Buying Guide
The Best RX 9070 Graphics Cards
From the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE to the XFX Swift RX 9070: three graphics cards ranked on video memory and cooler thickness, with who should skip each one.
By The PC Journal editorial team
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-class card, 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 thickness, we say so.
Quick Picks
Our 3 recommendations at a glance. Tap a pick for the full verdict.
Lowest Price Here
ASUS Prime Radeon RX 9070 GRE EVO OC Edition
Undercutting the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger on price when we checked.
Best for: Spending as little as possible.
Our take Check price for ASUS Prime Radeon RX 9070 GRE EVO OC Edition (opens in a new tab)
Also Consider
ASRock Radeon RX 9070 Challenger 16GB OC
56 compute units.
Best for: Buyers who want 56 compute units.
Our take Check price for ASRock Radeon RX 9070 Challenger 16GB OC (opens in a new tab)
Premium Pick
XFX Swift Radeon RX 9070 OC Triple Fan Gaming Edition
An XFX SWFT triple-fan cooler at the highest price in the group.
Best for: Buyers for whom price is not the deciding factor.
Our take Check price for XFX Swift Radeon RX 9070 OC Triple Fan Gaming Edition (opens in a new tab)
| Pick | Why it’s here | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Undercutting the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger on price when we checked. | Spending as little as possible. | Check price for ASUS Prime Radeon RX 9070 GRE EVO OC Edition (opens in a new tab) |
| 56 compute units. | Buyers who want 56 compute units. | Check price for ASRock Radeon RX 9070 Challenger 16GB OC (opens in a new tab) |
| An XFX SWFT triple-fan cooler at the highest price in the group. | Buyers for whom price is not the deciding factor. | Check price for XFX Swift Radeon RX 9070 OC Triple Fan Gaming Edition (opens in a new tab) |
Our Picks
Lowest Price Here1 of 3
ASUS Prime Radeon RX 9070 GRE EVO OC Edition on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The ASUS Prime RX 9070 GRE has 12GB of GDDR6 and a 2880MHz boost in OC mode, with a phase-change thermal pad.
Best for
- Spending as little as possible.
Skip if
- Skip it if video memory matters most to you; the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger offers 16GB.
Why we like it
Its 12GB video memory is the smallest in this group; the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger leads at 16GB. No other pick in this guide offers an RX 9070 GRE gpu; compare the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger, which has an RX 9070 gpu. You get a 2880MHz (OC mode) boost clock here, which sets it apart from the XFX Swift RX 9070 and its a 2700MHz boost clock.
You also get a dual BIOS switch. The ASUS Prime 9070 GRE occupies 2.5 slots, but no length is published, so check the maker's spec page against your case. Its power connector and recommended PSU are not published, so confirm both for the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE with the maker. It undercut the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger and every other pick on price at the time of writing.
Key dimensions & specs
- GPU: RX 9070 GRE
- VRAM: 12GB
- Memory: GDDR6
- Thickness: 2.5-slot
- Boost clock: 2880MHz (OC mode)
Pros
- 12GB of VRAM, more than 8GB cards
- Phase-change GPU thermal pad
- Dual BIOS switch
- RX 9070 GRE gpu, the only one here
Cons
- Video memory trails the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger (16GB)
Also Consider2 of 3
ASRock Radeon RX 9070 Challenger 16GB OC on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
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
- Buyers who want 56 compute units.
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. It matches the XFX Swift RX 9070 on video memory (16GB). Like the XFX Swift RX 9070, it has an RX 9070 gpu, while the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE uses an RX 9070 GRE gpu.
A 2520MHz boost clock is unique to it among these picks, while the XFX Swift RX 9070 uses a 2700MHz boost clock. You also get 56 compute units and 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. Its price falls between the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE and the XFX Swift RX 9070, based on our last check.
Key dimensions & 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
- Costs more than the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE at the time of writing
Premium Pick3 of 3
XFX Swift Radeon RX 9070 OC Triple Fan Gaming Edition on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
The RX 9070 keeps 16GB of memory but costs less than the XT.
Best for
- Buyers for whom price is not the deciding factor.
Skip if
- The maker gives no cooler thickness, so look elsewhere if that figure decides it for you.
