AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT vs AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT
Side-by-side local AI comparison: VRAM, memory bandwidth, model compatibility, and estimated tokens per second across 99 open-weight models.
Quick verdict
AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is faster for local AI inference, but only on memory bandwidth (2.6% more). Both GPUs have 16 GB VRAM and run the exact same 46 models natively; neither fits anything the other can't.
Analysis
The RX 9070 XT (RDNA 4, $599 at its March 2025 launch) and the RX 7800 XT (RDNA 3, $499 at its September 2023 launch) are AMD's two 16GB cards in the $500 to $600 range, so they are the natural upgrade pair for anyone already holding or shopping AMD at this capacity. For local LLMs the question is what an extra $100 and one architecture generation buy when both cards carry the same 16GB on a 256-bit bus.
Less than the price gap suggests, on the metric this site models. Both cards fit the exact same 46 of 99 tracked models natively at 8k context, since capacity decides what fits, and bandwidth differs by only 2.6% (640 versus 624 GB/s): Qwen3 14B at Q4_K_M decodes at 48.1 tok/s versus 47.0, Qwen 3.6 27B at Q3_K_M (15.15 GB, the largest dense build either card holds) at 35.9 versus 35.1, and a 35B-A3B mixture-of-experts model at Q2_K (15.12 GB) at 105.0 versus 104.3. Real hardware separates them further than bandwidth does. On the llama.cpp project's public Vulkan scoreboard (Llama 2 7B Q4_0, driver not stated), the RX 9070 XT generates 137.1 tok/s against 118.3 for the RX 7800 XT, about 16% faster, and reads a 512-token prompt at 5,036 tok/s against 2,017, roughly 2.5 times as fast. Prompt processing is compute-bound, which this site does not model, so long prompts and large contexts favor the newer card by more than the decode estimates show. Software support is current for both: AMD's ROCm and Windows HIP SDK tables list the RX 9070 XT as gfx1201 and the RX 7800 XT as gfx1101, though RDNA 4 needs ROCm 6.4.1 or newer.
Bottom line: Buy the RX 9070 XT if you will feed the model long prompts or documents, want the newest ROCm target, or plan to keep the card for years: the extra $100 buys a clear prompt-processing lead and a modest decode lead, while the 16GB ceiling is unchanged. The RX 7800 XT is the better value if your use is short chats on models up to 14B, or 27B-class models at Q3_K_M, where this site's estimates put the two within 3% of each other. Neither card changes what runs: Q4_K_M on a 27B model needs 19.02 GB, past both cards' 15.2 GB, and 70B-class models stay out of reach.
Specs comparison
| Spec | AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT | AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT |
|---|---|---|
| VRAM | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| Memory type | GDDR6 | GDDR6 |
| Bandwidth | 640 GB/s(+3%) | 624 GB/s |
| Architecture | RDNA 4 | RDNA 3 |
| Backend | ROCM | ROCM |
| Tier | Consumer | Consumer |
| Released | 2025 | 2023 |
| Models (native) | 46 | 46 |
Estimated tokens per second
Computed from memory bandwidth and model active-parameter weight. Assumes model fits natively in VRAM.
| Model | AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT | AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT | Delta |
|---|---|---|---|
| Llama 3.3 70B Instruct(70B) | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Qwen 3.6 27B(27B) | 35.9 t/s(Q3_K_M) | 35.1 t/s(Q3_K_M) | +2% |
| Llama 3.1 8B Instruct(8B) | 52.8 t/s(Q8_0) | 51.6 t/s(Q8_0) | +2% |
| Qwen 2.5 7B Instruct(7.6B) | 59.3 t/s(Q8_0) | 58 t/s(Q8_0) | +2% |
Delta is AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT relative to AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT, compared at the highest quantization that fits natively on both cards.
Only AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT can run(0)
No exclusive models: AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT can run everything AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT can.
Only AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT can run(0)
No exclusive models: AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT can run everything AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT can.
Both run natively(46)
These models fit in VRAM on both GPUs. Bandwidth determines which runs them faster.
- Qwen 3.5 35B-A3B (MoE)105 t/svs104.3 t/s
- Qwen 3.6 35B-A3B (MoE)105 t/svs104.3 t/s
- Ornith 1.5 35B-A3B (MoE)105 t/svs104.3 t/s
- Nemotron 3 Nano 30B87.1 t/svs86.7 t/s
- Gemma 4 31B37 t/svs36.2 t/s
- Qwen3 30B-A3B (MoE)82.6 t/svs82 t/s
- Muse Glimmer 30B36.8 t/svs35.9 t/s
- Gemma 2 27B Instruct37.5 t/svs36.7 t/s
- Gemma 3 27B Instruct42.1 t/svs41.1 t/s
- Qwen 3.6 27B35.9 t/svs35.1 t/s
- UI-Mate 27B35.9 t/svs35.1 t/s
- Bonsai 27B56.9 t/svs55.8 t/s
- Bonsai 2 27B65.5 t/svs64.3 t/s
- Qwen 3.8 27B35.9 t/svs35.1 t/s
- Gemma 4 26B (MoE)107.3 t/svs106.2 t/s
- Mistral Small 3.1 24B Instruct39.6 t/svs38.7 t/s
- +30 more on both
Which should you choose?
- • Faster token generation is the priority
- • You want the newer architecture and longer driver support lifecycle
- • Price or availability decides it: AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT has no VRAM, bandwidth or backend advantage over AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT
Frequently asked questions
- Which is better for local AI, the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT or AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT?
- For local AI inference, the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT has the edge. It offers 16 GB VRAM (vs 16 GB) and 640 GB/s bandwidth (vs 624 GB/s), letting it run 46 models natively in VRAM vs 46 for its rival.
- How much VRAM does the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT have vs the AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT?
- The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT has 16 GB of GDDR6 at 640 GB/s. The AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT has 16 GB of GDDR6 at 624 GB/s. Both GPUs have the same VRAM amount; bandwidth determines which generates tokens faster.
- Can the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT run Llama 3.3 70B?
- The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT can run Llama 3.3 70B with CPU offload at Q3_K_M, but at reduced speed.
- Can the AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT run Llama 3.3 70B?
- The AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT can run Llama 3.3 70B with CPU offload at Q3_K_M, but at reduced speed.
- What is the difference between the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT and AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT for AI?
- The key difference for AI inference is VRAM and memory bandwidth. The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT has 16 GB VRAM at 640 GB/s (ROCM backend). The AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT has 16 GB VRAM at 624 GB/s (ROCM backend). VRAM determines which models fit; bandwidth determines tokens per second. The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT runs 46 models natively vs 46 for the AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT.