AMD’s Radeon RX 7900 XTX is an exceptional graphics card that brings top-end performance to the table, capable of handling the toughest games at the highest resolutions. Those looking to push their system with games maxed out at 4K will want to pick up an RX 7900 XTX, but which RX 7900 XTX is the best?
With so many options on the market, all varying performance bonuses or design choices, picking a 7900 XTX can be a complicated decision. So in this buyers guide we’ll be breaking down the best RX 7900 XTX graphics cards, delving into each option that we believe are best suited to a range of different buyers.
Our Top Pick: MSI Gaming Trio Classic Radeon RX 7900 XTX
The MSI RX 7900 XTX Gaming Trio Classic is the strongest design on the market striking a balance of excellent performance and pricing. The triple-fan layout of this card enhances airflow while keeping a lid on thermals. And while the Gaming Trio Classic doesn’t offer an inherent boost to the clock speed, the competitive price point of this card is still tantalising, irrelevant of this.
The Best RX 7900 XTX GPUs to Buy
1. MSI Gaming Trio Classic Radeon RX 7900 XTX
MSI’s RX 7900 XTX Gaming Trio Classic is a well-rounded design that offers an excellent balance of performance and pricing. This GPU comes in at MSRP, making it a worthwhile consideration for the price conscious buyer. The triple-fan shrouding on the Gaming Trio Classic assists with airflow and cooling, keeping a lid on thermals in tougher workloads.
| Key Specs | MSI RX 7900 XTX Gaming Trio Classic |
|---|---|
| Video Memory | 24GB GDDR6 |
| Memory Bus | 384-bit |
| Base Clock Speed | 1.85GHz |
| Boost Clock Speed | 2.5GHz |
| Stream Processors | 6144 |
| Ray Accelerators | 96 |
| Length | 325mm |
| Power Draw | 355W |
The MSI RX 7900 XTX Gaming Trio Classic sports greyed angular accents at the top and bottom of the card, which gives the aesthetic some depth and texture. The fans unfortunately don’t offer any RGB, but there are some strips that can be seen towards the top right and bottom left of the GPU, with some on the top as well. It is worth noting that the Gaming Trio Classic is only 325mm in length, so this shouldn’t restrict the amount of case choices when it comes to clearance.
While I do love the Gaming Trio Classic, I would argue its biggest downfall is probably its design. The Gaming Trio Classic aesthetic feels slightly outdated in comparison to modern options. And while there will be many that will appreciate the sleek design that this card offers, I feel the price point of this GPU justifies more bells and whistles when it comes to style.
Pros
- Price point
- Size
- Thermals
Cons
- Lacklustre design
- Minimal RGB
Suggested Article: Best Cases for AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX & XT
2. AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX Reference Card
AMD’s Radeon RX 7900 XTX reference card is another excellent option for the price conscious buyer. This particular RX 7900 XTX is the smallest card of the bunch, coming in under the 300mm mark in terms of length, while sporting three fans. Despite its small stature, the triple-fan design keeps thermals down to a minimum, which is further assisted by the large heatsink underneath the shroud.
The RX 7900 XTX reference card is one of the better looking options on the market. The sophisticated black design coupled with the RGB strips on the front of the shrouding look pretty nice, offering up a sleek but more minimalist aesthetic. This card will blend in quite nicely with other dark-themed components due to the all-black colour theme that AMD have opted for.
| Key Specs | AMD RX 7900 XTX Reference Card |
|---|---|
| Video Memory | 24GB GDDR6 |
| Memory Bus | 384-bit |
| Base Clock Speed | 1.85GHz |
| Boost Clock Speed | 2.5GHz |
| Stream Processors | 6144 |
| Ray Accelerators | 96 |
| Length | 287mm |
| Power Draw | 355W |
While the reference model RX 7900 XTX does sit at MSRP, there are a number of other options from varying manufacturers that come in at MSRP, offering better performance bonuses, designs, and thermal capabilities, reducing the value of the reference design. But the RX 7900 XTX reference model stands as a solid value option when the alternatives eventually run out of stock.
Pros
- MSRP price
- Sleek aesthetic
- Thermals
Cons
- Minimal RGB
3. PowerColor HellHound Spectral White RX 7900 XTX
The HellHound Spectral White RX 7900 XTX from PowerColor is one of the few white graphics cards on the market, providing some alternative aesthetic options for those that prefer a lighter themed build. The HellHound Spectral White RX 7900 XTX is an absolutely gorgeous GPU, sporting a white shroud that spans the entire card, alongside translucent RGB fans that offer some additional flair for your system.
