ASUS Radeon RX 9070 XT TUF Gaming OC Edition Video Card Review and Testing
In this review we will take a detailed look ASUS Radeon RX 9070 XT TUF Gaming OC Edition - a powerful video card RDNA 4 architecture, combining 4096 stream processors и 16 GB GDDR6 с 256-bit bus.
| APPEARANCE AND CHARACTERISTICS |
This section of our review highlights the main aspects of the ASUS Radeon RX 9070 XT TUF Gaming OC Edition, such as its appearance and hardware configuration.
| APPEARANCE |
Unpacking the video card starts with the outer packaging, and the ASUS Radeon RX 9070 XT TUF Gaming OC box immediately makes a solid impression. It is made in dark matte colors with accents on the metallic style and TUF series logos. The front side shows the video card itself with a triple fan, as well as OC Edition icons, ASUS AURA Sync support, and a proprietary utility. GPU Tweak III and 16 GB of memory. The box looks massive and solid, clearly aimed at the premium segment, while not visually overloaded. On the side there is a QR code leading to the support site, and the inscription "Switch to Radeon" - a reference to the transition of users from competing solutions. This design not only emphasizes the belonging to the TUF series, but also creates a feeling of reliability and technical rigor.
Opening the box confirms the first impression - the packaging is organized extremely neatly. Inside, the video card is securely fixed in a thick layer of molded foam material, and on top it is additionally protected by a tight lid. The card is placed in an antistatic bag, which is sealed and marked. It feels like the packaging will withstand any transport loads: even with careless delivery, the chance of damage is minimal. The internal compartment tightly fixes the card in a horizontal position, and separate pockets on the sides ensure a tight fit even with vibration. Visually, everything is done strictly and well, corresponding to the image of TUF Gaming as a series focused on reliability and harsh operating conditions.
The package includes several branded accessories: documentation in a black folder with the ASUS logo, a TUF GAMING sticker with a matte transparent base, a rigid stand for the video card (made in the style of the series) and a reusable cable tie. There are no power adapters or DisplayPort-to-HDMI - the manufacturer is guided by the fact that the user will use a modern power supply with a sufficient number of 8-pin connectors. The stand is made of transparent plastic with a print reminiscent of the markings of military equipment - this is a typical style of the series. Separately, it is worth noting the packaging of accessories - everything is laid out in bags and packed as neatly as possible. The overall package is minimalistic, but functional - nothing superfluous, everything is strict and to the point.
The graphics card itself makes an impressive impression. In front of us is a massive 3-fan cooler with a wide casing and metal trim, made in strict gray and black colors. The TUF logo is located on the side and on the central fan hub, and the inscriptions "GET TUF. GAME TOUGH" and "TUF GAMING" are visible along the edges. The fans operate on the basis of axial impellers with guide rings, characteristic of the series. The card takes up 3.15 slots in the case, and its weight is noticeable even when held manually - it is immediately clear that the cooling system is made with a reserve. The plastic is dense to the touch, with a pleasant texture, without glossy surfaces. All edges are verified, the assembly is monolithic - no backlash, creaks or gaps.
On the back side, there is a massive metal plate (backplate), complemented by perforations and the Radeon and TUF logos. Through the cutouts, you can see the radiator sections and the power part of the board. Closer to the front edge, there is a BIOS switch that allows you to choose between P MODE (performance) and Q MODE (quiet). It is recessed into the case and does not protrude outward, which eliminates accidental switching. In the center, there is a cross-shaped mounting base that fixes the radiator to the PCB, as well as a sticker with the model number and factory marking. In general, the back side of the card not only protects the board, but also serves as part of the heat dissipation due to the contact zone above the VRM and memory.
The power connectors are located at the top of the card, closer to the tail end. ASUS uses a familiar configuration - three 8-pin PCIe Power, which makes the card fully compatible with any current power supplies, without the need for 12VHPWR adapters. The connectors are slightly recessed into the casing, but are accessible for easy connection. This configuration provides a high current reserve and is suitable for manual overclocking. The power supply is conveniently organized: the connectors are located in one row, the cables do not bend and do not interfere with installation in standard ATX cases. ASUS uses metal reinforcement around the power supply area, preventing deformation of the board when connecting rigid cables.
