Buying Guide
The Best RX 9070 Graphics Cards
From the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger to the Gigabyte RX 9070 Gaming OC: three graphics cards ranked on video memory and GPU, with who should skip each one.
By Alex Morgan, PC Hardware Editor
11 min read3 products evaluated
The non-XT RX 9070 trades some clock speed for lower power than the XT. Every pick is an RX 9070, ordered from the lowest price.
Our comparison rests on published figures for GPU, VRAM and memory; nothing here was tested in-house, and where a maker leaves out boost clock, we say so.
Quick Picks
Which of the 3 picks to look at first. Tap a name for the full analysis.
Lowest Price Here
ASRock Radeon RX 9070 Challenger 16GB OCUndercutting the XFX Swift RX 9070 on price when we checked.
Best for: Spending as little as possible, with the XFX Swift RX 9070 the next step up.
Check price for ASRock Radeon RX 9070 Challenger 16GB OC on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Also Consider
XFX Swift Radeon RX 9070 OC Triple Fan Gaming EditionAn XFX SWFT triple-fan cooler.
Best for: Buyers who want XFX SWFT triple-fan cooler.
Check price for XFX Swift Radeon RX 9070 OC Triple Fan Gaming Edition on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
Premium Pick
GIGABYTE Radeon RX 9070 Gaming OC 16GThe highest-priced pick here at the time of writing, with a WINDFORCE cooler with Hawk fans.
Best for: Buyers who want a WINDFORCE cooler with Hawk fans and can spend more than the XFX Swift RX 9070 costs.
Check price for GIGABYTE Radeon RX 9070 Gaming OC 16G on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
| Pick | Why it stands out | Best for | Check price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Undercutting the XFX Swift RX 9070 on price when we checked. | Spending as little as possible, with the XFX Swift RX 9070 the next step up. | Check price for ASRock Radeon RX 9070 Challenger 16GB OC on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
| An XFX SWFT triple-fan cooler. | Buyers who want XFX SWFT triple-fan cooler. | Check price for XFX Swift Radeon RX 9070 OC Triple Fan Gaming Edition on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
| The highest-priced pick here at the time of writing, with a WINDFORCE cooler with Hawk fans. | Buyers who want a WINDFORCE cooler with Hawk fans and can spend more than the XFX Swift RX 9070 costs. | Check price for GIGABYTE Radeon RX 9070 Gaming OC 16G on Amazon (opens in a new tab) |
Our Picks
Lowest Price Here1 of 3
ASRock Radeon RX 9070 Challenger 16GB OC
ASRock's RX 9070 Challenger is the most completely documented card here: 290mm long, 2.5 slots, two 8-pin plugs and a 700W PSU.
Best for
- Spending as little as possible, with the XFX Swift RX 9070 the next step up.
Skip if
- Look at the others if this bothers you: needs two 8-pin PCIe power cables.
Why we like it
Its 16GB of memory on a 256-bit bus suits 1440p at high settings. The card uses AMD's RDNA 4 architecture with 56 compute units and 3,584 stream processors, 3rd-gen ray tracing and 2nd-gen AI accelerators. Its game clock is 2070MHz, and the 16GB of GDDR6 runs at 20Gbps.
It measures 290 x 123 x 51mm, so verify case clearance before buying. You also get a triple-fan cooler with 0dB fan stop. Power for the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger comes through 2 x 8-pin, with 700W the maker's minimum PSU. It was the cheapest of the group when we checked; the XFX Swift RX 9070 was the next step up.
Key specs
- GPU
- RX 9070
- VRAM
- 16GB
- Memory
- GDDR6
- Length
- 290mm
- Thickness
- 2.5-slot
- Recommended PSU
- 700W
- Power connector
- 2 x 8-pin
- Boost clock
- 2520MHz
Pros
- 16GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
- 56 compute units
- 256-bit memory bus at 20Gbps
- Triple-fan cooler with 0dB fan stop
Cons
- Needs two 8-pin PCIe power cables
Also Consider2 of 3
XFX Swift Radeon RX 9070 OC Triple Fan Gaming Edition
The RX 9070 keeps 16GB of memory but costs less than the XT.
