Last week, AMD launched its new graphics card, the RX 7900 XT. While AMD has done a great job of creating a high-end graphics card that brings some much-needed competition to the market, several things still need to be addressed to improve it. In this article, we will share some issues reported online.
AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT Problem: Confusing name.
Before proceeding, we want to address the name of the RX 7900 XT, which sounds similar to the 7900 XTX. However, these two cards are significantly different, with the RX 7900 XT having more cores, a higher clock speed, a larger memory bus, and more video memory. This can confuse less informed consumers, as removing one “X” changes the designation from a higher-tier product to a lower-tier product.
There is a risk that consumers may think they are purchasing very similar products for a hundred dollars less, which is not the case with the RX 7900 XT. Companies like NVIDIA have already faced criticism for their 4086 16GB and 4080 12GB cards, and now AMD is doing something similar. Regarding performance, the RX 7900 XT is approximately 15% slower than the XTX. AMD should consider renaming the product the 7800 XT or 7900 without a suffix to make it more transparent to consumers.
Performance
The pricing of the AMD RX 7900 XT is quite similar to the RX 7900 XTX, but the performance of the two cards does not match. As previously mentioned, the two have a significant gap of 15%. Therefore, if you are willing to spend an additional $100, you will get 16% better performance. If you have already decided to pay $900 for a GPU, upgrading to the XTX seems logical.
The Paper XT is a compelling graphics card that delivers an exceptional high-refresh-rate experience at 1440p resolution. When playing games at 4K with a refresh rate of 120 Hz, such as CS: GO, the AMD FidelityFX super-resolution feature adds to the immersive gaming experience. Numerous other games support this feature.
One primary concern with the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT is the inconsistency in its performance. According to numerous reports on the internet, the card exhibits inconsistent results while playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Without changing any system settings, updates, or throttling the CPU, the card will sometimes perform better with higher FPS after rebooting the PC, and other times, it will perform worse without any apparent reason.
The company is aware of this issue and has been working to resolve it. However, official press statements or updates have yet to be released. The card is hoped to receive a driver update to improve its performance and stability.
Coil Whine
Coil whine is typically specific to certain samples or games or may occur during super-high FPS gameplay. However, the RX 7900 XT has consistently exhibited a noticeable amount of coil whine since its launch. Both reviewers and people who have purchased the card have frequently reported similar experiences with reference and third-party cards.
The RX 7900 XT is capable of delivering excellent performance without going over 50 °C and is equipped with a well-designed cooler that is quiet most of the time. However, there have been widespread reports of excessive coil whine, and it is clear that AMD needs to address this issue in future cards.
Power consumption
When the RX 7900 XT is connected to multiple monitors, its power consumption increases significantly, going from 92W to 112W. However, its power consumption is typical when connected to a single monitor. AMD will likely release a driver update to address this issue.
Supply and pricing
The availability of the RX 7900 XT is inconsistent, varying by region. It has been challenging to find these cards, as they have yet to be listed on many e-commerce sites. In addition, local stores do not have clear information on stock levels for any Radeon cards. The few stores that have listed the RX 7900 XT have had minimal stock and are selling the cards at a high price.
If you can choose the XTX model, it would likely be a better choice as it has more vital ray tracing performance and is more power efficient. Most of the issues mentioned in this article can be resolved with a simple driver update. However, to truly improve the relative performance of the RX 7900 XT, the price may need to be lowered.
While it may be more challenging to fix the coil whine issue for cards already manufactured and distributed to consumers, it is certainly possible to address it in future batches. The CPU market is highly competitive, and issues like coil whine can significantly affect overall performance and consumer satisfaction. Therefore, it is essential to address these issues to maintain a competitive edge.