On the side of the card is the branded inscription "RADEON" made in light gray embossing. Slightly to the left is the TUF logo and a characteristic industrial pattern with the coordinates of the ASUS headquarters. Massive heat pipes are visible, passing through the radiator along the entire length of the card. This design element emphasizes the industrial and utilitarian style of TUF, but at the same time looks elegant. Visually, it is clear that the radiator completely penetrates the card, providing uniform cooling of all components. The distance from the radiator to the shroud is small - air is effectively directed to the back of the card and is not lost in the empty volume.
The rear I/O plate is made of brushed stainless steel and contains four ports — three DisplayPort and one HDMI. The ventilation mesh takes up almost half the area and ensures the removal of hot air into the case. All connectors are arranged in one row, are easily accessible and have factory plugs. The metal frame is firmly screwed to the card case, providing stability and preventing bending during installation. The bar is marked "Stainless Steel 304", which means increased corrosion resistance - a nice little thing, especially for those who plan to use the card in high humidity conditions or in open stands.
On the opposite side of the cooler, there is a molded plastic cover with the TUF GAMING logo. This completes the appearance of the card and adds symmetry to the overall design. The surface here is solid, without ventilation holes - this is where the casing and radiator are mounted. The closed end adds rigidity to the structure and visually separates the card from the case space. This solution is typical for the entire TUF line and echoes the concept of reliability and durability in any operating conditions.
The BIOS switch is located on the back side next to the mounting frame. It allows you to switch between P MODE (maximum performance with more active cooling) and Q MODE (a quiet profile with a soft fan curve). The switch is marked and firmly fixed in the case, it is impossible to accidentally touch it. This is especially convenient for users who want to independently select the behavior of the coolers without using the utility. P MODE is active by default, but for quieter operation at home, you can immediately select Q MODE before installing the card in the case. Unlike STRIX cards, there is no support for Aura RGB in the logo area - a more utilitarian solution, but this matches the TUF style.
| ARCHITECTURE |
AMD RDNA 4 is aimed at gamers and offers a number of significant improvements over the previous generation. Key areas of development include increased gaming performance, improved ray tracing algorithms, and advanced machine learning capabilities. AMD is focusing on increasing productivity per dollar, which indicates the high efficiency of the new video cards.
The new RDNA 4 computing core has received major changes. Improved memory system provides higher throughput, and updated scalar units allow for faster processing of complex game scenes. Dynamic register allocation increases the efficiency of the chip, and clock frequencies have become higher compared to RDNA 3.
Ray tracing in RDNA 4 has moved to third level development. New ray tracing acceleration units double the performance per compute unit, and hardware support double intersection of rays Improves lighting quality in games. Advanced algorithms speed up the processing of complex geometric objects, reducing the load on the system.
The second generation of AI accelerators in RDNA 4 significantly increased computing performance using intelligent algorithms. FP16 and INT8 work two and four times faster, and the use of sparse data (sparsity) gives an eightfold acceleration of INT8 inference. Introduction of the format FP8 opens up new possibilities for AI processing in games.
In addition to architectural changes, RDNA 4 received an improved multimedia engine, which increases video quality up to 20% (by VMAF) compared to RDNA 3. Also supports the latest interfaces, including PCIe 5.0, HDMI 2.1b and DisplayPort 2.1a, making these graphics cards ready for future technologies.
The flagship Radeon RX 9070 lineup offers two models: RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT. Both cards are equipped with 16 GB of video memory and have clock speeds of up to 2.97 GHz. The differences lie in the number of computing units: 56 for the RX 9070 and 64 for the RX 9070 XT. The peak AI performance of the older model reaches 1557 TOPS. Power consumption is 220 W and 304 W respectively.
For 4K gaming, RDNA 4 offers new cache subsystem with 64 MB of Infinity Cache, an accelerated command processor, and improved ray tracing engines. GDDR6 video memory with a bandwidth of up to 256 bit @ 20 Gbps provides high data transfer speed.
The RDNA 4 ray tracing architecture has been optimized to run more efficiently. The new BVH8 algorithm Reduces latency and reduces the amount of memory required to process a scene. Hardware acceleration of trace stack management improves rendering performance in games with ray tracing.
RDNA 4 marks the a significant leap forward in performance, power efficiency, and image quality. Improvements to AI, ray tracing, and the multimedia engine make this architecture a great choice for demanding gamers and content creators.
