It’s a busy day for us at the end of the NDA, with no less than four tests of the new AMD cards, the RX 7700 XT and RX 7800 XT, which we presented a few days ago. We’ll be reviewing AMD’s reference model, the RX 7800 XT, as well as the TUF Gaming RX 7700 XT OC, TUF Gaming RX 7800 XT OC and Powercolor’s Red Devil RX 7800 XT. We continue today’s tests with the TUF Gaming RX 7800 XT OC graphics card.
This card is aimed at the mid-range 1440p 60 FPS segment and is priced at 624.99 euros. As a reminder, the MSRP announced by AMD is $499 for the reference card. This means a price difference of 75 euros compared with the reference board, which can be explained by the larger cooling system used by ASUS. The TUF Gaming version of the RTX 4070 costs an average of 750 euros. This TUF Gaming RX 7800 XT OC model is positioned as a direct competitor to the NVIDIA RTX 4070. We’ll find out for sure in our test.
We’ve taken advantage of this article to redo all our tests with the latest drivers available from NVIDIA, AMD and Intel. As you can see from our test protocol, all our graphics have just been updated!
Special thanks to ASUS for making this TUF Gaming RX 7800 XT OC available.
[nextpage title=”TUF Gaming RX 7800 XT OC:”]
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:
As you can see from the photos below, the box containing our copy of the TUF Gaming RX 7800 XT OC follows the usual color code of ASUS models. The model number can be found in the bottom right-hand corner of the box on a red background, as befits AMD. Dimensions are 420 x 225 x 90 mm. We’re talking about a rather imposing package, since our model features a rather imposing cooling system.
On the rear, ASUS highlights the PCB design, the cooling system and its GPU Tweak III overclocking software, which we’ll come back to at the end of the week. The opening is on the side, where we find our graphics card perfectly protected in a foam block. The bundle includes a quick installation guide and a vertical support to place in your case to hold your graphics card horizontally. It can also be used as a Phillips screwdriver.
This is a ” custom ” card, i.e. with a PCB and cooling system specific to AMD’s partner brand, i.e. Asus. Our sample of the day is part of the TUF Gaming series.
Cooling :
The TUF Gaming RX 7800 XT OC features a cooling system consisting of three 100 mm fans. The design of this TUF model is visually very pleasing and features a few touches of RGB backlighting. The gray color of the aluminum casing will match any motherboard and any case.
The imposing Axial-tech fans rotate on double ball bearings, increasing the volume of air passing through the radiator. The result is higher temperatures and reduced noise pollution. The two side fans turn counter-clockwise. The aim is to minimize turbulence and maximize air dispersion through the radiator.
These fans have 11 blades and will remain at rest when the board is not in use, and vice versa. They become active again when the temperature requires it. As you can see, the hot air escapes through the top edge of the board, through the bracket and also through the aluminum backplate cut out at the end. In fact, the PCB is much shorter than the heat sink. It ends at the PCB’s two power connectors.
As previously mentioned, the rear of the board is protected by an imposing grey backplate. Its role is to prevent the PCB from twisting, but it also plays a thermal dissipation role, with the presence of pads between it and the PCB. We’ll judge the temperature of the latter during our tests. In terms of thickness, our sample occupies 3 slots.
The card also features a dual BIOS: Pmode (performance) and Qmode (quiet). By default, Pmode is selected, and in our opinion, this is the best choice, even though the differences between the two BIOSes are virtually non-existent.
Connectors :
To power our board, and this is excellent news, ASUS 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 power consumption of our TUF Gaming RX 7800 XT OC. 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.
ASUS has opted for DisplayPort 2.1 support on these new boards. 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.
[nextpage title=”Specifications and PCB:”]
Technical specifications:
In terms of frequency, here’s that of our TUF Gaming RX 7800 XT OC. The base frequency is announced at 2213 MHz, while the Boost peaks at 2520 MHz. This TUF therefore features factory overclocking, since the Boost frequency of the reference card is 2430 MHz. This should give us slightly better performance than the AMD RX 7800 XT. The 16 GB of G-DDR6 memory run at 2438 MHz (624 GB/s) on a 256-bit bus.
A quick run through GPU-Z to check that the information read is correct. Don’t forget that the latter will be superior in benchmarks, depending on the quality of your chip and cooling system.
