AMD Radeon HD 7990 VS Nvidia RTX 4090 [The Real Battle]

With the new generation of flagship graphics cards from Nvidia and AMD made available to the public, the competition is once again heating up. The newly released AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX and the Nvidia RTX 4090 are fighting it out to take home the crown of the best graphics card for PC.

Both of these graphics cards are loaded to the brim with cutting-edge performance and industry-leading features. However, there can be only one graphic card that will get to sit on the best graphics card throne. So, let’s find out which GPU deserves your hard-earned money with the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX vs Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 showdown.

About AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX

AMD‘s latest high-end offering is the flagship RX Radeon 7900 XTX, which replaces the Rx 6900 XT as AMD’s top graphics card. It is based on the new RDNA 3 architecture, which is based on the latest 5nm node used by other AMD chips as well.
The RDNA 3 architecture uses AI accelerators to improve graphics card performance and efficiency.

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To get the most out of this new architecture, the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX has 6144 stream processors for optimal performance. It also comes with a 24 GB GDDR6 VRAM, which is based on a 384-bit reference design. As a result, the AMD RX 7900 XTX has a bandwidth carrying capacity of 960 GB/s. At its peak, the AMD RX 7900 XTX draws 350 TDP.

About Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 is the flagship GPU in the 4000 series. It replaces the RTX 3090 and is based on Nvidia’s new Ada architecture, which includes a neuron core for greater AI processing. The main performance gains from the Ada architecture come with AI computing and ray tracing.

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Like the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 comes with 24 GB of VRAM. However, it uses the faster GDDR6X memory as opposed to the GDDR6 memory in the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX. 

Due to the faster memory, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 has a higher maximum bandwidth capacity, clocking in at 1,008 GB/s as opposed to the 960 GB/s of the AMD Radeon HD RX 7900 XTX. The faster memory and higher bandwidth require more power. Therefore, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 has a TDP of 450 W.

Performance

The Geforce RTX 4090 and the Radeon RX 7900 XTX are the best-performing graphics cards each brand has to offer. However, when placed head-to-head, the battle there is a stark difference in the performance of the two graphics cards.

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 has a better performance compared to the Radeon RX 7900 XTX, and the lead for team green widens when it comes to ray tracing performance. AMD needs to improve its abysmal ray tracing performance if it is to compete with Nvidia’s ray tracing performance.

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The normal performance without DLSS or FSR enabled is also better on the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 as compared to the Radeon RX 7900 XTX.

Having said that, both of these graphics cards perform very differently in individual workloads. So, we have studied these two graphic cards thoroughly and will compare the performance of these two graphic cards in various workloads and games. Keep reading to find out.

Price

The price is another very important factor for gamers. Ideally, a graphics card should have a good mix of performance and value. The Radeon RX 7900 XTX is the value-to-performance king and has a significant advantage over the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090. AMD has kept pricing relatively competitive and set a $999 MSRP for the RX 7900 XTX in response to the exuberantly high $1599 price tag set by Nvidia for the GeForce RTX 4090.

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So, the most important question is whether paying $600 more for the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 over the Radeon RX 7900 XTX is justifiable for an increase in performance. We will leave that to you to decide. However, we have provided a list of specifications to help with the decision-making.

Specifications

AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX Specifications
RX 7900 XTX
RDNA 3 architecture
24GB VRAM
6144 Stream processors
GDDR6 memory
355W TDP
960 GB/s bandwidth
384-bit memory bus

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 Specifications
RTX 4090
Ada Architecture
24GB VRAM
16,384 CUDA cores
GDDR6X memory
450W TDP
1,008 GB/s bandwidth
384-bit memory bus

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX and the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 share a similar set of specifications. However, there is some variation in the specs that leads to differences in output. While both the GPUs have 24 GB of VRAM, the RTX 4090 comes with faster GDDR6X memory compared to the GDDR6 memory on the AMD.

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The RTX 4090 is also built on a 4nm node, while the RX 7900 XTX is built on a 5nm node. The power consumption of both GPUs is also different. The RX 7900 XTX is more efficient than the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090.

3D Mark Results

3D Mark is a popular testing software that emulates gaming performance. The Nvidia RTX 4090 scored 32000 points in the 3D Mark Time Spy test results. In comparison, the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX scored 25000 points in the 3D Mark Time Spy test. Based on the results, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 is a faster graphics card compared to the RX Radeon 7900 XTX.

Size

The RX 7900 XTX has a length of 287 mm, and the reference model comes in a dual-fan configuration. On the contrary, the Nvidia RTX 4090 has a length of 304 mm, and the reference model comes in a single fan configuration. The RX 7900 XTX uses 2.5 slots, while the RTX 4090 uses 3 slots. So, the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX is more compact and should fit a broad range of PC cases, as opposed to the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090.

Game Performance

The following are the gaming results of the Radeon RX 7900 XTX and the Nvidia RTX 4090.