Best for
- Buyers who want XFX SWFT triple-fan cooler.
Skip if
- Skip it if price comes first: the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger cost less when we checked.
Why we like it
XFX's Swift version uses a triple-fan cooler with a 2700MHz boost and three DisplayPort outputs. It is the RX-97SWFB3B9 model with one HDMI port and three DisplayPort outputs, and it carries 16GB of GDDR6 under a triple-fan cooling solution. No dimensions are published for the XFX Swift RX 9070; get length and thickness from the maker's page first.
Its power connector and recommended PSU are not published, so confirm both for the XFX Swift RX 9070 with the maker. Its price falls between the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger and the Gigabyte RX 9070 Gaming OC, based on our last check.
Key specs
- GPU
- RX 9070
- VRAM
- 16GB
- Memory
- GDDR6
- Boost clock
- 2700MHz
- Outputs
- 1 x HDMI, 3 x DisplayPort
Pros
- 16GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
- XFX SWFT triple-fan cooler
- RX 9070 gpu
- 16GB video memory
Cons
- Costs more than the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger at the time of writing
Premium Pick3 of 3
GIGABYTE Radeon RX 9070 Gaming OC 16G
Gigabyte's RX 9070 Gaming OC is the lowest-cost card here, with 16GB of GDDR6 and a WINDFORCE cooler.
Best for
- Buyers who want a WINDFORCE cooler with Hawk fans and can spend more than the XFX Swift RX 9070 costs.
Skip if
- If budget leads, the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger was cheaper at our last price check.
Why we like it
It leaves more of the budget for the CPU, board and memory. It also offers server-grade thermal conductive gel and RGB lighting. No dimensions are published for the Gigabyte RX 9070 Gaming OC; get length and thickness from the maker's page first.
Its power connector and recommended PSU are not published, so confirm both for the Gigabyte RX 9070 Gaming OC with the maker. It was the highest-priced of the 3 picks at the time of writing, so the case for it rests on what it adds over the XFX Swift RX 9070 and the rest. The trade-off is video memory; for more, the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger offers 16GB.
Key specs
- GPU
- RX 9070
- VRAM
- 16GB
- Memory
- GDDR6
Pros
- 16GB of VRAM for high-resolution textures
- WINDFORCE cooler with Hawk fans
- Server-grade thermal conductive gel
- RGB lighting
Cons
- Costs more than the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger at the time of writing
How We Chose These RX 9070 Graphics Cards
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.
- The figures behind the order
- We set side by side three cards on GPU, video memory, memory and boost clock as the makers state them. Nothing was tested in-house; 3 of the 4 fields compared are stated for every pick, while boost clock has gaps.
- The shared baseline
- All 3, from the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger to the Gigabyte RX 9070 Gaming OC, state GPU, video memory and memory and share RX 9070 GPU and GDDR6 memory.
- Where the specs have gaps
- The Gigabyte RX 9070 Gaming OC gives no boost clock.
- Price range
- From the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger to the Gigabyte RX 9070 Gaming OC, all sat in the $500 to $1000 tier when we checked.
What to Look for in an RX 9070 Graphics Card
Key buying criteria so you get the right fit the first time.
Fit and compatibility
Measure for 290mm and 2.5 slots before ordering the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger. No dimensions are published for the XFX Swift RX 9070; get length and thickness from the maker's page first.
Features beyond the spec table
The ASRock RX 9070 Challenger: a 256-bit memory bus at 20Gbps. The XFX Swift RX 9070: an XFX SWFT triple-fan cooler. The Gigabyte RX 9070 Gaming OC: server-grade thermal conductive gel.
The circuit board on the back of a graphics card How much to spend
Price does little to separate these 3: the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger through the Gigabyte RX 9070 Gaming OC all landed in the $500 to $1000 tier, which leaves features to decide it.