[nextpage title=”Which power supply for this RX 7700 XT:”]
It’s only logical to ask what kind of power supply you’ll need to build a new configuration around either the RX 7700 XT or the RX 7800 XT. There are several ways of doing this, such as referring to AMD’s recommendations. In this case, AMD recommends a minimum 700-watt power supply for both the RX 7700 XT and the basic RX 7800 XT. We’ve been able to get our hands on various power supply models from Asus that would be perfectly suited to the TUF Gaming RX 7700 XT OC or the TUG Gaming RX 7800 XT OC. Both our Asus graphics cards are factory-pre-overclocked and will therefore require a little more power, especially if you intend to overclock the graphics chip as well as the other components of your configuration, like the processor for example.
ASUS also offers an online tool that lets you calculate the power you need to power your configuration. Simply specify the model of your processor and graphics card. You’ll then have a recommended power rating, as well as the option of indicating that you intend to overclock your configuration, thus increasing the power of the power supply.
Let’s take a look at the three PSU models we have available: the ROG LOKI SFX-L 850 watts Platinum, a ROG Strix 1000 watts Gold AURA Edition and finally the TUF Gaming 1000 watts Gold.
ROG LOKI SFX-L 850 watts Platinum:
Four power ratings have been announced: 750W, 850W, 1000W and 1200W. These should ensure good performance, since the “lowest” wattages are certified 80 Platinum. The 1200W version is off the beaten track, with a very, very high 80 Titanium certification! This means efficiency of at least 90%, even at 10% load!
Internally, ASUS once again selects quality components with low ESR Japanese capacitors. These capacitors are less prone to power loss and temperature rise. Speaking of temperatures, the brand once again uses very large internal heatsinks to improve cooling. Couple all this with a 120 mm Axial-Tech fan for efficient dissipation.
Finally, let’s not forget that these power supplies comply with the ATX 3.0 standard. They are therefore capable of outputting twice their power for a few microseconds. Likewise, they also feature a 12VHPWR cable capable of delivering 600W of power to power RTX 4000s.
ROG Strix 1000 watts Gold AURA Edition:
These power supplies come in three power ratings: 750W, 850W and 1000W. All are 80 Gold certified, ensuring 92% efficiency at 50% load. On the other hand, no matter how powerful the block, the casing is certainly well designed, but equally imposing. The 750W version is 18 cm deep!
The brand also distinguishes itself with a well-constructed interior. As usual, ASUS uses large internal heatsinks to improve cooling of the block’s heating elements. Still on the subject of cooling, the brand uses a 135 mm Axial-Tech fan with semi-passive operation. As a result, ventilation is cut off at up to 50% load, ensuring maximum silence.
For the electrical part, the Taiwanese brand opts for a single 12V rail. In terms of electrical protection, we have OPP, OVP, UVP, SCP, OCP and OTP. And, of course, ATX 3.0 compliance enables the blocks to deliver 200% of their power over a short period of time. Last but not least, there’s the indispensable 12VHPWR 16-pin connector to power an RTX 40… and everything else in between.
TUF Gaming 1000 watts Gold:
The brand offers a total of three power supplies. The power ratings are 750W, 850W and 1000W. Naturally, they comply with the new ATX 3.0 standard and feature the famous 12VHPWR connector. So you’ll be able to power your RTX 40 without the need for a dubious adapter.
On the electrical side, the first thing to note is the 92% efficiency thanks to 80 Gold certification. Otherwise, the construction seems to inspire confidence, thanks to Japanese capacitors. Likewise, the PCB benefits from a coating that protects it from moisture, dust and other debris. Short circuits are thus avoided. Otherwise, all these models benefit from a single 12V rail and the following protections: OPP, OVP, UVP, SCP, OCP and OTP.
Finally, ventilation is provided by a 135 mm fan with double ball bearings. This Axial-Tech mill should work actively.
