Buying Guide
The Best AMD Graphics Card
We weighed five graphics cards on video memory and recommended power supply; the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend has the lowest recommended power supply, and it also costs the least.
By Alex Morgan, PC Hardware Editor
12 min read5 products evaluated
AMD's Radeon cards offer generous VRAM for the money and FSR upscaling. Every pick is a Radeon card, ordered by VRAM.
We ranked these graphics cards on GPU, VRAM and memory using manufacturer specifications; we did not test these graphics cards ourselves, and where a maker leaves out recommended PSU, we say so.
Quick Picks
Which of the 5 picks to look at first. Tap a name for the full analysis.
Also Consider
ASRock Radeon RX 7900 XTX Phantom Gaming OC 24GB96MB of Infinity Cache.
Best for: Buyers who want 96MB of Infinity Cache.
Check price for ASRock Radeon RX 7900 XTX Phantom Gaming OC 24GB on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Premium Pick
PowerColor Hellhound AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTXThe top of this price range, adding DisplayPort 2.1 outputs.
Best for: Spending more than the ASRock 7900 XTX Phantom Gaming costs for the fullest feature set in this group.
Check price for PowerColor Hellhound AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Strong Alternative
ASRock Radeon RX 7900 XT Phantom Gaming OC 20GB80MB of Infinity Cache.
Best for: Buyers who want 80MB of Infinity Cache.
Check price for ASRock Radeon RX 7900 XT Phantom Gaming OC 20GB on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Worth a Look
PowerColor AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTA 750W minimum PSU stated by the maker.
Best for: Buyers who want 750W minimum PSU stated by the maker.
Check price for PowerColor AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Lowest Recommended Power Supply
ASRock Radeon RX 7800 XT Steel Legend 16GB OCThe lowest recommended power supply here (700W).
Best for: Buyers who put recommended power supply first.
Check price for ASRock Radeon RX 7800 XT Steel Legend 16GB OC on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Our Picks
Also Consider1 of 5
ASRock Radeon RX 7900 XTX Phantom Gaming OC 24GB
ASRock's Phantom Gaming OC offers a 2615MHz boost, 96MB of Infinity Cache and 0dB silent cooling at light load.
Best for
- Buyers who want 96MB of Infinity Cache.
Skip if
- Skip it if this is a deal-breaker for you: calls for a 800W or larger PSU.
Why we like it
It was the least expensive 7900 XTX here at the time of writing. It boosts to 2615MHz with 24GB of GDDR6, 96 compute units and 96MB of Infinity Cache. The Phantom Gaming triple-fan cooler sits on a reinforced metal frame.
On video memory it ties with the PowerColor Hellhound 7900 XTX at 24GB. On recommended power supply it ties with the PowerColor Hellhound 7900 XTX at 800W. No other pick in this guide offers a 2615MHz boost clock; compare the ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming, which has a 2450MHz boost clock.
No dimensions are published for the ASRock 7900 XTX Phantom Gaming; get length and thickness from the maker's page first. It was priced above the PowerColor 7900 XT and below the PowerColor Hellhound 7900 XTX at the time of writing.
Key specs
- GPU
- RX 7900 XTX
- VRAM
- 24GB
- Memory
- GDDR6
- Recommended PSU
- 800W
- Boost clock
- 2615MHz
Pros
- 24GB of VRAM, room for large local AI models as well as games
- 96MB of Infinity Cache
- 0dB silent cooling at light load
- 2615MHz boost clock, the only one here
Cons
- Calls for a 800W or larger PSU
- Costs more than the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend at the time of writing
Premium Pick2 of 5
PowerColor Hellhound AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX
PowerColor's Hellhound is 320mm long, uses DisplayPort 2.1 outputs and states an 800W minimum power supply.
Best for
- Spending more than the ASRock 7900 XTX Phantom Gaming costs for the fullest feature set in this group.
Skip if
- Skip it if this is a deal-breaker for you: calls for a 800W or larger PSU.
Why we like it
It has 6,144 stream processors and a switch between an OC mode at 2,330MHz and a quieter Silent mode at 2,270MHz game clock. The Silent mode suits a quiet room. The card measures 320 x 118.5 x 62mm, so check case clearance first.
It carries 24GB of GDDR6 and 6144 stream processors. On video memory it ties with the ASRock 7900 XTX Phantom Gaming at 24GB. The PowerColor Hellhound 7900 XTX is 320mm long; compare that with your case's GPU limit.
