Radeon RX 7900 XT vs RX 480

Place in the ranking	251	12
Place by popularity	not in top-100	not in top-100
Cost-effectiveness evaluation	15.85	37.79
Power efficiency	10.29	17.30
Architecture	GCN 4.0 (2016−2020)	RDNA 3.0 (2022−2024)
GPU code name	Ellesmere	Navi 31
GCN generation	4th Gen	no data
Market segment	Desktop	Desktop
Design	reference	no data
Release date	29 June 2016 (8 years ago)	3 November 2022 (2 years ago)
Launch price (MSRP)	$229	$899

Cost-effectiveness evaluation

Performance to price ratio. The higher, the better.

RX 7900 XT has 138% better value for money than RX 480.

Detailed specifications

General parameters such as number of shaders, GPU core base clock and boost clock speeds, manufacturing process, texturing and calculation speed. Note that power consumption of some graphics cards can well exceed their nominal TDP, especially when overclocked.

Pipelines / CUDA cores	2304	5376
Compute units	36	no data
Core clock speed	1120 MHz	1387 MHz
Boost clock speed	1266 MHz	2394 MHz
Number of transistors	5,700 million	57,700 million
Manufacturing process technology	14 nm	5 nm
Power consumption (TDP)	150 Watt	300 Watt
Texture fill rate	182.3	804.4
Floating-point processing power	5.834 TFLOPS	51.48 TFLOPS
ROPs	32	192
TMUs	144	336
Ray Tracing Cores	no data	84

Form factor & compatibility

Information on compatibility with other computer components. Useful when choosing a future computer configuration or upgrading an existing one. For desktop graphics cards it's interface and bus (motherboard compatibility), additional power connectors (power supply compatibility).

Bus support	n/a	no data
Interface	PCIe 3.0 x16	PCIe 4.0 x16
Length	241 mm	276 mm
Width	2-slot	2-slot
Supplementary power connectors	1x 6-pin	2x 8-pin
Bridgeless CrossFire	+	-

VRAM capacity and type

Parameters of VRAM installed: its type, size, bus, clock and resulting bandwidth. Integrated GPUs have no dedicated video RAM and use a shared part of system RAM.

Memory type	GDDR5	GDDR6
Maximum RAM amount	8 GB	20 GB
Memory bus width	256 Bit	320 Bit
Memory clock speed	8000 MHz	2500 MHz
Memory bandwidth	224 GB/s	800.0 GB/s
Shared memory	-	-

Connectivity and outputs

Types and number of video connectors present on the reviewed GPUs. As a rule, data in this section is precise only for desktop reference ones (so-called Founders Edition for NVIDIA chips). OEM manufacturers may change the number and type of output ports, while for notebook cards availability of certain video outputs ports depends on the laptop model rather than on the card itself.

Display Connectors	1x HDMI, 3x DisplayPort	1x HDMI 2.1a, 2x DisplayPort 2.1, 1x USB Type-C
Eyefinity	+	-
HDMI	2.0	+
DisplayPort support	1.4HDR	-

Supported technologies

Supported technological solutions. This information will prove useful if you need some particular technology for your purposes.

AppAcceleration	n/a	-
CrossFire	+	-
Enduro	n/a	-
FRTC	+	-
FreeSync	+	-
HD3D	n/a	-
LiquidVR	+	-
PowerTune	+	-
TressFX	+	-
TrueAudio	n/a	-
ZeroCore	+	-
UVD	+	-
VCE	+	-

API compatibility

List of supported 3D and general-purpose computing APIs, including their specific versions.

DirectX	DirectX® 12	12 Ultimate (12_2)
Shader Model	6.4	6.7
OpenGL	4.5	4.6
OpenCL	2.0	2.2
Vulkan	+	1.3
Mantle	n/a	-

Synthetic benchmark performance

Non-gaming benchmark results comparison. The combined score is measured on a 0-100 point scale.

Combined synthetic benchmark score

This is our combined benchmark score. We are regularly improving our combining algorithms, but if you find some perceived inconsistencies, feel free to speak up in comments section, we usually fix problems quickly.

RX 480 22.37

RX 7900 XT 75.23
+236%

Passmark

This is the most ubiquitous GPU benchmark. It gives the graphics card a thorough evaluation under various types of load, providing four separate benchmarks for Direct3D versions 9, 10, 11 and 12 (the last being done in 4K resolution if possible), and few more tests engaging DirectCompute capabilities.

RX 480 8600

RX 7900 XT 28929
+236%

3DMark 11 Performance GPU

3DMark 11 is an obsolete DirectX 11 benchmark by Futuremark. It used four tests based on two scenes, one being few submarines exploring the submerged wreck of a sunken ship, the other is an abandoned temple deep in the jungle. All the tests are heavy with volumetric lighting and tessellation, and despite being done in 1280x720 resolution, are relatively taxing. Discontinued in January 2020, 3DMark 11 is now superseded by Time Spy.

