RTX 4000 vs RX 7000: Which GPU generation is right for you?

Pitting AMD against Nvidia in 2022

RTX 7000 vs RTX 4000

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Now that AMD’s latest GPU line has been unveiled, your top choice of RX 7000 vs RTX 4000 is a tough debate. Both companies have done an excellent job of demonstrating the power prowess of their new cards, and there’s no definitive clear winner. It all comes down to preference, and we’re analyzing the specs, price, release dates, and more to help you make the right decision.

What’s so fierce about RX 7000 vs RTX 4000, is that there are some noteworthy differences in size, asking price, and performance that you should take into consideration. We’ve now got a decent look at what the cards can do for the future of PC gaming. It’s an incredibly close bout this time around, that’s why we’ve done our best to pit the latest from Team Green and Team Red.

RTX 4000 vs RX 7000 price comparison

Arguably the biggest key difference between the RTX 4000 and RX 7000 at the end of 2022 is the price point. For reference, the two announced Nvidia graphics cards, the released RTX 4090 and the upcoming RTX 4080, for $1,599 and $1,199 respectively. Originally, a cheaper RTX 4080 12GB model was planned for release at $899, but this model was ‘unlaunched’ by Nvidia.

In contrast, the two RX 7000 graphics cards revealed by AMD are the RX 7900 XTX and RX 7900 XT for $999 and $899. That’s significantly cheaper than the top-performing entries from Nvidia. A total difference of $600 and $200 cheaper than Team Green’s frontrunners. What does this mean for you? Well, if you’re after a cheaper graphics card, then AMD has you covered.

RTX 4000 vs RX 7000 specs comparison

Now that both the RTX 4000 series and RX 7000 line have been revealed, we now know how each stacks up against the other on the raw tech specs. Not everything has been unveiled in excruciating detail, but we’ve done our best to compile the fast facts in such a way that’s easy to read from official sources.

RX 7000RTX 4000
RDNA 3 architecture Ada Architecture
Up to 24GB VRAMUp to 24GB VRAM
Up to 6144 Stream processorsUp to 16,384 CUDA cores
GDDR6 memoryGDDR6X memory
Up to 355W TDPUp to 450W TDP
Up to 960 GB/s bandwidth Up to 1,008 GB/s bandwidth
384-bit memory bus384-bit memory bus
How RX 7000 stacks up to RTX 4000 according to official sources (Sources: AMD; Nvidia)

We won’t necessarily know how the RTX 4000 and RX 7000 directly compare until December, until then, we can speculate. AMD did a good job of showing benchmarks in 4K and 8K. We should stress, that native performance was only rarely touched upon in the RDNA 3 reveal event.

The power connectors of the Radeon RX 7900 XTX which uses the standard 2x 8-pin without an adapter (Source: AMD)

Interestingly, the RX 7900 XTX and XT models will use standard 2x 8-pin PCIe connectors without the need for a specific adapter. In contrast, both the RTX 4090 and RTX 4080 models utilize a special 16-pin adapter, which has reportedly melted under stress, as reported by The Verge. The article explains how some users have noticed the cables burning and melting.

A look at the output options of the HDMI, USB-C, and DisplayPort 2.1 for resolutions of up to 8K165 (Source: AMD)

One other difference with AMD’s two newest cards is the implementation of DisplayPort 2.1 meaning a whole host of advanced resolution options. This means that you’ve got many options for futureproofing your machine, should you upgrade to one of the best gaming monitors in the next few years.

The RTX 4090 uses DisplayPort 1.4 which carries a maximum possible output of 4K120 or 8K60. With both cards technically now able to push beyond 120 FPS in 4K and make 8K gaming possible, it seems shortsighted of Nvidia not to allow its newest, and likely more powerful cards, the chance to output the maximum frames and resolution.

What will be faster – AMD RX 7000 or RTX 4000?

On paper, it’s looking as though the RTX 4090 will be faster than the RX 7900 XTX. However, given the fact that both cards have been marketed with their DLSS 3 and FSR 3 A.I. upscaling prowess, things could be closer from a real-world point of view. We’ll be bringing you the latest benchmarks and performance information as we head into December.

Is RX 7000 cheaper than RTX 4000?

At the time of writing, AMD’s two latest graphics cards are currently cheaper than Nvidia’s top performers, by $200 and $600 respectively. That could change in 2023 when the mid-range options hit the market, such as the RX 7700 XT and RTX 4070 just to name a few. AMD tends to release cheaper cards compared to the premium of Nvidia’s output.

What do RDNA 3 and Ada mean?

RDNA 3 and Ada are AMD’s and Nvidia’s latest respective microarchitectures. Both are built on a TSMC process, so share much more similarities than with previous iterations of GPU hardware.

Aleksha McLoughlin is Hardware and News Editor for PC Guide and she oversees buying guides, reviews, news, and features on site. She was previously Hardware and Affiliates Editor at VideoGamer.