GTA 5

Despite being a decade-old game, GTA 5 is still one of the most popular and demanding titles around. Both of these graphics cards can easily run GTA 5. At 1080p resolution, the Nvidia RTX 4090 delivers 210 FPS while the Radeon RX 7900 XTX delivers 175 FPS. On 1440p, gamers can expect 160 frames per second with the Nvidia RTX 4090 and 148 frames per second with the Radeon RX 7900 XTX.

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At 4K resolution, the RTX 4090 delivers 140 FPS at ultra settings. Radeon RX 7900 XTX is slower and delivers 124 fps. At all resolutions, both these graphics cards keep the FPS above 100 in GTA 5. Therefore, you will get a great gaming experience with either of the GPUs.

WarZone 2.0

Call of Duty is yet another win for the Nvidia RTX 4090. However, in this game, AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX closes the frame rate gap quite considerably. Radeon RX 7900 XTX delivers 205 fps, while the Nvidia RTX 4090 delivers 208 fps.

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At 1440p resolution, the lead for the Nvidia RTX 4090 starts increasing as it delivers 198 fps, while the Radeon RX 7900 XTX manages to deliver 190 fps in comparison. The same story continues at 4K resolution. The Nvidia RTX 4090 delivers 190 fps in comparison to the 179 fps delivered by the Radeon RX 7900 XTX.

Fortnite

Fortnite is not a very challenging game, so both of these graphics cards fare quite well in it. At 1080p resolution, both the RTX 4090 and the RX 7900 XTX deliver 170 fps, respectively, which is quite impressive. At 1440p resolution, the frame rate remains above 130.

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Hence, gamers will be able to use a 144 Hz monitor with it. At 4K resolution, the RTX 4090 starts to dominate the Radeon RX 7900 XTX, with the former gaining a 7 fps lead over the latter. The Nvidia RTX 4090 delivers 75 fps while its Radeon RX 7900 XTX counterpart manages only 68 fps.

Destiny 2

Destiny 2 is a toss-up between the Nvidia RTX 4090 and the Radeon RX 7900 XTX. At 1080p resolution, the Radeon RX 7900 XTX delivers 232 fps as opposed to the 225 FPS delivered by the Nvidia RTX 4090.

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RTX 4090 regains its lead over RX 7900 XTX at 1440p resolution as they deliver 210 and 202 frames per second respectively. The frame rate is tied at 4Kk resolution, with both graphics cards delivering an average of 180 frames per second.

CyberPunk 2077

CyberPunk 2077 is a title that heavily favors the Nvidia RTX 4090. On a 1080p resolution, the Nvidia RTX 4090 delivers 173 fps as opposed to the 163 fps on the Radeon RX 7900 XTX. At higher resolutions, the Nvidia GPU maintains its lead. At 1440p, gamers can expect 170 fps from the RTX 4090 and 143 fps from the Radeon RX 7900 XTX, respectively.

At 4K resolution, the RTX 4090 delivers 92 fps while the Radeon RX 7900 XTX delivers 62 fps on average. With ray tracing set to ultra at 4K resolution, the Frame rate on both the graphics cards takes a massive hit. The RTX 4090 manages only 42.9 fps while the Radeon RX 7900 XTX caps out at 21.5 fps.

League of Legends

League of Legends is an Esports game that poses no threat to either of these graphics cards. At 1080p resolution, gamers can expect 410 FPS from the Nvidia RTX 4090 and 385 FPS from the Radeon RX 7900 XTX respectively. 

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At 1440p resolution, the frame rate obtained is 320 fps and 300 fps for RTX 4090 and Radeon RX 7900 XTX, respectively. 4K benchmarks also paint the same picture. RTX 4090 is ahead with 250 fps, while the Radeon RX 7900 XTX only manages to muster 235 frames per second.

Frequently Asked Questions 

FAQ 1: Which one is the better graphics card, AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX or Nvidia RTX 4090?
Answer: Based on the performance ratings, the Nvidia RTX 4090 is a better graphics card as it has a performance lead over the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX by 14 -18 % on average. However, considering that the RTX 4090 costs $600 more than the Radeon RX 7900 XTX, the marginal performance difference is not justified.

FAQ 2: What is the Difference between DLSS 3 and FSR 3?
Answer: The DLSS 3 and the FSR 3 are proprietary AI super sampling and upscaling technologies of Nvidia and AMD, respectively. The DLSS 3 uses Nvidia’s Frame Generation with the 4-generation Tensor Cores to achieve better upscaling. AMD relies on its Fluid Motion Frame Technology. While being named differently, the purpose of both the DLSS 3 and FSR 3 is the same. They upscale resolution by generating “AI” frames that fill in the pixels, thus, putting less stress on the GPU.

A comparative analysis of AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX vs Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 is all you need to make an informed choice. For more such information you can visit our site omggamer.com where we post news and the latest updates on gaming, upcoming games, gaming builds, and much more.