PowerColor Hellhound 7900 XTX: the maker suggests a PSU of 800W or more. At our last price check it topped the group, with the ASRock 7900 XTX Phantom Gaming the nearest cheaper option.
Key specs
- GPU
- RX 7900 XTX
- VRAM
- 24GB
- Memory
- GDDR6
- Length
- 320mm
- Recommended PSU
- 800W
- Outputs
- 3 x DisplayPort 2.1, 1 x HDMI 2.1
Pros
- 24GB of VRAM, room for large local AI models as well as games
- DisplayPort 2.1 outputs
- 800W minimum PSU stated by the maker
- The top of this price range, adding DisplayPort 2.1 outputs
Cons
- Calls for a 800W or larger PSU
- Recommended power supply trails the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend (700W)
- Costs more than the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend at the time of writing
The catch
Recommended power supply is its weakest area, and the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend covers it better at 700W.
Strong Alternative3 of 5
ASRock Radeon RX 7900 XT Phantom Gaming OC 20GB
ASRock's Phantom Gaming OC offers a 2450MHz boost, 80MB of Infinity Cache and two 8-pin power connectors.
Best for
- Buyers who want 80MB of Infinity Cache.
Skip if
- Pass on it if needs two 8-pin PCIe power cables rules it out for your setup.
Why we like it
It was the least expensive 7900 XT here at the time of writing. It matches the PowerColor 7900 XT on video memory (20GB). Like the PowerColor 7900 XT, it has an RX 7900 XT gpu, while the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend uses an RX 7800 XT gpu.
A 2450MHz boost clock is unique to it among these picks, while the PowerColor 7900 XT uses a 2400MHz boost clock. No dimensions are published for the ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming; get length and thickness from the maker's page first. Its price falls between the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend and the PowerColor 7900 XT, based on our last check. Buyers who need a confirmed recommended power supply should compare it with the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend, which offers 700W.
Key specs
- GPU
- RX 7900 XT
- VRAM
- 20GB
- Memory
- GDDR6
- Power connector
- 2 x 8-pin
- Boost clock
- 2450MHz
Pros
- 20GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
- 80MB of Infinity Cache
- Triple-fan Phantom Gaming cooler
- 2450MHz boost clock, the only one here
Cons
- Needs two 8-pin PCIe power cables
- No published recommended power supply
- Costs more than the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend at the time of writing
Worth a Look4 of 5
PowerColor AMD Radeon RX 7900 XT
PowerColor's 7900 XT runs AMD's reference 2400MHz boost and states a 750W minimum power supply.
Best for
- Buyers who want 750W minimum PSU stated by the maker.
Skip if
- If budget leads, the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend was cheaper at our last price check.
Why we like it
On video memory it ties with the ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming at 20GB. On recommended power supply it sits mid-pack at 750W: the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend offers 700W, and the PowerColor Hellhound 7900 XTX comes in at 800W. It shares an RX 7900 XT gpu with the ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming; the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend goes with an RX 7800 XT gpu.
It is the only pick here with a 2400MHz boost clock; the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend has a 2520MHz boost clock instead. No dimensions are published for the PowerColor 7900 XT; get length and thickness from the maker's page first. PowerColor 7900 XT: the maker suggests a PSU of 750W or more. When we checked, only the ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming and cheaper picks cost less, and the ASRock 7900 XTX Phantom Gaming cost more.
Key specs
- GPU
- RX 7900 XT
- VRAM
- 20GB
- Memory
- GDDR6
- Recommended PSU
- 750W
- Boost clock
- 2400MHz
Pros
- 20GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
- 750W minimum PSU stated by the maker
- Reference 2400MHz boost clock
- Recommended power supply of 750W, ahead of the ASRock 7900 XTX Phantom Gaming
Cons
- Costs more than the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend at the time of writing
Lowest Recommended Power Supply5 of 5
ASRock Radeon RX 7800 XT Steel Legend 16GB OC
The Steel Legend adds a white-and-silver finish and a 2520MHz boost, and it has a 700W recommended power supply.
Best for
- Buyers who put recommended power supply first.
Skip if
- Look at the others if this bothers you: needs two 8-pin PCIe power cables.
