AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT Leak: 42% Faster Than RX 7900 GRE at 4K – Is This AMD’s Mid-Range King?

AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT Leak: 42% Faster Than RX 7900 GRE at 4K - Is This AMD's Mid-Range King?

If you're a PC gamer with an eye on 4K ultra gaming without breaking the bank, buckle up-AMD might just have dropped a bombshell with its upcoming Radeon RX 9070 XT. According to a leak from VideoCardz on X earlier today (February 23, 2025), the RX 9070 XT, part of AMD's next-gen RDNA 4 architecture, is reportedly 42% faster on average than the RX 7900 GRE at 4K ultra settings. That's a massive leap that could shake up the mid-range GPU market and give Nvidia some serious competition. Let's dive into the details, what this means for gamers, and what we still need to watch for.

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The Leak: RX 9070 XT Outpaces RX 7900 GRE by 42% at 4K

VideoCardz dropped the news at 11:37 AM EST today, sharing benchmark data that pits the RX 9070 XT against the RX 7900 GRE-a solid mid-range card from AMD's previous RDNA 3 lineup. The claim? The RX 9070 XT delivers a whopping 42% performance boost at 4K ultra settings, making it a potential game-changer for gamers chasing high-refresh-rate 4K without stepping into flagship territory (like the RX 7900 XTX or Nvidia's RTX 4090).

This leak has sent shockwaves through the PC gaming community, with reactions on X ranging from disbelief-"42%?! WTFFFFF," tweeted kaku_kasumi -to excitement, like Revenator's "Let's freaking goooooo." But before we crown the RX 9070 XT the new king of mid-range GPUs, let's unpack what this means and what we don't yet know.

RDNA 4's Role: Architecture Boosts and Ray Tracing Gains

The RX 9070 XT is AMD's first major outing with the RDNA 4 architecture, and early web reports (like those from Tom's Hardware and XDA Developers) suggest RDNA 4 brings significant architectural improvements. These include better power efficiency, enhanced AI performance (with support for 8-bit precision), and-crucially-improved ray tracing capabilities. That last point could explain the RX 9070 XT's big jump over the RX 7900 GRE, especially at 4K, where ray tracing demands can bottleneck older cards.

According to Tom's Hardware, earlier synthetic benchmarks (like Geekbench) show the RX 9070 XT matching Nvidia's RTX 4070 in some tests and even surpassing the RX 7800 XT by up to 28%. However, real-world gaming performance can differ from synthetic scores, so we'll need hands-on testing to see if the 42% claim holds up in titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Cyberpunk 2077, or Starfield.

Another Japanese report from GearTune.games suggests the RX 9070 XT scores similarly to the RX 7900 GRE in some 3DMark tests but outperforms it in ray tracing-heavy scenarios like Port Royal. This aligns with AMD's focus on RDNA 4's ray tracing optimizations, which could make the RX 9070 XT a killer choice for modern AAA titles.

How Does It Stack Up Against Nvidia?

The timing of this leak couldn't be more intriguing. Nvidia is reportedly gearing up for its RTX 5000 series launch later in 2025, but for now, AMD's RX 9070 XT seems poised to take on Nvidia's RTX 4000 series, particularly the RTX 4070 and 4070 Ti. If the 42% performance gain over the RX 7900 GRE holds true, and the RX 9070 XT can match or exceed the RTX 4070 in real-world 4K gaming, AMD could steal the mid-range crown-at the right price.

However, as trisstann3 pointed out on X, some skeptics wonder if AMD is comparing the RX 9070 XT to a "weaker product" (like the RX 7900 GRE) to inflate the numbers. We'll need to see how it stacks up against Nvidia's RTX 4080 Super or even the rumored RTX 5070 before declaring victory. Still, early signs are promising, especially with RDNA 4's focus on efficiency and performance-per-watt-key factors for gamers building high-end rigs on a budget.

Pricing and Availability: The Big Question Mark

The elephant in the room? Price. As AIIHopeIsLost and _HMochii noted on X, AMD's success with the RX 9070 XT will hinge on pricing it competitively. The RX 7900 GRE typically retails around $500-$600, depending on the region, so AMD will need to position the RX 9070 XT somewhere in that ballpark-or lower-to compete with Nvidia's RTX 4070 ($550-$600) and appeal to budget-conscious 4K gamers.

TrackaLacker reports suggest gamers are already monitoring the RX 9070 XT's potential launch, but supply constraints could mirror the challenges AMD faced with earlier RDNA 3 cards. If AMD can deliver strong performance at a killer price, the RX 9070 XT could dominate the mid-range market in 2025. But if prices creep too high, Nvidia's established brand loyalty could keep gamers in the green camp.

What This Means for PC Gamers

For 4K gamers, the RX 9070 XT could be a dream come true-a card that delivers flagship-level visuals at mid-range prices. Titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and Star Wars Outlaws are pushing the boundaries of 4K with ray tracing and ultra settings, and the RX 9070 XT's rumored performance could handle these with ease, especially if paired with AMD's Ryzen 9000 series CPUs.

But there's a caveat: synthetic benchmarks don't always translate to real-world performance. We'll need to see how the RX 9070 XT performs in actual games, its power consumption (rumored to require a 900W PSU in some configurations, per GearTune), and its thermals. AMD's focus on efficiency with RDNA 4 is promising, but overclockers and power users will want to know if this card can handle extended 4K sessions without frying their rigs.

Final Thoughts: A Game-Changer or Hype Train?

The RX 9070 XT's 42% performance boost over the RX 7900 GRE is exciting, but PC gamers know better than to get carried away by leaks alone. AMD's RDNA 4 architecture shows real promise, with improvements in ray tracing, efficiency, and AI performance that could make the RX 9070 XT a standout mid-range option. However, we're still waiting on official benchmarks, pricing, and launch dates-details that will make or break this card's success.

For now, the PC gaming community is buzzing, and I'm right there with them. If AMD nails the pricing and delivers on these performance claims, the RX 9070 XT could be the mid-range 4K beast we've been waiting for. But if the numbers don't hold up in real-world testing or the price tags soar, Nvidia's RTX 4070 might retain its throne. Stay tuned-we'll be watching closely as more details emerge in the coming months.

What do you think, gamers? Are you excited about the RX 9070 XT, or are you holding out for Nvidia's RTX 5000 series?