AMD launches the "$350" Radeon RX 9060 XT with 16GB of VRAM

[ad_1] Editor's take: AMD has unveiled the Radeon RX 9060 XT, which is available in a nasty model and a great model. The dangerous model is, after all, the 8GB mannequin, and the nice model – or doubtlessly good, relying on the way it performs – is the 16GB mannequin. AMD has copied Nvidia's RTX 5060 Ti homework right here, giving each fashions the identical identify, which is certain to make it tougher for customers to search out the nice model.

The Radeon RX 9060 XT will turn into obtainable on June 5, priced at $300 for the 8GB mannequin and $350 for the 16GB graphics card. AMD's most important focus throughout its presentation was on the 16GB variant, which they're claiming would be the dominant, extra widespread card in western markets, and with this pricing, it will likely be the most cost effective current-generation 16GB graphics card.

Primarily, the RX 9060 XT is half of the RX 9070 XT. It makes use of a brand-new Navi 44 die, which has half the core and reminiscence configuration of Navi 48 at practically half the die dimension – it is ended up at 199 sq mm. As an alternative of receiving 4096 shader items in 64 SMs, Navi 44 supplies 2048 shader items in 32 SMs. The reminiscence bus has additionally been slashed from 256-bit to 128-bit, although 20 Gbps GDDR6 continues to be being utilized right here. This ends in 320 GB/s of reminiscence bandwidth – once more, half that of the flagship RDNA4 mannequin.

AMD has not supplied sport clock data for this GPU but, however the enhance clock is listed at 3.13 GHz, which is a bit greater than the 9070 XT's 2.97 GHz. We're additionally getting a PCIe 5.0 x16 interface – not x8, which is sweet information for these with older PCIe 4.0 or 3.0 motherboards – together with DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR13.5 and HDMI 2.1. The 9060 XT has one much less show output than the Navi 48 fashions, with one HDMI and two DisplayPorts.

Whole board energy is listed as a spread of 150 to 182 watts. That is as a result of 16GB mannequin having extra reminiscence chips and better general board energy. Nevertheless, we have been instructed the GPU itself is an identical no matter which reminiscence configuration you get – identical GPU energy, identical core configuration, and clock speeds.

So once more, primarily this card is roughly half that of the RX 9070 XT, particularly for the 8GB mannequin, which additionally halves the reminiscence capability.

With half the {hardware}, it is smart to anticipate the RX 9060 XT to ship round half the efficiency of the RX 9070 XT. AMD is claiming the 9060 XT 16GB can be round 6% sooner than the RTX 5060 Ti 8GB on common throughout a 40-game pattern examined at 1440p utilizing extremely settings.

Now, you may discover they're evaluating their 16GB mannequin in opposition to Nvidia's 8GB mannequin – that is as a result of they're the closest in worth. I requested AMD about whether or not that might even be true evaluating 16GB vs 16GB, they usually stated we should always anticipate each the 9060 XT and 5060 Ti to supply related efficiency.

Based mostly on our testing of different fashions, this might make the 9060 XT about 35 to 40% slower than a 9070 XT – so a bit higher than half the efficiency from half the die dimension – and related efficiency to a Radeon RX 7700 XT from the earlier era.

When operating some calculations based mostly on AMD's claims – which, after all, you must take with a grain of salt – the 9060 XT ought to provide over 20% higher worth than the RTX 5060 Ti 16GB: related efficiency, however with the MSRP lower from $430 to $350.

When operating some calculations based mostly on AMD's claims – which, after all, you must take with a grain of salt – the 9060 XT ought to provide over 20% higher worth than the RTX 5060 Ti 16GB: related efficiency, however with the MSRP lower from $430 to $350. In fact, that is assuming each the AMD and Nvidia playing cards can be obtainable at these costs, one thing that is not usually the case lately, particularly in the US. It must also imply round 15% higher worth than the RTX 5060 Ti 8GB, however with the additional benefit of a extra appropriate 16GB reminiscence capability.

The 8GB card at $300 ought to provide round 20% higher worth than the RTX 5060 Ti 8GB as properly, although this card can be a lot much less interesting on account of its restricted VRAM at a excessive $300 worth level.

Actually, this card both should not exist or must be priced beneath $200, which might be unrealistic given the efficiency of the GPU itself. As we have stated many instances now, we strongly really feel $300 graphics playing cards ought to have greater than 8GB of reminiscence within the yr 2025. The saving grace right here is that Nvidia continues to be promoting an 8GB GPU for $380, which is even worse, whereas AMD's most costly 8GB card can be $300.

With the RX 9060 XT positioned as it's, it has the potential to kill the complete RTX 5060 collection. Together with claims of superior worth in comparison with the 5060 Ti, it must be higher worth than the RTX 5060. For an additional $50, evaluating MSRPs, the 16GB 9060 XT ought to provide double the VRAM and the next efficiency tier.

