GeForce RTX 3090 takes on Radeon RX 6900 XT in this extreme GPU match up, where we look at performance, features, efficiency, price, and other factors to determine which GPU reigns supreme.
GPU Face Off: GeForce RTX 3090 vs Radeon RX 6900 XT : Read more
Yeah, I found it really interesting what AMD did to brag about their efficiency, this gen. We knew it was coming, when they abstained from releasing a high-end GPU after Vega failed. I mean, there's speculation as to why GCN 3.0 failed. Some articles proposed that the adoption rate of optimizing for Graphics Core Next was the issue. So, we never seen it really shine. The same was said about the 1000 and 2000 series, even though the former did really well and won that generation.
This time around, AMD had the more efficient tech...and they still do. AMD ups the TDP to 450W, next gen and Nvidia will be pushing closer to 600W, with some articles even reporting 900W, but that might just be for the 4090 TI. My wife and I notice our energy bill, even with me gaming on my 300W card alone lol. I am not going to an Nvidia, until they overhaul their tech, as AMD did and make it efficient. But someone, to whom cost is not objective? A die-hard Nvidia fan? Well, they will do everything in their power to swallow that cost and pretentious Mac-like pricing scheme lol that Nvidia have been known to impose. At least, where their high-end cards are concerned. You'll pay 3,000 for a high-end GPU that runs 1000W, if that's what Nvidia expects you to do, for high end gaming. That's just the enthusiast market for you.
And here where it gets interesting. I'm reminded of the time Phil Dunphy says "My, how the turn tables have..."
Just as the Radeon 1800XT did a long time before it, they schooled Nvidia. Of course, this was known to happen with ATI designed cards...all the way up till the AMD takeover, and Radeon finally dissipated into a more budget-minded brand, as did their CPUs at the time. Only in modern times, has AMD finally stepped up to become a true competitor that is after much more than just the middle market.
The 6000 series represents the Ryzen 1000 series. In that it steps up the game, to provide a major headache to the competition and I think this reborn AMD is here stay...it has to be, if Intel is not coming into the GPU market. Anyway, I feel like the 5700 XT released to send a message: "Be glad we're not releasing a high-end GPU this year!" I knew something was up, when I saw that the 5700 XT, with only half the cores, outperforming Vega 64 and Radeon VII, which have 64 or 60 CUs respectively (something equivalent to a 6800).
The 6900 XT released with one arm tied behind its back...which is to say, "power starved," but only to make a point... "We can draw little over 250W (something around 255W, tops) and nearly match par with the 3090. But should you open up a little, known tool, called, "More Power Tool?" You can bring the 6900 XT neck and neck and neck with a 3090, maybe even more so. Don't touch the clocks...just set the TDP to something closer to the 3090 (just under 350W) and? Done. It's an, effectively, a budget-minded 3090. Next gen should be interesting, to see what Nvidia does to tighten things up a bit. You can only push existing tech so far, before a redesign is warranted and they are effectively riding the same tech as they had with RTX 2000 series. It's no lie, they're going to have to throw more processors and power to compete. If AMD plan to throw a whopping 450W at the 7900 XT? Things are going to get ugly at Nvidia's side of the table...especially with power and gas pricing going up.