[nextpage title=”The test configuration: “]
As we said in the introduction, we’re (once again) busy updating all our graphics using the latest drivers from NVIDIA, AMD and now, of course, INTEL. We’ve also taken the opportunity to slightly modify our test configuration. So here we go again, with a new series of tests and graphics on this slightly modified configuration:
- Motherboard: ROG Maximus Z690 APEX
- Processor: Intel Alder Lake i9-12900K
- Memory : 32 GB Corsair Vengeance 5200 CL38 DDR5
- Graphics card: ASUS TUF Gaming RX 7800 XT OC
- Cooling system : Asus ROG Ryujin II 360
- SSD: Western Digital Black SN750 2 TB EKWB radiator
- Power supply: Corsair AX1600i adapter 12VHPWR 600W
- Operating system: Windows 11 64-bit
For this test, we used a high-end configuration featuring an i9-12900K processor and DDR5. The use of a 144 Hz 4K display is also a sine qua non. For our tests, we’re using the ROG PG27UQ.
As we said in the introduction to this article, all our tests have been redone over the last few days with all our cards and with the latest drivers available!
The drivers used are the latest for each manufacturer, with the Adrenalin-Edition 23.20.01.05 for testing these new boards.
Our test protocol:
All cards are tested at stock frequencies and without any optimization. For the various benchmarks, whether synthetics or games, we’ll opt for 1080p, 1440p and 2160p resolutions, depending on the card’s performance. Here, with this model, we’ll be using 1440p definitions for rasterization and ray tracing , as we feel this is the most appropriate.
As you can see, we’re now running Windows 11, and we’ve activated the ” ReSize BAR ” in the BIOS, which can be seen in GPU-Z. Now that you know everything about our test configuration, it’s time to get started!
Please note: the RX 6800 XT in our test tables is the ROG RX 6800 XT LC Strix Gaming OC version, which benefits from a liquid cooling system and also boasts much higher frequencies than the reference card.
[nextpage title=”Synthetic benchmarks: “]
Our first series of tests is dedicated to synthetic benchmarks. These are often used for overclocking competitions, but are also very interesting for comparing different GPUs. We’ll be focusing on benchmarks from the 3DMark series.
We’ll be testing the following benchmarks:
- Fire Strike (1080p)
- Fire Strike Ultra (2160p)
- Time Spy (1440p)
- Time Spy Extreme (2160p)
- 3DMark Speed Way (1440p)
- DirectX Raytracing
- Intel XeSS
- 3DMark DLSS Feature Test (2160p)
3DMark Fire Strike and Fire Strike Ultra :
Let’s start with 3DMark Fire Strike, one of today’s most widely used benchmarks. It consists of two graphics tests, a CPU test and a fourth test that combines GPU and CPU. Don’t forget to deactivate the demo, which makes no contribution to the final score and prolongs the benchmark’s duration (unnecessarily). The version used for these tests is, of course, the latest.
Our first benchmark is with the TUF Gaming RX 7800 XT OC, and it gets off to a strong start, beating the RTX 4070 by 2914 points.
Under Fire Strike Ultra, the results are identical, but let’s not forget that the Fire Strike series of benchmarks is well in favor of AMD cards.
3DMark Time Spy and Time Spy Extreme:
The second test is 3DMark Time Spy. Although this one is performed in 1440p, its main feature is that it uses DirectX 12. It consists of two graphics tests and a CPU test. As with Fire Strike, don’t forget to disable the demo. The first two benchmarks are provided by UL Benchmark.
The performance obtained in Time Spy is often representative of what we’ll get in games. Here, our sample of the day scores 19729 points, putting it ahead of the RTX 4070. We should therefore have an RX 7800 XT ahead of the RTX 4070 in rasterized games.
Under 3DMark Time Spy Extreme, we obtain a good score of 9338 points, representing a performance gain of 8.6% over NVIDIA’s RTX 4070.
3DMark Speed Way
Ulbenchmark’s latest benchmark, and it’s nice to be able to say that we’re going to have a good time on this Speed Way. It uses DirectX 12 and defaults to 1440p. We haven’t modified anything, so we’re using the original benchmark.
Here, too, our TUF Gaming RX 7800 XT OC scores 3929 points, putting it behind the RTX 4070 for the first time. In this benchmark, NVIDIA cards fare best.
3DMark DirectX Raytracing:
UL Benchmarks has added a new test to its series of benchmarks for measuring Ray Tracing performance. The idea is to use the 3DMark DirectX Ray Tracing test to compare the performance of Ray Tracing hardware dedicated to graphics cards from AMD and NVIDIA, and now also from Intel!
The 3DMark DirectX Ray Tracing test is designed to make Ray Tracing the limiting factor. Instead of relying on traditional rendering, the entire scene is traced and drawn in a single pass. The test result will depend entirely on Ray Tracing performance. This makes it easy to measure and compare the performance of different cards.
