Computer

Gigabyte Radeon RX 7900 XT, analysis of this AMD graphics card

This GIGABYTE custom version adds a few extras to the original AMD model. The first of them is that it has a WINDFORCE cooling system, already seen in many other models of this manufacturer. Thanks to it, it is possible to reduce the operating temperature of the graph a little more, avoiding that, in load situations, it can give errors or make use of Thermal Throttling. This cooling system has three fans with 100 mm blades, 9 copper heat pipes and a vapor chamber that communicates with a dissipation screen to facilitate heat escape.

In addition, this model also has a RGB FUSION lighting system, which allows us to give a touch of color to the device, something that we miss in the original AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT. And it also has a DUAL BIOS modewhich allows us to switch with a switch between OC mode and silent mode.

As a handicap, it should be noted that this model has two HDMI 2.1 outputs and 2 DisplayPort 2.1 outputs, but does not have video output via usb type c as it does have the original AMD model and other graphics on the market. In addition, due to the factory OC GIGABYTE recommends a 12V power supply. 800W instead of going with a 750 W as recommended in other models.

The price of this graphics card is €1,159100 euros more than the AMD model, although the truth is that right now it is difficult to find and buy.

Unboxing and external analysis

The graphics card comes in a fairly large cardboard box, with a 3D rendered image (as in most gaming graphics cards) where we can also see the model of the card, as well as the memory and its main features. On the back we can see a little more detail the specifications of the card.

Inside this first cardboard box, merely decorative, we find another much more rigid and resistant box. And inside it is the graphics card in question. This comes very well protected and inside an antistatic plastic that will help protect it from dust and possible damage during transport.

GIGABYTE Radeon RX 7900 XT GAMING OC

Inside the box, in addition to the card, we find some parts to assemble a support, something recommended considering that it has a considerable weight. It is not as heavy as other models, but in the long run it could lead to the dreaded blending that bends the PCIe socket of the motherboard.

GIGABYTE Radeon RX 7900 XT GAMING OC

The graphics card has a triple fan design, as we mentioned before. These fans are GIGABYTE’s own 100mm diameter fans and are capable of generating high airflow with very low noise. The entire part of the fans is covered by a black plastic chassis.

Under this chassis we will find the heatsink. This, as we can see, is made up of a copper block from which two heatpipes come out that end in blocks of aluminum fins that help us dissipate the heat inside.

In the back we will find only three holes, to screw the support.

GIGABYTE Radeon RX 7900 XT GAMING OC

On the outside we have the GIGABYTE logo, which has RGB lighting, in addition to the RADEON brand. Also the power connectors.

In the upper part we have a metal backplate, which will help protect the upper part of the graphic while making it more robust (important, considering the weight) and will help dissipate part of the heat.

GIGABYTE Radeon RX 7900 XT GAMING OC

At the end of the backplate we will have a heat outlet hole.

GIGABYTE Radeon RX 7900 XT GAMING OC

Here we also find a switch, which, as we have mentioned before, is used to switch between the two BIOSes that this model comes with and that have two separate profiles: Silent and OC.

GIGABYTE Radeon RX 7900 XT GAMING OC

Finally, in the back we have the 4 video outputs, as well as holes to facilitate the flow of air and the output of the generated heat.

GIGABYTE Radeon RX 7900 XT GAMING OC

In size, we are facing a large card. In width we have 123.5 mm.

GIGABYTE Radeon RX 7900 XT GAMING OC

The thickness of the card is close to 50 mm.

GIGABYTE Radeon RX 7900 XT GAMING OC

And finally, the length is 330 mm, or what is the same, 33 cm long.

GIGABYTE Radeon RX 7900 XT GAMING OC

As we have said, it is a much larger card than the AMD RADEON RX 7900 XT, both in length and width. Specifically, this GIGABYTE model is 60 mm longer, 25 mm wider and, yes, 1.5 mm thinner.

Will the size difference be noticeable in performance? Let’s see it.

This is the performance of the GIGABYTE RX 7900 XT Gaming OC

To test this graphics card we used the same hardware that we used to review AMD’s benchmark a couple of weeks ago. The hardware in question is the following:

  • ASRock X670E TAICHI.
  • AMD Ryzen 9 7900X.
  • 32 GB (2 × 16 GB) 6000 MHz DDR5 CORSAIR Vengeance RGB RAM (AMD EXPO profile).
  • SSD NVMe PCIe 4 TeamGroup Cardea Ceramic C440
  • CORSAIR AX850.
  • Arctic Liquid Freezer II 420 A-RGB.
  • Windows 11 22H2 with patch KB5020044 (fixes performance issues in gaming)

First of all, let’s see a general summary of the system using the tool CPU-Z to know the details of the processor, RAM and graphics card.

CPU-Z

And, of course, also the GPU-Z software, thanks to which we can find out all the technical details of the card.

