is rumored to equal RTX 4080 for non-ray tracing efficiency
- The RDNA 4 graphics card may match the RTX 4080 Tremendous for ray tracing
- The GPU is about to enter mass manufacturing, hinting at an early 2025 launch
AMD’s rumored Radeon RX 8800 XT may pack an actual punch – particularly for ray tracing – if a recent leak concerning the next-gen GPU seems to be true.
In principle, this would be the top-tier RDNA 4 graphics card – though it’ll be a mid-range GPU, as AMD isn’t doing the high-end this time round, going by the rumor mill – and the brand new information on efficiency and a doable launch date comes from Zhangzhonghao, a leaker over on the Chiphell boards (in China).
Add loads of seasoning, however the declare (as highlighted by Wccftech) is that the RX 8800 XT is a large enchancment in ray tracing efficiency, and a great step up for rasterization efficiency (no ray tracing) too.
Zhangzhonghao believes that rasterization efficiency will equal Nvidia’s RTX 4080 GPU, and that the 8800 XT will likely be extra within the ballpark of the RTX 4080 Tremendous on the subject of ray tracing.
The leaker additionally claims that the RX 8800 XT is 45% quicker in ray tracing in comparison with the present flagship, the RX 7900 XTX, with the Resident Evil 4 Remake. And that in different well-liked video games, the 8800 XT’s generational ray tracing increase is ‘epic’ albeit partly as a result of the efficiency ranges seen with RDNA 3 had been fairly shoddy.
One other level to notice is that energy consumption for the 8800 XT must be 25% lower than the 7900 XTX, though we aren’t supplied with any particular metric right here, only a imprecise assertion.
Relating to the discharge date, we’re advised that the RX 8800 XT is about to begin mass manufacturing in the midst of December. In principle, then, it may emerge late in January 2025, or maybe February, which inserts with present rumors of a Q1 launch for RDNA 4 graphics playing cards.
Evaluation: Causes to be hopeful
Curiously, a lot of the current buzz is concerning the RX 8800 XT, and we’re not listening to something a lot on the 8700 XT which might, in principle, be the possible companion GPU (based mostly on guesswork and previous rumors).
Contemplating that the disclosing of AMD’s RDNA 4 desktop GPUs is apparently planned for CES 2025, in simply over a month, we’d anticipate extra spillage a couple of sibling GPU to return via quickly – until Staff Purple is kicking off with a solo launch right here earlier than different RDNA 4 playing cards arrive additional down the road, however we’d be very shocked if that was the case.
With the efficiency leaks, earlier hypothesis has prompt that the highest RDNA 4 GPU (in principle this 8800 XT) could be a bit faster than the 7900 XT, and equating the 8800 XT with the RTX 4080 right here signifies that’s certainly the case (although different rumors have suggested it’ll be level with the 7900 XT, so a contact slower than the 4080).
That’s for rasterization, however the leap with ray tracing seems to be an enormous one – and that is sensible by way of AMD wanting to repair that weak point with its next-gen desktop graphics playing cards. Fingers crossed on that entrance, as typically the arguments in favor of Nvidia being the superior alternative revolve round ray tracing (and DLSS too).
On the subject of energy utilization, with the present 7900 XTX flagship having a TDP of 355W, based mostly on the above information, we could possibly be taking a look at 265W or so for the 8800 XT, which might put it in a lot the identical bracket because the 7800 XT. That implies AMD is concentrating on driving efficiency with RDNA 4, quite than effectivity (however not efficiency at the price of effectivity, crucially).