This benchmark has always been dominated by NVIDIA cards, and so our sample of the day logically lags behind with a score of 33.2 FPS, but this still puts it ahead of the previous generation, the RX 6800 XT, as well as the RX 6950 XT!
3DMark Intel XeSS
UL Benchmarks, in collaboration with Intel, will be adding this new benchmark to the 3DMark suite. We had early access to this new test for our tests. This Intel XeSS test is designed to evaluate and compare the performance and image quality of XeSS (Xe Super Sampling). There are four XeSS modes to choose from: Ultra Quality, Quality, Balanced and Performance. The 3DMark inspection tool helps you compare image quality with a side-by-side view of XeSS rendering and native resolution rendering. You need a graphics card that supports Intel XeSS to run this test.
So we’ll have two scores, a number of FPS with XeSS disabled and then, on the right, with XeSS enabled. The mode chosen is “Ultra Quality”, which is actually the benchmark’s default mode.
In this new benchmark, all graphics cards without exception benefit from XeSS, but it’s Intel that reaps the greatest gain. ARC models see a gain of 50%, while NVIDIA and AMD models see a gain of between 25 and 35%.
[nextpage title=”1440p gaming performance: “]
We decided to select six games as being sufficiently representative. We opted for DirectX12 and Vulkan, with the following games:
- The Division 2 (DirectX 12)
- Borderlands 3 (DirectX 12)
- Red Dead Redemption II ( Vulkan)
- Far Cry 6 (DirectX 12)
- Watch Dogs: Legion (DirectX 12)
- Cyberpunk 2077 (DirectX12)
We’ve chosen to use the built-in benchmarks for these games.
Why do we do this? Quite simply to enable you to compare your results with ours if you also own a copy of one of these games. It’s a thought-provoking idea that will enable you to compare your results with ours.
As we mentioned on page 4 of this article, we have activated the Resizable Bar in the BIOS, which is now supported by all (recent) GPUs. Last but not least, we’ve opted for 1080p and 1440p resolution only, which is what you’d expect from these cards.
The Division 2:
The Division 2 will be tested under DirectX 12. As far as graphics parameters are concerned, they will be set to ” ultra ” mode, with vertical synchronization deactivated.
First game and our TUF Gaming RX 7800 XT OC is slightly ahead of the RTX 4070 Founders Edition, at least for the reference card. Clearly, models with factory overclocking have a slight edge over NVIDIA’s reference card.
Borderlands 3:
For the second game, we switch to Borderlands 3. Graphics options are set to ” Brutal “. It’s worth noting that Borderlands 3 is quite greedy, and this choice of settings has quite a strong impact on FPS. It’s a game that’s often praised in announcements of new graphics cards, and precisely in this Brutal mode.
Performance here is excellent, with our TUF Gaming RX 7800 XT OC outperforming the RTX 4070 in 1440p. The two factory-overclocked cards still manage to grab extra FPS.
Red Dead Redemption 2:
The third and by no means least important game, Red Dead Redemption II on PC. The advantage of this opus is the possibility of testing the integrated Vulkan benchmark. We opt for the ” ultra ” graphics options.
Third and by no means least, RDR2 offers the possibility of testing the integrated Vulkan benchmark. Performance is once again identical to what we’ve already experienced with our RX 7800 XTs ahead of the RTX 4070, with a gain of up to 8%. Note, however, that there are also factory-overclocked RTX 4070 cards, which could reduce the gap between the cards.
Far Cry 6:
Far Cry 6 supports DXR and SFR from AMD. You’ll find more on this on the next page. For our benchmarks, we opted for ” ultra” graphics quality.
Even though our report on this game showed an advantage for the RX 6000 cards, our TUF Gaming RX 7800 XT OC once again came out on top, dominating not only the RTX 4070 but also and above all the previous-generation RX 6800 XT.
Watch Dogs Legion:
Last but not least, Watch Dogs Legion will also be used for our Ray Tracing tests. For our benchmarks, we have opted for ” very high” graphics quality.
In the Watch Dogs Legion benchmark, we are obliged to set the graphics quality to “very high” rather than “ultra”, as the benchmark then tells us that the 8 GB of memory is not enough. The situation remains the same with the RX 7800 XT in first place.
