This is the GPU I’m most excited for in 2025 — and it’s not by Nvidia

The subsequent few months will fully redefine each rating of one of the best graphics playing cards. With Nvidia’s RTX 50-series and AMD’s RDNA 4 more than likely launching in January — and even Intel probably increasing its Battlemage lineup — there’s rather a lot to stay up for.

However as for me, I already know which GPU I’m most enthusiastic about. And no, it’s not Nvidia’s rumored almighty RTX 5090. The GPU I’m wanting ahead to is AMD’s upcoming flagship, which can presumably be the RX 8800 XT. Under, I’ll inform you why I feel this GPU goes to be so essential not only for AMD but in addition for your entire graphics card market.

Setting the tempo

Going into RDNA 3, many individuals thought that we’d see AMD compete towards Nvidia’s prime GPU. That didn’t occur, and it virtually definitely gained’t occur now. In reality, AMD is more likely to be behind not simply the RTX 5090 but in addition the RTX 5080.

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That’s not essentially unhealthy information. In reality, most leaks level to a GPU that’s going to hit the candy spot between high-end and finances; one thing able to operating new AAA video games with out being too overkill — and I’m all for that.

I’ve been preserving an in depth eye on all types of leaks in regards to the upcoming technology of AMD playing cards, and whereas specifics have been scarce, most tipsters are united in the concept that AMD is preserving issues extra mainstream this time round. AMD itself has stated as a lot, regardless of feedback from CEO Dr. Lisa Su who stated that RDNA 4 will ship “a powerful enhance in gaming efficiency.”

Proper now, every little thing we all know in regards to the RX 8000 collection comes down to a couple obscure statements, some rumors, and lots of guesses. However there’s one factor I do know for positive: These GPUs will set the tempo not only for AMD but in addition for its rivals.

Seeing the AMD flagship will dispel lots of doubt from the get-go. We’ll know the route AMD’s GPU enterprise is heading in, and simply that one resolution is sure to echo all through your entire GPU market.

We already know that AMD is making a daring resolution by not attempting to compete towards Nvidia’s future flagship. It’s sticking to midrange graphics playing cards, which signifies that RDNA 4 might be a complete new chapter for AMD. There might be no query as to which GPU will prime the charts — it’s going to be Nvidia’s RTX 5090, plain and easy.

GPUs just like the upcoming RTX 5090 are thrilling, that’s true. It’s laborious to disclaim that it’s thrilling to see a graphics card fully obliterate what we thought was unachievable just some years in the past. However how many individuals get these playing cards for gaming? Not that many. It’s the mainstream market that will get essentially the most traction.

Extra practical choices

12 months after yr, it’s GPUs alongside the likes of Nvidia’s RTX 3060 that prime the charts within the Steam {Hardware} Survey, and that’s largely as a result of most of us haven’t any use for top-shelf graphics playing cards and simply desire a day by day driver that may have the ability to run latest video games. One latest instance of how a midrange card can actually make all of the distinction is Intel’s Arc B580.

By itself, the Arc B580 is a reasonably unassuming GPU, with modest specs and efficiency near the Nvidia RTX 4060. However once you add the $250 price ticket to the equation, you’re instantly left with a graphics card that provides you lots of GPU energy at an inexpensive worth — and players are shopping for out the cardboard in document time.

Circling again to AMD, the RDNA 3 technology of GPUs was a bit all over by way of worth. Though a lot of the GPUs had been actually strong, a number of the pricing might have stunted their potential barely.

Take the RX 7900 XTX, for instance. It launched at $1,000, which was $200 cheaper than its fundamental competitor, the RTX 4080. However with comparable rasterization capabilities, worse ray tracing, and no DLSS 3 body technology, it wasn’t fairly sufficient to be thought-about a steal. Positive, it saved you $200, nevertheless it was nonetheless a reasonably costly GPU, all issues thought-about.

Alternatively, RDNA 3 supplied some graphics playing cards that I’d advocate to anybody, and that’s as a result of their worth was good. Take the RX 7800 XT or the RX 7900 GRE, for instance, each of which supplied an ideal mix of efficiency and cheap pricing. These had been the GPUs that players turned to in the event that they needed a value-oriented construct.

On this new technology, the place AMD itself says that it’s focusing on the mainstream market, we would see a shift within the earlier dynamic. Many individuals anticipate each the RTX 5090 and the RTX 5080 to be costly; it’s straightforward to think about that the RTX 5070 Ti gained’t be low cost, both. But when AMD manages to create a GPU that may supply comparable efficiency — this time with higher ray tracing — and costs it competitively … Effectively, we would have an identical scenario to Intel’s B580 on our fingers.

With comparable choices at lower cost factors, we would see players turning to AMD, permitting it to set the tone for the remainder of the GPU market. With extra competitors, we would even see Nvidia regulate its pricing, if solely just a bit bit. If AMD can supply one thing actually aggressive within the bracket the place players are the more than likely to purchase it, Nvidia would possibly start to really feel the warmth — and that’d be nice information for us all.

Higher or worse?

What can we anticipate from the RX 8800 XT, if that’s what it’ll find yourself being referred to as? Will they be extra aggressive with Nvidia than AMD’s current-gen playing cards?

