AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE review: the most compelling RDNA 3 graphics card yet

RT/DLSS/FSR2/XeSS benchmarks: Cyberpunk 2077, Dying Light 2, Forza Horizon 5.

Review by Richard Leadbetter Technology Editor, Digital Foundry

Published on 26 Feb 2024

Raw ray tracing performance is one thing, but the truth is that RT is usually used in combination with image reconstruction technology for a better balance of visual features and performance. This page seeks to show how these GPUs compare with both technologies in play, with the same (or very close) base resolutions engaged. It's not factoring in image quality - where Nvidia enjoys a noticeable advantage against AMD - and neither are we considering overall support, where DLSS enjoys wider uptake amongst game developers. Here, we're just looking at raw performance - without factoring in DLSS 3 frame generation on 40-class cards, given AMD's FSR3 alternative is still in its early stages of take-up.

Once again, if you're jumping straight to this page without looking at prior results, we should stress that our benchmarking system offers a number of ways to get to the data you want, the presentation varying according to the device you're using. You'll get a basic overview of our findings on mobile, with metadata from the video capture of each GPU being translated into simple bar charts with average frame-rate and lowest one per cent measurements for easy comparisons.

On a desktop-class browser, you'll get the full-fat DF experience with embedded YouTube videos of each test scene and live performance metrics. Play the video, and you'll see exactly how each card handled the scene as it progresses. Below the real-time metrics is an interactive bar chart, which you can mouse over to see different measurements and click to switch between actual frame-rates and percentage differences. All the data here is derived from video captured directly from each GPU, ensuring an accurate replay of real performance.

Cyberpunk 2077

Upscaling technologies can have the effect of compressing performance differentials between GPUs - which can be a good thing bearing in mind that due to the heavy computational cost of RT, reconstruction is likely to be used by gamers. However, when the gap between AMD and Nvidia is as wide as seen here at reconstructed 1440p, it makes little odds.

Priced at the same level as RTX 4070, the GRE delivers 85 per cent of its Nvidia price equivalent, but just seventy percent of the throughput of the 4070 Super - the card it is designed to challenge. However, again, with a 17 point lead over the 7800 XT, the cheaper AMD offering is looking a tad pricey - quite a feat bearing in mind its own excellent value.

Cyberpunk 2077, Ultra RT, DLSS/FSR2/XeSS Quality

Dying Light 2

Dying Light 2 is another heavy game running at native 4K with all of its RT bells and whistles enabled, with DLSS and FSR2 providing a transformative boost to performance. While image quality isn't quite like for like, the frame-rate boost from FSR 2 propels the 7900 GRE a useful five points clear of the 4070 at 1440p. However, the RTX 4070 Super still offers up a nigh-on 19 percent performance increase - proportionately more 'frames for the money' bearing in mind it's around nine percent more expensive.

Price vs performance differentials in this segment are a little out of whack: once again, the GRE is about 10 percent pricier than the 7800 XT, yet here it's delivering 15 percent more performance. As mentioned already, value should increase as you we go down the stack - and the same criticism can be levelled at the standard RTX 4070 too. It's also too expensive when stacked up against the Super upgrade.

Dying Light 2, Ultra RT, DLSS/FSR2/XeSS Quality

Forza Horizon 5

Here in Forza Horizon 5, we're set up at extreme settings, delivering a visual feature set in excess of Series X running in its 30fps quality mode, but we've disabled ray tracing completely on this run. With only rasterisation in the mix, we should see better results from AMD... though with that said, the Ada Lovelace architecture does love Forza.

Even so, the 7900 GRE inches ahead of the more expensive RTX 4070 Super by around four points, with a noisier 18 point lead over the non-Super at our chosen 1440p focus. In fact, the GRE beats RTX 3090 by 11 points. Is this a hint of the rasterisation leads to come?

Forza Horizon 5, Extreme, DLSS/FSR2/XeSS Quality

Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales

With Spider-Man back in the benchmarking line-up, it's interesting to see how Nixxes' code measures up with reconstruction enabled and all the RT bells and whistles active. It's a good showing for the GRE at 1440p resolution, with RT performance that actually moves slightly ahead of the RTX 4070 available at the same price - though an eighteen point lead for the RTX 4070 Super is difficult to ignore.

There's been a trend so far of the GRE presenting more value relative to price than the highly rated RX 7800 XT, but that doesn't apply here: the GRE is just 6.4 percent ahead of the XT.