AMD’s Radeon RX 7900 XT and RX 7900 XTX made their debut in December 2022. They’re high-end playing cards made with essentially the most highly effective RDNA 3 GPU: Navi 31. Flagship playing cards are at all times the primary to launch, and usually, the following GPU to be launched can be one tier decrease. Not this time, although.
The following card to be launched was the Navi 33-based RX 7600, a full 5 months later than the RX 7900 playing cards. The place the heck are Navi 32-based RX 7800 playing cards? They continue to be conspicuously absent. There might be any variety of the explanation why. Possibly AMD is not proud of the efficiency, or the GPU wanted a re-spin, or there was some surprising errata. We’ll most likely by no means know.
Whereas we anticipate Navi 32 playing cards, Igor’s Lab undertook an attention-grabbing experiment. He took AMD’s Radeon Professional W7800 graphics card, disabled half of its 32GB of reminiscence and tweaked the ability limits so as to simulate what to anticipate from a hypothetical RX 7800 XT.
Earlier than wanting on the outcomes, it is necessary to keep in mind that that is an experiment, and never one which claims to precisely simulate an RX 7800 XT. The precise specs of the Navi 32 GPU stay confidential, together with the variety of shaders, clock speeds and energy ranges.
Additionally, the W7800 makes use of the large Navi 31 GPU which it shares with the RX 7900 playing cards, making this very a lot an unscientific comparability. An acceptable quantity of salt is required. Nonetheless, it is attention-grabbing, and a enjoyable little experiment from Igor.
Trying on the outcomes, we see the ‘RX 7800 XT’ is barely quicker than the RX 6800 XT. It may be extra energy environment friendly, however with no first rate inter-generational soar in efficiency, there can be few causes to decide on an RX 7800 card over a 6800 XT or 6900 XT for enjoying video games.
We will count on the an RX 7800 to supply enchancment in ray tracing efficiency, however that will not imply a lot if its raster efficiency is not considerably higher than the most effective RDNA 2 playing cards. In fact, AMD may promote the RX 7800 at a sexy worth, although clearly it would not need to sacrifice its margins.
A rock and a tough place?
I spoke with a consultant from an AMD associate at Computex. At the moment that they had but to learn of AMD’s plans for RX 7800 or RX 7700 playing cards. That might have modified within the couple of weeks since, however because it stands now, I am not anticipating Navi 32 playing cards any time quickly. If I needed to look into my crystal ball and guess, I might recommend a launch in September or October can be possible, in time for Christmas.
AMD would absolutely wish to have playing cards priced someplace within the big hole between the RX 7600 and the rather more costly RX 7900. I actually hope an RX 7800 card can beat an RX 6950 XT and compete with the RTX 4070 and 4070 Ti at a great worth. We want competitors to convey costs down if nothing else!
We sit up for testing RX 7800 and RX 7700 playing cards if or after they do launch. Hopefully sooner slightly than later.