The phrases of AMD CEO Lisa Su sound promising, what with the “robust efficiency enhance.” Nonetheless, efficiency achieve or not, we’re unlikely to see something a lot stronger than the RX 7900 XT, not less than by way of specs like VRAM or compute items (CUs). Even so, a slight enhance in VRAM will not be fully out of the query, as AMD is mostly way more beneficiant with reminiscence capability than Nvidia. Even the RX 7900 XT had 20GB, which is greater than Nvidia’s $1,000 RTX 4080 Tremendous, and simply 4GB lower than the ever-so-expensive RTX 4090.

I’m guessing that 16GB is an absolute minimal for the next-gen AMD flagship, however I may simply see 20GB or 24GB as a risk too, and that’s one thing to be enthusiastic about. Present AAA video games actually push VRAM necessities to the restrict, making it in order that 8GB GPUs are likely to wrestle with newer titles. A method or one other, I anticipate AMD’s RX 8800 XT to supply extra VRAM than a comparable card from Nvidia.

All in all, efficiency may find yourself being fairly nice. I’ve been preserving my expectations low after listening to that AMD is sitting out of the high-end race, however latest leaks have gotten my hopes up but once more.

Based on the newest rumors, the RX 8800 XT might supply a efficiency corresponding to Nvidia’s RTX 4080. That GPU is across the identical stage because the RX 7900 XTX in rasterization, and much forward in ray tracing.

Ray tracing is one space the place AMD will reportedly have a greater probability at success this time round. One leaker stated that the ray tracing efficiency of the RX 8800 XT was as much as 45% higher than the RX 7900 XTX in Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, and that’s an enormous distinction. Alternatively, it’s too quickly to belief these numbers blindly — RE 7 isn’t very demanding in the case of ray tracing, which makes it simpler to deal with for AMD GPUs than heavy-hitters like Cyberpunk 2077. Nonetheless, that’s sufficient to not less than present some hope.

Even when the ray tracing predictions don’t fairly pan out, AMD’s been clear on the truth that we will anticipate ray tracing enhancements in its next-gen GPUs. If all goes properly, we would get a substitute for the RTX 4080 with extra VRAM, comparable ray tracing, and higher worth.

Wait — will or not it’s of higher worth?

It’s all about worth

Worth is an extremely essential a part of the potential success of AMD’s RX 8800 XT and the remainder of the playing cards within the lineup (which proper now would possibly solely embrace the RX 8600/XT). Intel’s latest Battlemage launch confirmed simply how a lot efficiency per greenback issues within the mainstream market.

Intel’s Arc Alchemist, its first technology of mainstream graphics playing cards, didn’t obtain wherever close to the identical stage of curiosity as Battlemage. In reality, the demand for these GPUs will need to have come as a shock each to Intel and to retailers, as a result of it’s largely bought out proper now.

The nice and cozy reception that Battlemage acquired tells me that it’s clear that players are open to utilizing one thing aside from Nvidia. They simply want a bit of push.

The Nvidia bias is actual, however for some, it’s fading. I used to be this shut to selecting AMD once I constructed my present PC in late 2023. In reality, when AMD first introduced RDNA 3, my plan was to lastly ditch Nvidia and purchase the RX 7900 XTX. I used to be genuinely excited in regards to the card, and though the worth was a bit of increased than I anticipated, I used to be prepared to tug the set off and go for it.

However as soon as the GPUs launched and the primary opinions got here in, I began to doubt my earlier resolution. The RX 7900 XTX merely didn’t supply sufficient of a worth reduce versus the RTX 4080 for me to determine to surrender on DLSS 3 and ray tracing. If you’re spending over $1,000 on a GPU, you kind of anticipate to get all of it, and the RX 7900 XTX — whereas nice in its personal proper — does require some compromise. In the long run, I ended up (virtually begrudgingly) sticking with Nvidia.

All of it comes all the way down to the truth that AMD was capturing for the moon with the RX 7900 XTX, nevertheless it was nonetheless Nvidia that landed nearer to the goal. Consequently, many anticipated the 7900 XTX to be cheaper — nearer to the worth it sells for now, which is $870. At that worth, I’d have purchased it in a heartbeat.

AMD’s change of tempo for RDNA 4 provides me hope that this case might not repeat itself. Workforce Crimson shines on the midrange, with playing cards just like the RX 7800 XT main the cost towards Nvidia, and if that is AMD’s focus in 2025, the ensuing worth conflict could be nice for each side of the fence.

That’s largely why I’m so excited for the RX 8800 XT, in addition to the remainder of AMD’s RDNA 4 lineup. Nvidia’s been dominating the GPU market; in the meantime, AMD’s gaming enterprise suffered some main losses in 2024. However there’s lots of potential right here with AMD’s new strategy, and if the celebrities align, we would lastly see a contest that spurs Nvidia to maintain the costs cheap.

Yeah, I could be delusional if I’m relying on some severe competitors, given the market share distinction between the 2 firms. However I’ll keep delusional not less than a short while longer, as each AMD and Nvidia will announce their new graphics playing cards in early January. Till then, let me dream.