PowerColor RX 7800 XT Red Devil:
Architecture:
This AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT is the fourth card in our hands to benefit from the brand-new RDNA3 architecture. This new architecture succeeds RDNA2, which was represented in particular by the latest high-end model, the RX 6950 XT. AMD has chosen to launch its two top-of-the-range models directly, as NVIDIA has done with its RTX 4090. AMD had and still has stocks of cards from the previous generation, hence this choice of launch.
On the other hand, with this RX 7800 XT, we’re in a “mid-range” offering for 1440p 60 FPS definition. The RX 7700 XT version is also aimed at this definition, but at a lower price. We’ll be able to judge the difference in performance in the tests published today.
We’ve taken the table provided by our VideoCardz colleagues, which lists the characteristics of the various GPUs built around RDNA3. The RX 7800 XT uses the entire GPU chip named Navi 32 XT, with 60 CUs, 128 AI Accelerators, 16 GB GDDR6 memory clocked at 19.5 Gbps on a 256-bit bus. It should be noted, however, that the RX 7800 XT has fewer cores than the last-generation RX 6800 XT, which had 72 CUs. Will this have an impact on performance between the two models? Our test will answer that question.
As far as the RX 7000 generation is concerned, the range is now complete, and AMD has no plans to release any further cards based on this architecture. It remains to be seen whether other cards will be added for the RTX 4000 on the green side.
The bundle:
In our review of the PowerColor RX 7900 XTX, we had the opportunity to present the Red Devil Limited edition, which came with a substantial bundle, including an additional backplate. Here, we’re dealing with a “traditional” Red Devil version that doesn’t feature this backplate . Nevertheless, there are a number of accessories: a user’s guide, a Red Devil sticker, a metal magnet and, last but not least, a stand to keep your graphics card upright and prevent it from warping.
Last but not least, as you’d expect, our copy of the Powercolor RX 7900 XTX Red Devil Limited Edition, protected in its antistatic plastic, and an RGB cable.
An impressive custom card:
The least we can say is that this Powercolor RX 7800 XT Red Devil makes a statement with its 20 mm thick heatsink. In fact, the card’s fairing is quite limited, allowing the radiator to be seen from above. Another positive point is that the radiator will allow it to “breathe easily” and thus maintain very good temperatures. We’ll be keeping a close eye on this during our test. Because of its thickness, the card will use 2.5 slots in your case.
The board is equipped with 3 x 100 mm fans. They are responsible for dissipating the heat accumulated by the radiator. The three fans feature 9 blades and Mute Fan Technology, which allows them to remain at rest if the GPU temperature does not exceed 50 degrees.
Finally, the board features a metal backplate whose role is to stiffen the PCB and protect it from damage. The backplate is cut out at the rear of the graphics chip to optimize cooling, and features a backlit PowerColor Red Devil logo.
The board benefits from two BIOS, which has become commonplace on high-end boards. You can opt for either OC or Silent BIOS. The only difference between the two is a higher fan speed for the OC version and a slightly higher boost frequency. The RGB backlight zone is located on the rear of the board. By default, it will illuminate in red, but via the cable supplied in the bundle, you can opt for other colors by connecting this to your motherboard.
Connectors :
To power our board, and this is excellent news, PowerColor has chosen to retain two 8-pin power connectors. AMD claims a power consumption of 263 watts for the reference RX 7800 XT, but we don’t yet know the figure for our PowerColor Red Devil RX 7800 XT. We also know that, as far as memory is concerned, AMD is using GDDR6 instead of GDDR6X for both cards, mainly because it consumes less power and is incidentally less expensive.
PowerColor has opted for DisplayPort 2.1 support on these new cards. AMD offers simultaneous encoding or decoding for AV1, which will be of interest to content creators. All in all, we have three DisplayPort 2.1s and one HDMI 2.1.
