AMD 9070 XT & NonXT – RAY TRACING vs NVIDIA!

AMD Radeon 9070 XT and 9070 NonXT: Competing With Nvidia in Ray Tracing & AI Upscaling

Introduction: A New Era for AMD’s GPU Lineup

The world of graphics processing units (GPUs) has long been dominated by a two-horse race between AMD and NVIDIA. However, the recent release of AMD’s Radeon 970 XT and 9070 NonXT marks a potential turning point in this rivalry.

While the initial presentation of these cards was laced with humor—imagining NVIDIA “slipping on a banana peel” or “falling down an elevator shaft”—the underlying message is clear: AMD has finally cracked the code for delivering competitive performance, pricing, and features that could challenge NVIDIA’s dominance. This article delves into the technical advancements, market positioning, and future implications of these new GPUs, analyzing their strengths, weaknesses, and how they stack up against NVIDIA’s latest offerings.

Performance Analysis: A Battle at 1080p, 1440p, and 4K

The Radeon 9070 XT and 9070 NonXT are positioned as mid-to-high-end GPUs, targeting gamers who demand high-resolution performance without breaking the bank. At $599 for the XT variant and $550 for the nonXT, both cards offer compelling value propositions, especially when compared to NVIDIA’s RTX 5070 Ti, which retails at a significantly higher price point.

At 1440p, the 970 XT nearly matches the performance of the RTX 5070 Ti, delivering frame rates that are competitive in most modern titles. The nonXT variant also holds its own, often outperforming the RTX 5070 in benchmark tests such as Alan Wake 2, where it achieved a 17% lead over NVIDIA’s card. However, the RTX 5070 Ti still edges out the XT by around 9% in heavily ray-traced titles like Black Myth: Wukong, highlighting NVIDIA’s continued edge in this area.

When it comes to 4K gaming, AMD has made a critical leap forward with the inclusion of 16GB GDDR6 VRAM on both cards. This is a stark contrast to NVIDIA’s RTX 5070, which struggles with VRAM limitations at ultra-high resolutions. In Last of Us Part One, for example, the 9070 XT demonstrated a 23% lead over the RTX 5070, thanks to its ability to maintain stable frame pacing and avoid stuttering caused by VRAM saturation. This improvement is particularly significant for gamers who prioritize smooth gameplay in demanding environments.

 

 

Ray Tracing Capabilities: A Generational Leap, But Not Yet a Match for NVIDIA

AMD’s new GPUs bring substantial improvements to ray tracing performance compared to previous generations. The 970 XT and 9070 NonXT outperform the RX 7900 XTX (a card that was praised at $1,000) in most benchmarks, showing that AMD has closed the gap significantly. However, NVIDIA’s RTX 50 series still holds a clear advantage in heavily path-traced titles like Black Myth: Wukong.

The ray tracing capabilities of the new AMD GPUs are powered by enhanced matrix operations, improved compute engines, and advanced AI accelerators. These upgrades allow for more efficient handling of complex lighting and shadow calculations, making them a strong contender in modern games that leverage ray-traced effects. However, AMD’s implementation still struggles with artifacts such as boiling effects and ghosting, which are less prevalent in NVIDIA’s DLSS 4.0 technology.

AI and Upscaling Innovations: FSR 4.0 vs. DLSS 4

One of the most notable advancements in AMD’s new GPUs is their integration of FSR 4.0 (FidelityFX Super Resolution 4), which leverages a proprietary FP8 machine learning model to enhance upscaling performance. In comparison tests with NVIDIA’s DLSS 4, FSR 4 showed significant improvements in reducing artifacts and rendering fine details more sharply. For example, in Horizon Forbidden West, the butterflies rendered via FSR 4 appeared crisper than those generated by DLSS 4 or even FSR 3.1.

However, the practical benefits of these improvements come with caveats. While FSR 4 delivers superior image quality, its performance uplift is still less substantial than NVIDIA’s DLSS 4 across most titles. Additionally, support for FSR 4 remains limited compared to DLSS 4, as fewer games currently integrate the technology. AMD’s fluid motion frames (AFMF) feature also falls short of NVIDIA’s frame generation solution, often resulting in visual artifacts and UI inconsistencies that detract from the user experience.

Market Positioning and Pricing Strategy: A Double-Edged Sword

AMD’s pricing strategy for the 970 XT and 9070 NonXT is both a strength and a potential liability. The $599 price point for the XT variant positions it as a direct competitor to NVIDIA’s RTX 5070 Ti, offering comparable performance at a significantly lower cost. This could shift market dynamics if AMD can maintain stock levels and avoid the pitfalls of previous launches (such as the RX 7800 XT’s initial poor reception).

However, the $550 price for the nonXT variant raises concerns. While it matches the RTX 5070 in both performance and pricing, it also risks being perceived as a less attractive option compared to the XT, which offers an additional $50 for marginal gains. This could lead to the nonXT variant being discounted heavily post-launch, potentially damaging AMD’s reputation if similar issues arise as with prior generations.

Power Efficiency and Thermal Management: A Step Forward

AMD has made strides in improving power efficiency with its new GPUs. The 970 XT and 9070 NonXT are built on TSMC’s N4C process node, allowing for a more compact die that crams 92% as many transistors into just two-thirds of the area used by previous-generation cards. This has led to lower average power consumption in some benchmarks, though both models still exhibit spikes in power draw—the 970 XT reaching up to 426 watts in stress tests.

Thermal performance is another area where AMD has made progress. The Sapphire Pulse samples tested showed stable temperatures thanks to efficient cooling solutions like the PTM7950, which provides ample thermal headroom. This is a marked improvement over NVIDIA’s RTX 5070, which often struggles with heat management at high loads.

Future Implications and Industry Outlook: A New Battleground

The launch of the Radeon 970 XT and 9070 NonXT signals AMD’s intent to reclaim dominance in both gaming and content creation markets. However, several challenges remain. For instance, AMD still lags behind NVIDIA in hardware encoding capabilities (e.g., H.264 and HEVC support), which may be a drawback for professional video creators. Additionally, the lack of a robust multi-frame generation solution could hinder its appeal to hardcore gamers who rely on ultra-smooth frame interpolation.

Looking ahead, AMD’s upcoming Radeon 9060 (Q2 2025) is expected to further solidify its position in the mid-range segment, potentially undercutting NVIDIA’s RTX 5060 if priced aggressively. However, this strategy could backfire if AMD prioritizes maximizing margins over delivering value—a risk that has haunted the company in previous product cycles.

Conclusion: A Promising Launch, But Room for Growth

The Radeon 9070 XT and 9070 NonXT represent a significant leap forward for AMD, offering competitive performance, improved ray tracing capabilities, and AI-enhanced upscaling features at attractive price points. However, their success will depend on stock availability, long-term support for FSR 4, and the ability to address lingering issues such as power draw and encoding limitations.

For consumers, the decision between AMD’s new GPUs and NVIDIA’s offerings ultimately depends on priorities: those who value cost-effective performance at 1080p or 4K may find the XT variant a steal, while enthusiasts seeking cutting-edge ray tracing features might still lean toward NVIDIA’s RTX 50 series. Meanwhile, the broader industry could see a shift in market dynamics if AMD sustains its momentum and avoids repeating past missteps.