Why we like it
Its 16GB video memory is the smallest in this group; the ASRock 7900 XTX Phantom Gaming leads at 24GB. Its 700W recommended power supply is the lowest here; the PowerColor 7900 XT comes next at 750W. A 2520MHz boost clock is unique to it among these picks, while the ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming uses a 2450MHz boost clock.
No dimensions are published for the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend; get length and thickness from the maker's page first. Power for the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend comes through 2 x 8-pin, with 700W the maker's minimum PSU. It was the cheapest of the group when we checked; the ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming was the next step up.
Key specs
- GPU
- RX 7800 XT
- VRAM
- 16GB
- Memory
- GDDR6
- Recommended PSU
- 700W
- Power connector
- 2 x 8-pin
- Boost clock
- 2520MHz
Pros
- 16GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
- White-and-silver Steel Legend finish
- 700W recommended PSU
- Lowest recommended power supply of the picks (700W)
Cons
- Needs two 8-pin PCIe power cables
- Video memory trails the ASRock 7900 XTX Phantom Gaming (24GB)
The catch
If video memory is your priority, the ASRock 7900 XTX Phantom Gaming (24GB) is the stronger choice.
How We Chose
Alex Morgan compared the manufacturer specifications, connectivity, warranty terms and compatibility of every pick. Figures come from the makers unless a third-party source is named; we did not test these products ourselves.
- What we compared
- We compared five cards on GPU, video memory, memory and recommended power supply as the makers state them. These are research figures, not bench results: 1 of 5 picks leave out recommended power supply.
- What every pick has in common
- All 5, from the ASRock 7900 XTX Phantom Gaming to the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend, state GPU, video memory and memory and share GDDR6 memory.
- Where the specs have gaps
- The ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming gives no recommended power supply; the ASRock 7900 XTX Phantom Gaming, the PowerColor Hellhound 7900 XTX and the PowerColor 7900 XT give no power connector.
- Price range
- At our last check the picks ran from the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend ($250 to $500) to the PowerColor Hellhound 7900 XTX ($1000 to $1500).
What to Look for in an AMD Graphics Card
Key buying criteria so you get the right fit the first time.
How much video memory you need
Here video memory runs from 16GB on the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend to 24GB on the ASRock 7900 XTX Phantom Gaming, a 50% spread. Start with the ASRock 7900 XTX Phantom Gaming if video memory decides it.
Recommended power supply
Across these 4 picks recommended power supply spans 800W (the PowerColor Hellhound 7900 XTX) to 700W (the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend). If recommended power supply is your first filter, the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend sets the ceiling at 700W. The ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming gives no recommended power supply figure, so 4 of 5 picks are compared here.
A graphics card's bare circuit board around the GPU die What to check at home
No dimensions are published for the ASRock 7900 XTX Phantom Gaming; get length and thickness from the maker's page first. The PowerColor Hellhound 7900 XTX is 320mm long; compare that with your case's GPU limit.
Extras that separate them
The ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming: a triple-fan Phantom Gaming cooler. The PowerColor 7900 XT: a reference 2400MHz boost clock. The ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend: a 700W recommended PSU.
Where your budget lands
$250 to $500 buys the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend; $500 to $1000 buys the ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming and the PowerColor 7900 XT; $1000 to $1500 buys the ASRock 7900 XTX Phantom Gaming and the PowerColor Hellhound 7900 XTX at our last check.
How to Choose an AMD Graphics Card
By priority
| Priority | Consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Buyers who want 96MB of Infinity Cache | ASRock 7900 XTX Phantom Gaming | 96MB of Infinity Cache |
| Spending more than the ASRock 7900 XTX Phantom Gaming costs for the fullest feature set in this group | PowerColor Hellhound 7900 XTX | The top of this price range, adding DisplayPort 2.1 outputs |
| Buyers who want 80MB of Infinity Cache | ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming | 80MB of Infinity Cache |
| Buyers who want 750W minimum PSU stated by the maker | PowerColor 7900 XT | A 750W minimum PSU stated by the maker |
| Buyers who put recommended power supply first | ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend | The lowest recommended power supply here (700W) |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Key specs side by side
The ASRock 7900 XTX Phantom Gaming leads on video memory at 24GB, ahead of the PowerColor Hellhound 7900 XTX at 24GB. "Not listed" marks recommended power supply where the ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming leaves the figure out.
