• RX 8800 XT is rumored to equal RTX 4080 for non-ray tracing efficiency
• The RDNA 4 graphics card may match the RTX 4080 Tremendous for ray tracing
• The GPU is about to enter mass manufacturing, hinting at an early 2025 launch

AMD’s rumored Radeon RX 8800 XT may pack an actual punch – particularly for ray tracing – if a recent leak in regards to the next-gen GPU seems to be true.

In concept, this would be the top-tier RDNA 4 graphics card – though it’ll be a mid-range GPU, as AMD isn’t doing the high-end this time round, going by the rumor mill – and the brand new data on efficiency and a attainable launch date comes from Zhangzhonghao, a leaker over on the Chiphell boards (in China).

Add loads of seasoning, however the declare (as highlighted by Wccftech) is that the RX 8800 XT is a large enchancment in ray tracing efficiency, and a very good step up for rasterization efficiency (no ray tracing) too.

Zhangzhonghao believes that rasterization efficiency will equal Nvidia’s RTX 4080 GPU, and that the 8800 XT can be extra within the ballpark of the RTX 4080 Tremendous with regards to ray tracing.

The leaker additionally claims that the RX 8800 XT is 45% quicker in ray tracing in comparison with the present flagship, the RX 7900 XTX, with the Resident Evil 4 Remake. And that in different common video games, the 8800 XT’s generational ray tracing increase is ‘epic’ albeit partly as a result of the efficiency ranges seen with RDNA 3 have been fairly shoddy.

One other level to notice is that energy consumption for the 8800 XT ought to be 25% lower than the 7900 XTX, though we aren’t supplied with any particular metric right here, only a obscure assertion.

Relating to the discharge date, we’re advised that the RX 8800 XT is about to begin mass manufacturing in the course of December. In concept, then, it may emerge late in January 2025, or maybe February, which inserts with present rumors of a Q1 launch for RDNA 4 graphics playing cards.

Evaluation: Causes to be hopeful

Curiously, a lot of the latest buzz is in regards to the RX 8800 XT, and we’re not listening to something a lot on the 8700 XT which might, in concept, be the seemingly companion GPU (primarily based on guesswork and previous rumors).

Contemplating that the revealing of AMD’s RDNA 4 desktop GPUs is seemingly deliberate for CES 2025, in simply over a month, we’d count on extra spillage a few sibling GPU to return by means of quickly – until Group Pink is kicking off with a solo launch right here earlier than different RDNA 4 playing cards arrive additional down the road, however we’d be very shocked if that was the case.

With the efficiency leaks, earlier hypothesis has steered that the highest RDNA 4 GPU (in concept this 8800 XT) could possibly be a bit quicker than the 7900 XT, and equating the 8800 XT with the RTX 4080 right here signifies that’s certainly the case (although different rumors have steered it’ll be stage with the 7900 XT, so a contact slower than the 4080).

That’s for rasterization, however the leap with ray tracing seems to be to be an enormous one – and that is smart by way of AMD wanting to repair that weak point with its next-gen desktop graphics playing cards. Fingers crossed on that entrance, as typically the arguments in favor of Nvidia being the superior selection revolve round ray tracing (and DLSS too).

On the subject of energy utilization, with the present 7900 XTX flagship having a TDP of 355W, primarily based on the above data, we could possibly be 265W or so for the 8800 XT, which might put it in a lot the identical bracket because the 7800 XT. That implies AMD is concentrating on driving efficiency with RDNA 4, relatively than effectivity (however not efficiency at the price of effectivity, crucially).

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