The risky mod can enable the AMD RX 9070 to surpass the more expensive 9070 XT.

      AMD’s RX 9070 struggles to compete with some of the top graphics cards. With fewer cores than the RX 9070 XT, and priced only $50 lower, its market position appears questionable. However, it has shown considerable potential; one user was able to mod their RX 9070 to closely match the performance of the more expensive XT version.

      This modification was reported by Gurdi on the PCGamesHardware forums. While overclocking the RX 9000 series yields positive results, it alone cannot elevate the RX 9070 non-XT to the same level as the XT. The RX 9070 XT features 4,096 cores compared to the 3,584 cores in the non-XT version. Although both utilize the same Navi 48 GPU, the performance gap is significant.

      So, what did the RX 9070 owner do to enhance performance? They modified the BIOS. This involved using the RX 9070 XT BIOS on the non-XT version, effectively boosting the card's performance.

      Flashing the card with a different BIOS resulted in noticeable improvements. Using the ASUS Prime RX 9070 as the base, Gurdi applied the BIOS from the Asus Prime variant of the XT. Initially, the card operated between 2,140MHz and 2,610MHz with a power draw of 220 watts. Post-modification, the RX 9070 non-XT operated at 2,480MHz to 3,030MHz, with the power draw rising to 317 watts.

      It's important to mention that the non-XT and XT models do not share the same power connectors; the XT requires three 8-pin connectors, whereas the non-XT utilizes only two. Nonetheless, the user reported achieving stable performance despite encountering various issues during the process.

      After the overclocking, the RX 9070 demonstrated a performance increase of up to 20% compared to the stock, unmodified version. These significant improvements bring the card close to the RX 9070 XT's performance level.

      Should you attempt this at home? It’s advisable to avoid doing so unless you're knowledgeable about the process. Many complications can arise, and modifications may void any warranties. Nonetheless, it's fascinating to observe, and given the occasional scarcity of the RX 9070 XT, this serves as a way for users to enhance their non-XT cards.

      

      AMD is expected to reveal more information regarding the RX 9070 XT soon, with the potential to compete against some of the finest graphics cards in the mainstream market. Speculation about the GPU's pricing has also been circulating. A prominent leaker recently suggested that AMD might underprice Nvidia by a small margin.

      David Huang on X (formerly Twitter) indicated that the card could be priced at $699, responding to another user’s prediction of a $649 price point. VideoCardz reports that AMD aims to place its new flagship in the sub-$700 price bracket, lending credibility to these rumors.

      AMD’s RX 9070 XT is anticipated to potentially match the performance of the RTX 4080. With only days remaining until the official launch of AMD’s Radeon 9000 graphics cards, early performance benchmarks for the RX 9070 XT have allegedly been leaked. According to VideoCardz, AMD conducted an exclusive media briefing in which they shared architectural details and performance metrics, suggesting a significant improvement over prior models and fierce competition for Nvidia.

      The leaked benchmarks reportedly show the Radeon RX 9070 XT achieving performance levels 42% to 168% faster than the Radeon RX 7900 GRE at 4K resolution with ultra settings across over 30 games. On average, the RX 9070 XT outperforms the RX 7900 GRE by 38% at 1440p and 42% at 2160p. In ray tracing-intensive games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Hitman 3, the performance gains reportedly range from 164% to 168%.

      Despite the RX 9070 XT’s lower expected price, this may not be sufficient for it to effectively compete with the top-tier graphics cards. As of now, over a month after its vague intimation at CES 2025, precise details about AMD's RDNA 4 lineup are limited. While the cards are set for a March launch, the specifications remain unclear. The most pressing unknown is pricing.

      After a rocky lead-up to the RX 9000 series launch, setting the right price is crucial for AMD. Recent leaks suggest that the company plans to price its cards "very aggressively," which could be promising, but it may still fall short against the leading graphics cards in the market.