AMD Radeon RX 9070XT — This is a flagship graphics card based on the architecture RDNA4, built on a graphics processor Ships 48 XTX and manufactured using TSMC N4P 4nm process technology. Contains 53,9 billion transistors and has a die area of 357 mm², which provides high packaging density and efficiency.
The video card is equipped 4096 stream processors, 128 raster processing units (ROPs) and 256 texture unit (TMUs) provide high performance in modern games. Rasterization performance reaches 380,2 GPixel/s, and texture performance reaches 760,3 GTexel/s. RX 9070 XT supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, Vulkan 1.4 and OpenCL 2.1, and includes 64 ray tracing cores and 128 AI accelerators for improved performance in machine learning and rendering workloads.
Video memory is presented 16GB of GDDR6 with an effective frequency of 20 Gbps, operating on a 256-bit bus, providing 640 GB/s of memory bandwidth. This significantly increases the speed of data transfer and texture loading.
Frequency GPU is 2400 MHz in base mode and can be overclocked to 2970 MHz in Boost mode. The graphics card supports Resizable BAR, which improves interaction with the processor and increases gaming performance. The card has a power consumption of 304W and is powered by two 8-pin power connectors.
The RX 9070 XT delivers excellent performance at 1440p and decent performance at 4K, making it an attractive choice for gamers looking for high-quality graphics and stable FPS.
| OPERATING MODES GPU Tweak III |
In Default Mode, the graphics card operates in its default configuration, which corresponds to ASUS factory settings. Power Target is set at 100%, with the core frequency dropping to 61 MHz in idle mode, and the fans stopping completely thanks to the active 0dB Fan. The video memory frequency remains stable at 5036 MHz (effectively 20 Gbps), and the voltage GPU is fixed at about 457 mW. This mode is ideal for all-day use: low power consumption, zero noise and instant access to full performance when launching games. In this profile, the video card is as economical as possible, does not overheat and does not interfere with background work even in an absolutely quiet room. It is ideally balanced between stability, silence and readiness for the load.
OC Mode enables ASUS factory overclocking and allows for slightly higher frequencies due to the increased power limit. The Power Target increases to 110%, and the frequency GPU in idle mode it rises to 112 MHz. At the same time, Boost Clock reaches peak values under load, providing a performance boost in games and synthetics. The fans still do not turn on until the temperature threshold is reached, and 0dB Fan remains active. The core voltage increases slightly - up to 702 mV, which helps maintain stability even in peak scenarios. This is a profile for those who want to get the most without manual intervention. It allows the RX 9070 XT to reveal its potential in resource-intensive projects, especially in combination with FSR 4.0 and active Resizable BAR.
Silent Mode reduces power consumption and frequencies in the name of minimal noise. In this profile, the Power Target is set to 90%, and the frequency is GPU in idle mode it is limited to 15 MHz. The core offset is minus 20 MHz, while the memory frequency remains unchanged - 5036 MHz. The voltage is also reduced - only 139 mV, which minimizes heat generation. This mode is suitable for those who use the card in multimedia PCs or work at night. The fans remain off almost all the time, and the overall load on the system is reduced. Despite the limitations, even in Silent Mode, the RX 9070 XT demonstrates decent performance in modern games at medium-high settings. This is an excellent choice for a quiet build with good case ventilation and a focus on energy efficiency.
| HEATING AND POWER CONSUMPTION |
Video card ASUS Radeon RX 9070 XT TUF Gaming OC Edition demonstrates high stability and reliability under long-term load in a stress test FurMark, which confirms its readiness for the most difficult tasks. At a resolution of 1920×1080 and full load GPU, which reaches 97%, the temperature of the graphics processor is fixed at 51 ° C, and the hotspot temperature stabilized at 77 ° C. This is an excellent result for a card with such performance, especially considering the dense layout of elements and the powerful chip of the RDNA 4 architecture. The core frequency under load remained in the range 2291-2505 MHz, which corresponds to the declared Boost Clock values and indicates a good thermal reserve and the absence of throttling. The fans were running at a speed of 1481 / min (50%), providing efficient cooling without excessive noise.
It is important to emphasize that the stress test was conducted in a closed case, simulating real gaming conditions. Despite this, the core temperature remained significantly below the critical level - 51 °C at almost full load. GPU. The TUF cooling system with three axial fans and a massive radiator shows high efficiency even during prolonged heating. The card's power consumption was 329 W, which almost reaches the peak declared value, and the PWR ratio (0.973) indicates a uniform load without sharp jumps. This level of stability makes the card not only suitable for gaming at ultra settings, but also a reliable solution for workloads - for example, GPU-rendering or scientific calculations.