| Card | GPU | VRAM | Memory | Recommended PSU |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASRock 7900 XTX Phantom Gaming | RX 7900 XTX | 24GB | GDDR6 | 800W |
| PowerColor Hellhound 7900 XTX | RX 7900 XTX | 24GB | GDDR6 | 800W |
| ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming | RX 7900 XT | 20GB | GDDR6 | Not listed |
| PowerColor 7900 XT | RX 7900 XT | 20GB | GDDR6 | 750W |
| ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend | RX 7800 XT | 16GB | GDDR6 | 700W |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
By price at the time of writing
The ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend was the lowest-priced pick ($250 to $500) and the PowerColor Hellhound 7900 XTX the highest ($1000 to $1500) when we checked; tiers move with Amazon pricing.
| Price tier | Cards |
|---|---|
| About $250 to $500 | ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend |
| About $500 to $1000 | ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming, PowerColor 7900 XT |
| About $1000 to $1500 | ASRock 7900 XTX Phantom Gaming, PowerColor Hellhound 7900 XTX |
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the PowerColor 7900 XT compare with the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend on recommended power supply?
Between the top two, it is 700W on the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend against 750W on the PowerColor 7900 XT, a 7% difference. The spread runs down to the PowerColor Hellhound 7900 XTX at 800W. The ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming is left out of this ranking because its recommended power supply isn't stated; 4 of 5 picks are ranked.
What does the PowerColor Hellhound 7900 XTX add over the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend?
On paper it adds video memory (24GB against 16GB). It does not win everywhere: the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend still leads on recommended power supply (700W). On our last price check the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend was in the $250 to $500 tier and the PowerColor Hellhound 7900 XTX in the $1000 to $1500 tier, with 3 other picks between them; pay the difference only if video memory decides your purchase.
Why is the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend our Lowest Recommended Power Supply pick?
It carries the badge for the lowest recommended power supply here (700W). On recommended power supply it leads the PowerColor 7900 XT, 700W against 750W, a 7% margin. It makes sense for anyone who puts recommended power supply first.
Do the ASRock 7900 XTX Phantom Gaming and the ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming differ on GPU?
The ASRock 7900 XTX Phantom Gaming and the PowerColor Hellhound 7900 XTX use RX 7900 XTX; the ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming and the PowerColor 7900 XT use RX 7900 XT; the ASRock 7800 XT Steel Legend uses RX 7800 XT.
Will the ASRock 7900 XTX Phantom Gaming work with my setup?
No dimensions are published for the ASRock 7900 XTX Phantom Gaming; get length and thickness from the maker's page first. ASRock 7900 XTX Phantom Gaming: the maker suggests a PSU of 800W or more. In this guide it ranks first of 5, and first of 5 on video memory (24GB).
What extras do the ASRock 7900 XTX Phantom Gaming and the PowerColor Hellhound 7900 XTX include?
The ASRock 7900 XTX Phantom Gaming: 96MB of Infinity Cache. The PowerColor Hellhound 7900 XTX: DisplayPort 2.1 outputs. The ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming: 80MB of Infinity Cache.
Bottom Line
Our first pick is the ASRock 7900 XTX Phantom Gaming, chosen for 96MB of Infinity Cache. Look at the PowerColor Hellhound 7900 XTX for the top of this price range, adding DisplayPort 2.1 outputs, the ASRock 7900 XT Phantom Gaming for 80MB of Infinity Cache and the PowerColor 7900 XT for a 750W minimum PSU stated by the maker if those matter more to you.
Radeon cards often use 8-pin power connectors; check your PSU cables.
Related Guides
- Related guideThe Best Graphics Cards
- Related guideThe Best Graphics Cards for 1440p Gaming
- Related guideThe Best Budget Graphics Cards
- Lower budgetThe Best Value Graphics Cards
- Similar guideThe Best Graphics Card to Buy
- ExplainerHow Much VRAM Do You Need?
- ExplainerGPU Power Connectors Explained
- Check compatibility: power suppliesHow Much PSU Wattage Does Your PC Need?
- Similar guideThe Best Graphics Cards for Gaming
- Topic hubAll graphics cards guides
About the author
PC Hardware Editor
Alex covers PC hardware, monitors, components, upgrades and peripherals for The PC Journal, with a focus on helping readers understand specifications, compatibility and meaningful product trade-offs.
Covers: Monitors, Graphics cards, Processors, PC components, Peripherals, Upgrades and compatibility
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