Cyberpunk 2077:
Here’s a game we’ve been wanting to add for a while, and now we’ve done it, with an integrated benchmark. We’ll also be using this game for our Ray Tracing tests. For our benchmarks, we’ve opted for “ultra” graphics quality.
New and final benchmark for this panel of games. At 1440p, we obtain an average of 98.5 FPS, which means we still have room to push a few graphics options!
Game average:
For the gaming average, the RTX 3070 was still the reference card in 1440p definition. Other cards score either higher or lower, depending on their performance against this model.
These are excellent results for the TUF Gaming RX 7800 XT OC, which positions itself as the new queen of 1440p definition in rasterization, i.e. without enabling ray tracing or DLSS/FSR in our games. This is what we’ll be assessing on the next page. If we weigh up the prices at this point in the article, the reference RX 7800 XT will be sold at 549 euros, while the RTX 4070 Founders Edition is priced at 659 euros. The price difference is therefore quite substantial, and in favor of the reds, if we stay with rasterization.
[nextpage title=”Ray tracing and DLSS/FSR 1440p performance:”]
Let’s take a look at the seven games we’ve selected that support Ray Tracing and DLSS, as well as AMD’s FSR in some cases, and Intel’s new XeSS technology, which is supported by Shadow Tomb Raider and Hitman 3. As we’ve already reminded you, while DLSS remains the property of NVIDIA, FSR and XeSS can be used with all cards from AMD, Intel and even NVIDIA.
The seven DirectX 12 games we’ll be testing with ray tracing and DLSS, FSR or XeSS are :
- ups of the Tomb Raider (DLSS)
- Watch Dogs: Legion (DLSS)
- Metro Exodus PC Enhanced Edition (DLSS)
- Far Cry 6 (DLSS – FSR)
- Cyberpunk 2077 (DLSS 3 – FSR)
- Hitman 3 (DLSS 3 – XeSS)
- Forza Horizon 5 (DLSS 3)
No change for this new series of games, as we’re sticking with 1080p definition. Depending on the card, we’ll be using DLSS for NVIDIA and either FSR or XeSS for AMD models. If FSR is not available in a game, then we’ll give our AMD card the benefit of XeSS technology.
DLSS 3: watch out for our results!
As you know, NVIDIA unveiled DLSS 3 with the arrival of the RTX 4000 graphics cards, and in particular with the launch of the RTX 4090 version. So why the warning? Because NVIDIA now offers DLSS 3 support on many games, but this is only supported by RTX 4000s. To put it simply, if we test a game that benefits from DLSS 3, our RTX 4060 Ti will take advantage of it, but an RTX 30xx will make do with DLSS 2, resulting in even greater discrepancies.
We currently have three games that support DLSS 3, and we’ll be increasing this number over the coming weeks. Updating all our graphics to 1080p and 1440p has taken us a long time. You can find the list of compatible games here.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider:
The first game we’ve added to this comparison supports Ray Tracing and DLSS 2.0. The game features three Ray Tracing levels (medium – high – ultra) and four DLSS levels (performance – quality – balanced – ultra performance).
For our benchmarks, we opted for ” very high ” graphics quality, ” ultra ” Ray Tracing and ” balanced ” DLSS.
With Ray Tracing set to ultra, an average of 107 FPS is achieved. Ray tracing performance is identical with the RTX 4070, but DLSS 2.0 proves far more interesting than FSR 1 in this game. The graph speaks for itself.
Watch Dogs Legion:
The second game, Watch Dogs Legion supports Ray Tracing and DLSS 2.0. It proves to be one of the most demanding games of the moment. The game features three Ray Tracing levels (medium – high – ultra) and four DLSS levels (performance – quality – balanced – ultra performance).
For our benchmarks, we opted for very high graphics quality, ” high ” Ray Tracing and ” balanced ” DLSS.
Our TUF Gaming RX 7800 XT OC is starting to suffer slightly, although the 60 FPS barrier is still reached. In this game, there’s no FSR or XeSS to benefit AMD cards. It’s DLSS alone that enables the RTX 4070 to go from 69 to 101 FPS.
Metro Exodus PC Enhanced Edition:
Third game to support DLSS 2.0. We’ve devoted an article to it. The game offers three levels of Ray Tracing and four levels of DLSS (performance – quality – balanced – ultra performance).