It is impossible not to note the behavior of the cooling system: even at 97% load, the fans worked at half their power, ensuring not only the maintenance of optimal temperatures, but also a comfortable noise level. Not a single jump in frequency or drop in power was recorded during the entire test. This means that the RX 9070 XT does not enter throttling mode even under extreme conditions. The video memory (VRAM) temperature was also maintained at 80 ° C, which is considered completely acceptable for GDDR6. This result indicates competent layout and additional cooling of the memory modules. All this together confirms the high engineering development of the model and the presence of a reserve in temperature and frequency for manual overclocking.
| ASUS ROG STRIX 1000W 80 PLUS Platinum |
For testing the ASUS Radeon RX 9070 XT TUF Gaming OC Edition graphics card power supply was used ASUS ROG STRIX 1000W with certification 80 PLUS Platinum. This is a reliable power supply with a large power reserve, fully suitable for RDNA 4 graphics cards and higher models. The peak power consumption of the RX 9070 XT can reach up to 330 W, especially when overclocked, and when simultaneously loading a video card and a powerful processor (for example, Ryzen 9 9950X or Core i9-14900K), the total system load easily exceeds 700–750 W. Using a 1000-watt unit ensures stable operation without voltage drops and instability, even in heavy stress tests.
Video card Connects via three 8-pin PCIe connectors, located on the top end. This is a proven and reliable connection standard that provides the necessary power for any scenario, including manual overclocking. ROG STRIX comes with modular cables with double braiding and channel markings, which simplifies connection and eliminates errors during assembly. The connectors are inserted tightly, fix with a characteristic click and do not overheat even under prolonged load - unlike earlier 12VHPWR solutions, which had problems with adapters.
Installing the power supply did not cause any difficulties: thanks to the modular design and long cables, the wiring was neat even in a medium-form factor case. The unit's fan remains off when idle and under low load, ensuring silent operation. Under full load (games, FurMark, rendering), the unit remains virtually silent - the noise from the video card and processor cooler completely drowns out its operation. This behavior makes the system not only productive, but also comfortable for long-term use.
| TEST PART |
| GAMES |
| Blades of Fire |
| Clair Obscur Expedition 33 |
| STALKER 2 Heart of Chornobyl |
| Kingdom Come Deliverance II |
| Avowed |
| Assassin’s Creed Shadows |
| The Last of Us Part II Remastered |
| DOOM: The Dark Ages |
| The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered |
| CONCLUSION |
ASUS Radeon RX 9070 XT TUF Gaming OC Edition — is a balanced and reliable upper mid-range solution based on the RDNA 4 architecture, aimed at demanding gamers and enthusiasts who value stability, performance and high-quality cooling. The card confidently shows itself in current games at a resolution of 2560x1440, where in most projects it either catches up with or outperforms the RTX 5070 Ti and RX 7900 XT. It shows itself especially well in DOOM: The Dark Ages, STALKER 2 and The Last of Us Part II, where it takes the lead in average frame rate and minimum FPS, maintaining smooth gameplay even in difficult scenes.
The design is solid: a massive three-fan TUF cooling system copes with heat dissipation even in a closed case, not exceeding 51 °C on the core and 77 °C on the hotspot in the FurMark stress test. The video card uses three 8-pin power connectors, requiring no adapters, and has a durable metal construction with a reinforced backplate and a factory BIOS switch. Utility GPU Tweak III allows you to easily manage performance profiles: from the quiet Silent Mode with reduced power consumption to the factory overclock in OC Mode, where the card shows gains without user intervention. Even in Default Mode, the card offers a high level of performance with minimal noise and zero temperature panic.
The RX 9070 XT TUF Gaming is not a flagship, but it is very close. With proper assembly with a power supply of 850-1000 W and good case airflow, it will feel confident in any modern projects. Its strengths are excellent cooling, high stability under load, full compatibility with modern APIs (DirectX 12 Ultimate, Vulkan, OpenCL 4.6), factory overclocking and FSR 4 support. It's the perfect choice for 1440p gaming on ultra settings and a solid foundation for the next 2-3 years, especially when paired with AMD Ryzen 7000 or 14th Gen Intel Core processors with Resizable BAR enabled.
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