While the design is a clear strong point of the Spectral White RX 7900 XTX, the performance and thermals that this card offers are solid too. 4K gaming at maxed out settings should pose no problems for the 7900 XTX, and this card should stay nice and quiet during intense workloads thanks to the triple-fan design that this card offers.
| Key Specs | PowerColor HellHound Spectral White RX 7900 XTX |
|---|---|
| Video Memory | 24GB GDDR6 |
| Memory Bus | 384-bit |
| Base Clock Speed | 1.85GHz |
| Boost Clock Speed | 2.52GHz |
| Stream Processors | 6144 |
| Ray Accelerators | 96 |
| Length | 320mm |
| Power Draw | 355W |
Unfortunately, the Spectral White RX 7900 XTX is not a cheap option compared to the rest of the graphics cards. The MSRP of the RX 7900 XTX sits around $999, while this Spectral White variant sits well over the $1000 mark, which isn’t ideal if you’re sticking to a particular budget threshold. This particular variant of the RX 7900 XTX is definitely geared towards the enthusiast side of the market.
Pros
- White design
- Thermals
- 4K gaming performance
Cons
- May restrict case choices
- Expensive
4. ASUS TUF Gaming OC RX 7900 XTX
The TUF Gaming OC Radeon RX 7900 XTX is another triple-fan design that provides a bigger focus on airflow and thermals. This OC model, does also come with a nice enhancement to the overall boosting capability, which can provide some performance bonuses in both games and tougher workloads.
The triple fan design brings some big improvements to thermals, as the card is much more capable of moving air around efficiently. The fans have also been scaled up compared to previous generation options, further minimising noise levels while maintaining consistent performance. During our testing we found that this particular model was one of the stronger graphics cards when it comes to thermals, ensuring that it stayed cool even under a significant amount of load.
| Key Specs | ASUS TUF Gaming OC RX 7900 XTX |
|---|---|
| Video Memory | 24GB GDDR6 |
| Memory Bus | 384-bit |
| Base Clock Speed | 1.85GHz |
| Boost Clock Speed | 2.61GHz |
| Stream Processors | 6144 |
| Ray Accelerators | 96 |
| Length | 352mm |
| Power Draw | 355W |
However, we this card is certainly one of the largest RX 7900 XTX cards available, coming in at 352mm in length, which is over 20% larger than AMD’s reference card. Those looking to build a compact system may struggle to squeeze in the ASUS TUF Gaming OC Radeon RX 7900 XTX, or may have to sacrifice on radiator sizes.
Pros
- Thermals
- Industrial aesthetic
- Boost clock speed
Cons
- Very big
- Expensive
How We Test GPUs
To provide informed product recommendations, we test a plethora of different graphics cards at varying resolutions within range of popular games and triple A titles. To ensure that testing is repeatable and fair, all of our settings are published within our ‘How We Test Graphics Cards’ article, which covers our in-depth testing methodology. To showcase this, we’ve provided some benchmarks of the Radeon RX 7900 XTX below so you can see how it performs in select titles.
Apex Legends @ 4K
In Apex Legends at 4K high, the 7900 XTX led this benchmark, offering a very stable framerate of 202FPS, which is more than enough for this game. Apex players benefit from having a high refresh rate, and we’re definitely seeing this here. There isn’t much to say really, other than that the 7900 XTX absolutely blew every other card out of the water, including the RTX 4090 which this card doesn’t even look to compete against.
GTA V @ 1440p
The next title we tested was GTA V with the resolution dialled up to 1440p, and the settings to high. In this title, the 7900 XTX is showing off its exceptional performance again, offering up an average framerate of 181FPS. This lands it with second place versus all of the other cards that we’ve tested. It is worth noting that the reason why framerates aren’t any higher is due to the limitations of the game engine, but I’d say that the vast majority of consumers will enjoy 181FPS without any hitches.
Overwatch 2 @ 4K
The final game that we ran was Overwatch 2 at 4K ultra settings. In this benchmark, the 7900 XTX wasn’t the leader, offering an average output of 215FPS. This isn’t to say that performance was bad, consumers can enjoy a buttery smooth display experience with 215FPS, but there is a clear swing towards NVIDIA cards in this particular Esports title.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the RX 7900 XTX good for gaming?
The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX is one the best-performing graphics cards that gamers can get their hands on, offering solid 4K performance in even the most demanding of titles.
How Big is the 7900 XTX?
The 7900 XTX ranges from 280mm, all the way up to 360mm. We advise checking out the clearance within your case to minimise any installation issues.
What CPU Should I Pair With the RX 7900 XTX?
We would recommend a high-end option like the Ryzen 7 7800X3D, or an Intel Core i7-13700K. We’ve provided a breakdown of the best CPUs to pair up with the 7900 XTX in a dedicated article.
