AMD launches the “$350” Radeon RX 9060 XT with 16GB of VRAM

Editor’s take: AMD has unveiled the Radeon RX 9060 XT, which is available in a nasty model and a very good model. The dangerous model is, in fact, the 8GB mannequin, and the nice model – or doubtlessly good, relying on the way it performs – is the 16GB mannequin. AMD has copied Nvidia’s RTX 5060 Ti homework right here, giving each fashions the identical title, which is certain to make it tougher for shoppers to seek out the nice model.

The Radeon RX 9060 XT will change into accessible on June 5, priced at $300 for the 8GB mannequin and $350 for the 16GB graphics card. AMD’s important focus throughout its presentation was on the 16GB variant, which they’re claiming would be the dominant, extra widespread card in western markets, and with this pricing, it will likely be the most affordable current-generation 16GB graphics card.

Basically, the RX 9060 XT is half of the RX 9070 XT. It makes use of a brand-new Navi 44 die, which has half the core and reminiscence configuration of Navi 48 at almost half the die measurement – it is ended up at 199 sq mm. As an alternative of receiving 4096 shader models in 64 SMs, Navi 44 gives 2048 shader models in 32 SMs. The reminiscence bus has additionally been slashed from 256-bit to 128-bit, although 20 Gbps GDDR6 remains to be being utilized right here. This leads to 320 GB/s of reminiscence bandwidth – once more, half that of the flagship RDNA4 mannequin.

AMD has not supplied sport clock data for this GPU but, however the increase clock is listed at 3.13 GHz, which is slightly increased than the 9070 XT’s 2.97 GHz. We’re additionally getting a PCIe 5.0 x16 interface – not x8, which is sweet information for these with older PCIe 4.0 or 3.0 motherboards – together with DisplayPort 2.1 UHBR13.5 and HDMI 2.1. The 9060 XT has one much less show output than the Navi 48 fashions, with one HDMI and two DisplayPorts.

Complete board energy is listed as a variety of 150 to 182 watts. That is because of the 16GB mannequin having extra reminiscence chips and better total board energy. Nonetheless, we have been advised the GPU itself is similar no matter which reminiscence configuration you get – similar GPU energy, similar core configuration, and clock speeds.

So once more, basically this card is roughly half that of the RX 9070 XT, particularly for the 8GB mannequin, which additionally halves the reminiscence capability.

With half the {hardware}, it is sensible to anticipate the RX 9060 XT to ship round half the efficiency of the RX 9070 XT. AMD is claiming the 9060 XT 16GB might be round 6% sooner than the RTX 5060 Ti 8GB on common throughout a 40-game pattern examined at 1440p utilizing extremely settings.

Now, you would possibly discover they’re evaluating their 16GB mannequin towards Nvidia’s 8GB mannequin – that is as a result of they’re the closest in value. I requested AMD about whether or not that will even be true evaluating 16GB vs 16GB, and so they mentioned we should always anticipate each the 9060 XT and 5060 Ti to supply comparable efficiency.

Primarily based on our testing of different fashions, this might make the 9060 XT about 35 to 40% slower than a 9070 XT – so slightly higher than half the efficiency from half the die measurement – and comparable efficiency to a Radeon RX 7700 XT from the earlier era.

When working some calculations based mostly on AMD’s claims – which, in fact, you need to take with a grain of salt – the 9060 XT ought to provide over 20% higher worth than the RTX 5060 Ti 16GB: comparable efficiency, however with the MSRP lower from $430 to $350.

When working some calculations based mostly on AMD’s claims – which, in fact, you need to take with a grain of salt – the 9060 XT ought to provide over 20% higher worth than the RTX 5060 Ti 16GB: comparable efficiency, however with the MSRP lower from $430 to $350. After all, that is assuming each the AMD and Nvidia playing cards might be accessible at these costs, one thing that is not usually the case lately, particularly in america. It also needs to imply round 15% higher worth than the RTX 5060 Ti 8GB, however with the additional advantage of a extra appropriate 16GB reminiscence capability.

The 8GB card at $300 ought to provide round 20% higher worth than the RTX 5060 Ti 8GB as nicely, although this card might be a lot much less interesting attributable to its restricted VRAM at a excessive $300 value level.

Actually, this card both should not exist or ought to be priced beneath $200, which might be unrealistic given the efficiency of the GPU itself. As we have mentioned many occasions now, we strongly really feel $300 graphics playing cards ought to have greater than 8GB of reminiscence within the yr 2025. The saving grace right here is that Nvidia remains to be promoting an 8GB GPU for $380, which is even worse, whereas AMD’s most costly 8GB card might be $300.

With the RX 9060 XT positioned as it’s, it has the potential to kill all the RTX 5060 collection. Together with claims of superior worth in comparison with the 5060 Ti, it ought to be higher worth than the RTX 5060. For an additional $50, evaluating MSRPs, the 16GB 9060 XT ought to provide double the VRAM and the next efficiency tier.