We all know the RTX 5060 performs across the degree of a 4060 Ti 8GB, however the 9060 XT must be extra like a 5060 Ti, which is 20% sooner. Additionally obtainable can be a card with the identical VRAM and worth because the 5060, however a tier greater in efficiency.

The opposite fascinating comparability to make is to the Radeon 7700 XT. Whereas this GPU launched at $450, it rapidly dropped to round $400 and was obtainable at that worth on the finish of 2024. Primarily, the RX 9060 XT is the successor to this mannequin, providing related raster efficiency, higher ray tracing efficiency, entry to FSR 4 upscaling, and an enchancment from 12GB to 16GB of VRAM for a $100 decrease MSRP and doubtlessly $50 decrease actual pricing.

That does not sound wonderful from a worth standpoint, however the 9060 XT is trying like a clearly superior product. However, it is also an improve from the 7600 XT, which was priced at $330. For $20 extra, AMD is claiming to supply the identical VRAM, higher options, and doubtlessly upwards of 30% extra efficiency.

Primarily, the RX 9060 XT is the successor to the 7700 XT, providing related raster efficiency, higher ray tracing efficiency, entry to FSR 4 upscaling, and an enchancment from 12GB to 16GB of VRAM for a $100 decrease MSRP and doubtlessly $50 decrease actual pricing.

Whereas we're actually liking the look of the 9060 XT and its $350 worth level for a 16GB GPU, the 8GB card merely should not have the identical identify – or not less than a reputation that's similar to the 16GB mannequin. This can be a large difficulty we had with the RTX 5060 Ti, the place the existence of a great mannequin and a nasty mannequin with the identical identify made it simple for customers to fall right into a lure of buying the horrible 8GB mannequin.

Usually the 8GB card would come up first at retailers when looking for the 5060 Ti, and since it was the most cost effective model, it might be probably the most attractive for avid gamers who weren't overly aware of the variations between 8GB and 16GB. These avid gamers would purchase the 8GB card and be left with a mannequin that is immediately out of date.

The very same points can be current with the RX 9060 XT 16GB and 8GB fashions, and this might have been simply prevented if AMD merely referred to as the 8GB mannequin one thing else, just like the "RX 9060" with out the XT on the finish. Now, possibly they're additionally planning to launch an RX 9060 sooner or later, however there's loads of numbers to make use of, and these two playing cards must be extra distinct so avid gamers do not fall right into a lure.

That is, after all, along with the truth that $300 for an 8GB card is an excessive amount of to pay, however I will not go over all of that once more.

On a extra constructive be aware, AMD made it very clear that they won't be making an attempt to bury or manipulate RX 9060 XT evaluations. With the launch date set at June fifth, reviewers may have entry to 9060 XT drivers – for each the 8GB and 16GB fashions – early subsequent week, giving every week and a half of pre-release entry. Samples must also be prepared very shortly, and there can be no restrictions on 8GB and 16GB sampling; each can be obtainable to check earlier than launch on request.

The main target can be on the 16GB graphics card they insist, however we not too long ago noticed an entire bunch of shenanigans from Nvidia referring to the 8GB RTX 5060 Ti and RTX 5060, together with stopping 8GB 5060 Ti samples from reaching media pre-launch and never operating a evaluation program in any respect for the 5060. AMD is doing none of that with this launch.

FSR Redstone

The opposite most important graphics-related announcement from AMD at Computex 2025 is FSR Redstone, the subsequent evolution of FSR that's coming within the second half of 2025. This can be a set of extra options coming to the FSR household, all of that are AI-based: there's neural radiance caching, ray regeneration – a.okay.a. AMD's model of Nvidia's ray reconstruction – and an up to date model of body era that makes use of AI to reinforce picture high quality.

We acquired some nonetheless picture examples of how these options will enhance ray-traced gaming. We're anticipating them to supply related benefits to different applied sciences available on the market as we speak, however for Radeon GPU homeowners.

Offered these applied sciences work properly, they need to permit AMD to shut the options hole with Nvidia, who depend on tech like ray reconstruction and AI-based body era for path-traced gaming.

As a result of the expertise is not anticipated till the second half of 2025, it is not clear how FSR Redstone can be built-in. With FSR 4 upscaling, proper now it is a driver-based toggle that converts FSR 3.1 implementations into AI-based FSR 4.

This may also be doable with AI-based FSR body era based mostly on what AMD was saying, however different options like neural radiance caching and ray regeneration may require sport integration and extra APIs. So we'll see how that goes later within the yr.

AMD additionally introduced that FSR 4 sport assist can be increasing to 60 titles on June 5, alongside the launch of the RX 9060 XT, which is comparatively good adoption given we noticed round 30 titles supported on the launch of the 9070 XT.

The largest weak spot AMD has with FSR 4 is not the standard of the expertise itself – which is superb – however sport assist in comparison with Nvidia's DLSS 4 and DLSS 3. If AMD can proceed this tempo of FSR 4 title assist, that can be nice information for Radeon patrons.