GPU-Z

As a curious detail, it should be noted that the memory chips are made by Hynix, just like the AMD reference model chips. The frequencies, although they do not have OC, are slightly higher than those of their sister.

Consumption and temperature

Next, we are going to use AMD’s own program to measure the consumption that this card marks us, as well as the temperature that we get with this ventilation system. After several hours of stress tests, the values ​​we have obtained are the following:

Consumption and temperature

As we can see, GIGABYTE has raised the base frequencies of the original AMD in this model, although that also translates into a higher consumption, going from 309W of the AMD model to 340W in this model. The temperature, yes, has remained quite controlled, being up to 4 degrees lower than that of the original model. Of course, the WindForce cooling system does not sit badly.

Synthetic benchmarks

Once the technical part of the card has been seen, let’s go with the synthetic tests. For this we have used the 3DMark software, specifically the tests Fire Strike, Time Spy and the new Speed ​​Way, which has Ray Tracing and DirectX 12 Ultimate. The values ​​that we have obtained in these tests are the following.

Since surely these individual values ​​do not tell you anything, we are going to compare them with other graphs that have gone through our test bench.

Fire Strike Graphic

We can see that, in Fire Strike, this Gigabyte custom model outperforms AMD’s reference model in all tests, which is normal given that it comes with a fairly noticeable overclock in operating speed. Now let’s see what happens in Time Spy.

Again, here you have the comparative graph.

Time Spy Chart

We come across similar values ​​again, where the Gigabyte model significantly exceeds that of AMD, but continues to lag behind the NVIDIA RTX 40 Series.

We finish with Speed ​​Way:

And its corresponding comparison.

speed way

Although the difference seems quite large on the graph, in reality there are less than 150 points that separate both graphs. But hey, this is a new demonstration that with a little Overclock in the core you can scratch a handful of FPS.

We have also used the SuperPosition Benchmark software, as with it we have been able to easily see the performance of the card in both 4K and 8K tests. And the results we have obtained have been amazing.

graphic overlay

As we can see, this model of graphics card has outperformed the AMD model in each and every one of the tests we have carried out. Now, will it also do it in games?

gaming performance

In addition to synthetic tests, we have also tested the performance of this graphics card in some modern games. For this, we have used the 4 titles that we usually use often, since thanks to them we can know the performance in detail and compare it both with the AMD model and with its rivals. The games are:

  • cyberpunk 2077
  • The Witcher III: Wild Hunt.
  • Shadow of the Tomb Raider
  • A.C. Valhalla

The tests have been carried out, both in Full HD and in 1440p and 4K using the highest graphics settings that come by default. And the values ​​that we have obtained have been the following:

Cyberpunk 2077 without DLSS/FSR

GIGABYTE Radeon RX 7900 XT GAMING OC - Cyberpunk 2077 DLSS off

cyberpunk 2077

GIGABYTE Radeon RX 7900 XT GAMING OC - Cyberpunk 2077

The Witcher 3

In this analysis we have decided to start from scratch since they have released the new Next Gen patch, with a multitude of changes and a general deterioration in performance, so the data is not comparable to that of previous analyzes. From now on, the following analyzes will be performed using this Next Gen version.

The Witcher

We must point out that, although this is the average FPS value that we have obtained in the tests, the game presents some serious stuttering, and the FPS can drop below half on many occasions. Although the performance is not bad, DirectX 12 has not done well for this game, and it still needs to receive several major patches to make it playable.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider

GIGABYTE Radeon RX 7900 XT GAMING OC - Shadow of the Tomb RaiderAssassin’s Creed Valhalla

A.C. Valhalla

As we can see, the gaming performance we get is pretty much on par with what we’ve gotten with AMD’s reference card. Although in the synthetic tests we have achieved a little more score, in practice, when playing, many other factors influence the results that can vary. But, broadly speaking, they are only a few frames per second up or a few frames per second down, and therefore we can say that the performance, both in 1080p and in 1444p and in 4K, is only slightly better.

Conclution

GIGABYTE has been able to release the Radeon RT 7900 XT that we have all been waiting for. This graphics card has an excellent heatsink that allows us to always keep temperatures under control with three very silent fans, RGB lighting and a factory overclock to be able to get the most out of it and, on some occasions, get a few more FPS.

However, in general terms, the original AMD graphics is already very well balanced in terms of frequencies, and therefore the increase in base frequencies implies an increase in the general consumption of the card for a gain that is practically negligible. And the price does not match this model, since it costs 100 euros more than the original model, or what is the same, like a Radeon RX 7900 XTX that is much more powerful than its predecessor.

GIGABYTE Radeon RX 7900 XT GAMING OC

It is also true that AMD has yet to launch a major update that optimizes the general operation of this new generation, since it has not yet received it since its launch. With these optimizations it is possible that we will already see a little more difference in terms of performance with these two cards.

For all this, we have decided to give it our gold award, highlighting, especially the design of the GIGABYTE graphics card.

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