We all know the RTX 5060 performs across the degree of a 4060 Ti 8GB, however the 9060 XT ought to be extra like a 5060 Ti, which is 20% sooner. Additionally accessible might be a card with the identical VRAM and value because the 5060, however a tier increased in efficiency.

The opposite attention-grabbing comparability to make is to the Radeon 7700 XT. Whereas this GPU launched at $450, it shortly dropped to round $400 and was accessible at that value on the finish of 2024. Basically, the RX 9060 XT is the successor to this mannequin, providing comparable raster efficiency, higher ray tracing efficiency, entry to FSR 4 upscaling, and an enchancment from 12GB to 16GB of VRAM for a $100 decrease MSRP and doubtlessly $50 decrease actual pricing.

That does not sound wonderful from a price standpoint, however the 9060 XT is wanting like a clearly superior product. However, it is also an improve from the 7600 XT, which was priced at $330. For $20 extra, AMD is claiming to supply the identical VRAM, higher options, and doubtlessly upwards of 30% extra efficiency.

Basically, the RX 9060 XT is the successor to the 7700 XT, providing comparable raster efficiency, higher ray tracing efficiency, entry to FSR 4 upscaling, and an enchancment from 12GB to 16GB of VRAM for a $100 decrease MSRP and doubtlessly $50 decrease actual pricing.

Whereas we’re actually liking the look of the 9060 XT and its $350 value level for a 16GB GPU, the 8GB card merely should not have the identical title – or at the least a reputation that’s similar to the 16GB mannequin. This can be a big challenge we had with the RTX 5060 Ti, the place the existence of a very good mannequin and a nasty mannequin with the identical title made it simple for shoppers to fall right into a entice of buying the horrible 8GB mannequin.

Typically the 8GB card would come up first at retailers when looking for the 5060 Ti, and since it was the most affordable model, it will be probably the most engaging for players who weren’t overly acquainted with the variations between 8GB and 16GB. These players would purchase the 8GB card and be left with a mannequin that is immediately out of date.

The very same points might be current with the RX 9060 XT 16GB and 8GB fashions, and this might have been simply prevented if AMD merely referred to as the 8GB mannequin one thing else, just like the “RX 9060” with out the XT on the finish. Now, perhaps they’re additionally planning to launch an RX 9060 in some unspecified time in the future, however there’s loads of numbers to make use of, and these two playing cards ought to be extra distinct so players do not fall right into a entice.

That is, in fact, along with the truth that $300 for an 8GB card is an excessive amount of to pay, however I will not go over all of that once more.

On a extra optimistic notice, AMD made it very clear that they won’t be making an attempt to bury or manipulate RX 9060 XT critiques. With the launch date set at June fifth, reviewers can have entry to 9060 XT drivers – for each the 8GB and 16GB fashions – early subsequent week, giving per week and a half of pre-release entry. Samples also needs to be prepared very shortly, and there might be no restrictions on 8GB and 16GB sampling; each might be accessible to check earlier than launch on request.

The main target might be on the 16GB graphics card they insist, however we not too long ago noticed a complete bunch of shenanigans from Nvidia regarding the 8GB RTX 5060 Ti and RTX 5060, together with stopping 8GB 5060 Ti samples from reaching media pre-launch and never working a assessment program in any respect for the 5060. AMD is doing none of that with this launch.

FSR Redstone

The opposite important graphics-related announcement from AMD at Computex 2025 is FSR Redstone, the following evolution of FSR that’s coming within the second half of 2025. This can be a set of further options coming to the FSR household, all of that are AI-based: there’s neural radiance caching, ray regeneration – a.okay.a. AMD’s model of Nvidia’s ray reconstruction – and an up to date model of body era that makes use of AI to boost picture high quality.

We received some nonetheless picture examples of how these options will enhance ray-traced gaming. We’re anticipating them to supply comparable benefits to different applied sciences in the marketplace right now, however for Radeon GPU house owners.

Supplied these applied sciences work nicely, they need to enable AMD to shut the options hole with Nvidia, who depend on tech like ray reconstruction and AI-based body era for path-traced gaming.

As a result of the know-how is not anticipated till the second half of 2025, it is not clear how FSR Redstone might be built-in. With FSR 4 upscaling, proper now it is a driver-based toggle that converts FSR 3.1 implementations into AI-based FSR 4.

This may also be attainable with AI-based FSR body era based mostly on what AMD was saying, however different options like neural radiance caching and ray regeneration would possibly require sport integration and extra APIs. So we’ll see how that goes later within the yr.

AMD additionally introduced that FSR 4 sport help might be increasing to 60 titles on June 5, alongside the launch of the RX 9060 XT, which is comparatively good adoption given we noticed round 30 titles supported on the launch of the 9070 XT.

The most important weak spot AMD has with FSR 4 is not the standard of the know-how itself – which is excellent – however sport help in comparison with Nvidia’s DLSS 4 and DLSS 3. If AMD can proceed this tempo of FSR 4 title help, that might be nice information for Radeon patrons.