The video reviews AMD’s Radeon RX 970 graphics card, which is priced the same as NVIDIA’s RTX 5070 but offers only marginally better performance, particularly at 1440p, while struggling at 4K and in ray tracing scenarios. It suggests that the RX 970 XT is a better value option for consumers seeking improved performance for a slight price increase.
In the video, AMD’s new Radeon RX 970 and RX 970 XT graphics cards are discussed, highlighting the generally positive reception they received from reviewers and gamers. The focus shifts to the RX 970, which is priced at $550, the same as NVIDIA’s RTX 5070. The RX 970 is expected to outperform the RTX 5070, primarily due to its 16 GB of VRAM compared to the RTX 5070’s 12 GB. However, concerns arise about the RX 970’s value proposition, especially when considering its only marginally lower price compared to the more powerful XT version.
The video delves into benchmark performance comparisons across various games, revealing that the RX 970 performs comparably to the RTX 5070 in many titles, particularly at 1440p resolution. In games like “Marvel Rivals” and “Cyberpunk 2077,” the RX 970 shows competitive results, sometimes outperforming the RTX 5070 by a significant margin. However, at 4K resolution, the RX 970 struggles, sometimes trailing behind the RTX 5070, which raises questions about its performance at higher resolutions.
Thermal performance is also discussed, with all tested AIB models operating within acceptable temperature ranges. The RX 970 models showed varying clock speeds, with the Sapphire Pure RX 970 achieving the highest average clock. Despite some strong performance in certain games, the RX 970’s overall average performance is only slightly better than the RTX 5070, leading to concerns about whether it offers enough value to justify its MSRP.
The video further explores ray tracing performance, noting that the RX 970 struggles in titles like “Metro Exodus” and “Cyberpunk 2077” when ray tracing is enabled. In these scenarios, the RX 970’s performance is comparable to the RTX 5070 but generally falls short, emphasizing the limitations of AMD’s current architecture in handling ray tracing effectively. The discussion concludes that while the RX 970 has its strengths, particularly in rasterization performance, it does not excel in ray tracing capabilities.
Ultimately, the video suggests that if consumers are looking for value, they should consider the RX 970 XT instead, as it offers better performance for only a slight price increase. The RX 970’s positioning in the market raises questions about AMD’s pricing strategy, as it appears to repeat past mistakes by not offering enough differentiation from its higher-end model. The recommendation is clear: unless the RX 970 can be found at a significantly lower price, consumers would be better off opting for the RX 970 XT for a more worthwhile investment.