Match the pick to your priority
Spending as little as possible, with the XFX Swift RX 9070 the next step up: the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger. Buyers who want a WINDFORCE cooler with Hawk fans and can spend more than the XFX Swift RX 9070 costs: the Gigabyte RX 9070 Gaming OC.
Pair it with a balanced CPU
A fast card with an old CPU can stall at high frame rates, especially at 1080p. At 4K the GPU does most of the work, so the CPU matters less.
How to Choose an RX 9070 Graphics Card
By priority
| Priority | Consider | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Spending as little as possible, with the XFX Swift RX 9070 the next step up | ASRock RX 9070 Challenger | Undercutting the XFX Swift RX 9070 on price when we checked |
| Buyers who want XFX SWFT triple-fan cooler | XFX Swift RX 9070 | An XFX SWFT triple-fan cooler |
| Buyers who want a WINDFORCE cooler with Hawk fans and can spend more than the XFX Swift RX 9070 costs | Gigabyte RX 9070 Gaming OC | The highest-priced pick here at the time of writing, with a WINDFORCE cooler with Hawk fans |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Key specs side by side
The ASRock RX 9070 Challenger, the XFX Swift RX 9070 and the rest, as their makers list them.
| Card | GPU | VRAM | Memory | Boost clock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASRock RX 9070 Challenger | RX 9070 | 16GB | GDDR6 | 2520MHz |
| XFX Swift RX 9070 | RX 9070 | 16GB | GDDR6 | 2700MHz |
| Gigabyte RX 9070 Gaming OC | RX 9070 | 16GB | GDDR6 | Not listed |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger the Lowest Price Here?
It earns the label for undercutting the XFX Swift RX 9070 on price when we checked. It makes sense for spending as little as possible, with the XFX Swift RX 9070 the next step up.
Do the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger and the XFX Swift RX 9070 differ on boost clock?
The ASRock RX 9070 Challenger uses 2520MHz; the XFX Swift RX 9070 uses 2700MHz. The maker of the Gigabyte RX 9070 Gaming OC doesn't state boost clock, so 2 of 3 picks are covered here.
What should I check before buying the XFX Swift RX 9070?
No dimensions are published for the XFX Swift RX 9070; get length and thickness from the maker's page first. Its power connector and recommended PSU are not published, so confirm both for the XFX Swift RX 9070 with the maker. In this guide it ranks second of 3.
Beyond the specs, what sets the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger and the XFX Swift RX 9070 apart?
The ASRock RX 9070 Challenger: 56 compute units. The XFX Swift RX 9070: an XFX SWFT triple-fan cooler. The Gigabyte RX 9070 Gaming OC: a WINDFORCE cooler with Hawk fans.
Who should choose the Gigabyte RX 9070 Gaming OC?
The Gigabyte RX 9070 Gaming OC carries our Premium Pick label for the highest-priced pick here at the time of writing, with a WINDFORCE cooler with Hawk fans. It ranks third of 3 here and sat in the $500 to $1000 tier at our last price check; it suits anyone who wants a WINDFORCE cooler with Hawk fans and can spend more than the XFX Swift RX 9070 costs.
Bottom Line
Our first pick is the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger, chosen for undercutting the XFX Swift RX 9070 on price when we checked. Look at the XFX Swift RX 9070 for an XFX SWFT triple-fan cooler and the Gigabyte RX 9070 Gaming OC for the highest-priced pick here at the time of writing, with a WINDFORCE cooler with Hawk fans if those matter more to you.
Compare the price gap to the XT before buying; it is sometimes small.
Related Guides
- Related guideThe Best Graphics Cards
- Related guideThe Best Graphics Cards for 1440p Gaming
- Related guideThe Best Budget Graphics Cards
- Lower budgetThe Best NVIDIA Gaming GPUs Under $300
- Higher budgetThe Best High-End GPUs
- ExplainerHow Much VRAM Do You Need?
- ExplainerGPU Power Connectors Explained
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- Similar guideThe Best RX 9070 XT Graphics Cards
- 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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