For our benchmarks, we opted for ultra graphics quality, ” ultra ” Ray Tracing and DLSS in ” balanced ” mode.
We continue with the greedy games and here a score of 61 FPS for our ATUF Gaming RX 7800 XT OC. Cards with factory overclocking manage to exceed 60 FPS. As with the previous game, with no upscaling technology to boost FPS for AMD cards, it’s all good for the RTX 4070.
Far Cry 6:
Far Cry 6 supports DXR as well as AMD’s FSR, but not DLSS.
For our benchmarks, we opted for Ultra graphics quality, activated both DRX options and FSR in ” balanced ” mode.
In Far Cry 6, FSR is the only choice available to boost FPS after enabling Ray Tracing. So all our cards can benefit, regardless of manufacturer. So our RX 7800 XTs manage to stay the course and take the lead again.
Cyberpunk 2077:
A new game we’ve added, with DLSS and FSR enabled in its settings. Note that this is the first game to enable DLSS3 for RTX 40xx graphics cards.
For our benchmarks, we opted for “high” graphics quality, “medium” Ray Tracing and ” balanced ” DLSS/FSR.
This is the most demanding game, where our cards have great difficulty keeping up. Here, an average of 39.9 FPS is achieved. FSR 2.1 works perfectly here, as we almost reach 70.2 FPS when activated. The RTX 4070 fares better in ray tracing, but with the new DLSS 3, FPS figures soar. It’s about time AMD rolled out its FSR 3.0.
Hitman 3:
Hitman 3 is now compatible with DLSS, FSR and XeSS technology. Depending on the model of card tested, we opt for one of these three technologies.
For our benchmarks, we opted for “high” graphics quality, ” enabled ” Ray Tracing and ” balanced ” DLSS/Xess.
We find ourselves back in the familiar situation of our AMD RX 7800 XTs dropping below 60 FPS with ray tracing enabled, but gaining a not inconsiderable number of additional FPS thanks to FSR. Even so, the RTX 4070 is still the best performer.
Forza Horizon 5:
The latest game to be added to our panel, as it is now compatible with DLSS 3 technology. For our benchmarks, we opted for ” extreme ” graphics quality, ” extreme ” Ray Tracing and ” balanced ” DLSS/Xess.
This new game, which also supports DLSS 3 as well as XeSS and FSR 2.2. It’s this that will enable our TUF Gaming RX 7800 XT OC to go from 126 FPS to 133 FPS when activated. Strangely, the gain is non-existent when the game is up to date. On the NVIDIA side, DLSS 3 still shows its potential.
So raytracing with the TUF Gaming RX 7800 XT OC:
Of our seven games tested, our TUF Gaming RX 7800 XT OC almost always manages to hang on to the 60 FPS average, and if it doesn’t, FSR or XeSS are there to ensure it. Overall, we can see that in this type of test, the RTX 4070 is more at ease, especially with DLSS, which is uncompromising when it comes to version 3.0.
[nextpage title=”Temperature, power consumption and nuisances: “]
Temperature:
To record temperatures, we opted for the Superposition stress test in Extreme mode. We opted for three 5-minute runs with 10-minute intervals between each test. We took advantage of this benchmark to record the graphics card’s power consumption for the table above.
To find out the Idle temperature, after completing the three stress test loops, we let the card rest for 20 minutes before taking the temperature reading. Bear in mind that most boards benefit from “0 dBa” technology, so the fans cut out below a certain temperature, often between 50 and 55°C. It therefore takes longer to dissipate heat after a period of stress testing or gaming. A card that does not benefit from this technology will be noisier than others at rest. A quick reminder: our temperature readings are taken in Open-Air. In a closed case, the cards will inevitably be warmer.
Not surprisingly, the difference in temperature between AMD’s reference card, the RX 7800 XT, and our custom model is unmistakable. The TUF Gaming RX 7800 XT OC, with its “in-house” cooling system, naturally performs better. It remains to be seen how much these custom models will cost.
Power consumption (full configuration):
We use a wattmeter to measure power consumption at the output of our PSU. Our modular power supply is a CORSAIR AX1600i. The result is the average total power consumption of our configuration. Only the graphics card changes between each reading. So it’s easy to calculate the difference between each graphics card.