Why we like it
XFX's Swift version uses a triple-fan cooler with a 2700MHz boost and three DisplayPort outputs. It matches the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger on video memory (16GB). Like the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger, it has an RX 9070 gpu, while the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE uses an RX 9070 GRE gpu.
A 2700MHz boost clock is unique to it among these picks, while the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger uses a 2520MHz boost clock. 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.
It was the most expensive pick when we checked, so weigh what it adds over the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger. Buyers who need a confirmed cooler thickness should compare it with the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE, which comes in at 2.5-slot.
Key dimensions & 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
- 2700MHz boost clock, the only one here
- An XFX SWFT triple-fan cooler at the highest price in the group
Cons
- No published cooler thickness
- Costs more than the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE at the time of writing
How We Chose These RX 9070 Graphics Cards
Each pick was assessed across 4 criteria weighted for real-world use.
- The figures behind the order
- We set side by side three cards on GPU, video memory, memory and cooler thickness as the makers state them. We did not test them in-house.
- The shared baseline
- All 3, from the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE to the XFX Swift RX 9070, state GPU, video memory and memory and share GDDR6 memory.
- Where the specs have gaps
- The XFX Swift RX 9070 gives no cooler thickness.
- Price range
- From the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE to the XFX Swift RX 9070, 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.
Video memory
Here video memory runs from 12GB on the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE to 16GB on the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger. The ASRock RX 9070 Challenger is the pick for video memory.
Boost clock
The ASUS Prime 9070 GRE lists 2880MHz (OC mode); the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger lists 2520MHz; the XFX Swift RX 9070 lists 2700MHz. Settle this first, then compare prices.
Fit and compatibility
The ASUS Prime 9070 GRE occupies 2.5 slots, but no length is published, so check the maker's spec page against your case. 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 ASUS Prime 9070 GRE: a dual BIOS switch. The ASRock RX 9070 Challenger: a 256-bit memory bus at 20Gbps. The XFX Swift RX 9070: an XFX SWFT triple-fan cooler.
How much to spend
All 3 sat in one tier when we checked, from the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE at the low end to the XFX Swift RX 9070 at the top, so decide on features first.
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 | ASUS Prime 9070 GRE | Undercutting the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger on price when we checked |
| Buyers who want 56 compute units | ASRock RX 9070 Challenger | 56 compute units |
| Buyers for whom price is not the deciding factor | XFX Swift RX 9070 | An XFX SWFT triple-fan cooler at the highest price in the group |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Key specs side by side
The ASRock RX 9070 Challenger leads on video memory at 16GB, ahead of the XFX Swift RX 9070 at 16GB. "Not listed" means the maker leaves that figure out.
| Card | GPU | VRAM | Memory | Thickness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASUS Prime 9070 GRE | RX 9070 GRE | 12GB | GDDR6 | 2.5-slot |
| ASRock RX 9070 Challenger | RX 9070 | 16GB | GDDR6 | 2.5-slot |
| XFX Swift RX 9070 | RX 9070 | 16GB | GDDR6 | Not listed |
Scroll sideways to see every column.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the XFX Swift RX 9070 worth paying more than the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE?
On paper it adds video memory (16GB against 12GB). The ASUS Prime 9070 GRE was the lowest-priced pick when we checked, so pay the difference only if those gains matter to you.
What makes the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE the Lowest Price Here?
It earns the label for undercutting the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger on price when we checked. It suits spending as little as possible.
Do the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE and the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger differ on GPU?
The ASUS Prime 9070 GRE uses RX 9070 GRE; the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger and the XFX Swift RX 9070 use RX 9070.
What should I check before buying the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger?
Measure for 290mm and 2.5 slots before ordering the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger. Power for the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger comes through 2 x 8-pin, with 700W the maker's minimum PSU. In this guide it ranks second of 3.
Beyond the specs, what sets the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE and the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger apart?
The ASUS Prime 9070 GRE: a phase-change GPU thermal pad. The ASRock RX 9070 Challenger: 56 compute units. The XFX Swift RX 9070: an XFX SWFT triple-fan cooler.
Bottom Line
Our first pick is the ASUS Prime 9070 GRE, chosen for undercutting the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger on price when we checked. Look at the ASRock RX 9070 Challenger for 56 compute units and the XFX Swift RX 9070 for an XFX SWFT triple-fan cooler at the highest price in the group if those matter more to you.
Compare the price gap to the XT before buying; it is sometimes small.