Good news as far as power consumption is concerned. Even though it’s much higher than the RTX 4070, it’s lower than the RX 6800 XT, and therefore improving. As a reminder, this is the total power consumption of our configuration. Of course, we’d have liked an even better result, but that doesn’t seem to be a negative point.
[nextpage title=”The final word: “]
The 7800 XT, the new queen of 1440p rasterization:
Now it’s time to give you our impressions of this TUF Gaming RX 7800 XT OC, which, let’s not forget, is intended for 1440p definition. One thing’s for sure: we’ve got a lot to say about this new AMD graphics card. Let’s start with its performance in 1440p rasterization, which is quite simply excellent and puts it ahead of NVIDIA’s RTX 4070. You won’t have to compromise on graphics options to play in this definition.
Our two factory-overclocked cards still manage to grab extra FPS, but above all have a more efficient cooling system.
Ray tracing, NVIDIA still ahead thanks to DLSS:
With ray tracing enabled, our TUF Gaming RX 7800 XT OC still manages to hold its own against the RTX 4070, usually averaging 60 FPS. When this isn’t the case, if the game features FSR or XeSS, these upscaling technologies enable a not inconsiderable gain in FPS. Despite this, it’s still the RTX 4070 that fares best with active ray tracing. The arrival of DLSS 3.0 allows NVIDIA to crush the competition in games like Cyberpunk 2077 or Hitman 3. We’d really have liked to see the potential of AMD’s FSR 3.0 land at the same time as this launch, knowing that NVIDIA is already working on version 3.5 of its DLSS.
A very competitive card!
At present, the RTX 3070 Founders Edition is still our reference model for 1440p definition, and was launched at 519 euros in October 2020. Here we are in September 2023, three years later, with an AMD RX 7800 XT reference card priced at 549 euros, with far superior performance. For us, this is a near-perfect price, given that the RTX 4070 is priced at 659 euros and only 12 GB.
As for our TUF Gaming RX 7800 XT OC, ASUS tells us that the recommended retail price is 624.99 euros, i.e. an extra 70 euros for the in-house PCB and excellent cooling system. If we look at the price of the equivalent TUF model on the RTX 4070, we’re looking at around 750 euros. In our opinion, the AMD model remains much more competitive than the NVIDIA model. NVIDIA still has the DLSS advantage, but we believe it will have to review its prices in the days to come, as AMD’s competition holds its own.
All in all, good news, since it’s the future buyer who should be rubbing his hands. Don’t hesitate to wait a few days if you’ve decided to change your graphics card, to see how the prices will behave. Don’t hesitate to wait a few days if you’ve decided to change your graphics card, to see how prices behave.
NVIDIA’s reaction:
Well, it’s already started, with the price of the RTX 4060 Ti 16 GB dropping to 499.99 euros at selected retailers. This price cut will mainly serve to compete with the AMD RX 7700 XT 12 GB model, which is priced at 489 euros for the reference card. There’s no doubt that, knowing NVIDIA, we should be seeing announcements in the coming days in response to the performance of these two new boards, and in particular the RX 7800 XT. First prices are currently arriving on entry-level models for the RTX 4070 at 625 euros.
No overclocking?
No, we haven’t tested overclocking, as current drivers restrict the frequency to 2700 MHz. AMD is aware of the problem and will be proposing a corrective measure with future drivers. We’ll be offering you a dedicated test with ASUS’ GPU Tweak III software.
ASUS TUF Gaming RX 7800 XT OC:
We liked:
- A card that lets you take full advantage of 1440p without compromising on rasterization
- The sober design of the TUF Gaming series
- Classic 8-pin connectors
- Reliable noise levels
- The quality of the board’s design
- Excellent price/performance ratio
- FSR, which, when present, enables a gain in FPS
- 16 GB of memory
We would have liked :
- Power consumption has improved, but AMD still needs to do better
- FSR 3 to arrive at the same time as this TUF Gaming RX 7800 XT OC
Right up until the last minute, we hesitated to mention “our favorite”, so much so that this TUF Gaming RX 7800 XT OC has everything to please. Performance in 1440p rasterization is excellent, and the card manages to maintain almost 60 FPS when Ray Tracing is activated. Above all, this is the card with the best price/performance ratio in the RX 7000 range. The advertised price of 625 euros seems to us coherent with what this TUF Gaming RX 7800 XT OC has to offer.
Many thanks to ASUS for making this sample available.