RX 480 17919

RX 7900 XT 75896
+324%

3DMark Vantage Performance

3DMark Vantage is an outdated DirectX 10 benchmark using 1280x1024 screen resolution. It taxes the graphics card with two scenes, one depicting a girl escaping some militarized base located within a sea cave, the other displaying a space fleet attack on a defenseless planet. It was discontinued in April 2017, and Time Spy benchmark is now recommended to be used instead.

RX 480 39552

RX 7900 XT 142489
+260%

3DMark Fire Strike Graphics

Fire Strike is a DirectX 11 benchmark for gaming PCs. It features two separate tests displaying a fight between a humanoid and a fiery creature made of lava. Using 1920x1080 resolution, Fire Strike shows off some realistic graphics and is quite taxing on hardware.

RX 480 12186

RX 7900 XT 63712
+423%

3DMark Cloud Gate GPU

Cloud Gate is an outdated DirectX 11 feature level 10 benchmark that was used for home PCs and basic notebooks. It displays a few scenes of some weird space teleportation device launching spaceships into unknown, using fixed resolution of 1280x720. Just like Ice Storm benchmark, it has been discontinued in January 2020 and replaced by 3DMark Night Raid.

RX 480 72213

RX 7900 XT 259707
+260%

3DMark Ice Storm GPU

Ice Storm Graphics is an obsolete benchmark, part of 3DMark suite. Ice Storm was used to measure entry level laptops and Windows-based tablets performance. It utilizes DirectX 11 feature level 9 to display a battle between two space fleets near a frozen planet in 1280x720 resolution. Discontinued in January 2020, it is now superseded by 3DMark Night Raid.

RX 480 383333

RX 7900 XT 737404
+92.4%

Gaming performance

Let's see how good the compared graphics cards are for gaming. Particular gaming benchmark results are measured in FPS.

Average FPS across all PC games

Here are the average frames per second in a large set of popular games across different resolutions:

Full HD	77 −166%	205 +166%
1440p	52 −158%	134 +158%
4K	35 −151%	88 +151%

Cost per frame, $

1080p	2.97 +47.5%	4.39 −47.5%
1440p	4.40 +52.3%	6.71 −52.3%
4K	6.54 +56.1%	10.22 −56.1%

RX 480 has 47% lower cost per frame in 1080p
RX 480 has 52% lower cost per frame in 1440p
RX 480 has 56% lower cost per frame in 4K

FPS performance in popular games

Full HD
Low Preset

Counter-Strike 2	40−45 −332%	170−180 +332%
Cyberpunk 2077	45−50 −427%	237 +427%
Elden Ring	70−75 −219%	230 +219%

Full HD
Medium Preset

Battlefield 5	70−75 −67.1%	110−120 +67.1%
Counter-Strike 2	40−45 −363%	190 +363%
Cyberpunk 2077	45−50 −136%	106 +136%
Forza Horizon 4	95−100 −504%	580 +504%
Metro Exodus	55−60 −176%	163 +176%
Red Dead Redemption 2	50−55 −176%	130−140 +176%
Valorant	90−95 −350%	400−450 +350%

Full HD
High Preset

Battlefield 5	70−75 −67.1%	110−120 +67.1%
Counter-Strike 2	40−45 −354%	186 +354%
Cyberpunk 2077	45−50 −111%	95 +111%
Dota 2	52 −248%	181 +248%
Elden Ring	70−75 −308%	290−300 +308%
Far Cry 5	51 −116%	110 +116%
Fortnite	110−120 −162%	300−350 +162%
Forza Horizon 4	95−100 −413%	492 +413%
Grand Theft Auto V	78 −122%	173 +122%
Metro Exodus	16 −906%	161 +906%
PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS	78 −176%	210−220 +176%
Red Dead Redemption 2	34 −306%	130−140 +306%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt	30 −480%	170−180 +480%
Valorant	90−95 −350%	400−450 +350%
World of Tanks	285 +2.2%	270−280 −2.2%

Full HD
Ultra Preset

Battlefield 5	70−75 −67.1%	110−120 +67.1%
Counter-Strike 2	29 −479%	168 +479%
Cyberpunk 2077	45−50 −97.8%	89 +97.8%
Dota 2	75−80 −136%	184 +136%
Far Cry 5	70−75 −95.8%	140−150 +95.8%
Forza Horizon 4	95−100 −342%	424 +342%
PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS	64 −236%	210−220 +236%
Valorant	90−95 −350%	400−450 +350%

1440p
High Preset

Dota 2	37 −330%	159 +330%
Elden Ring	35−40 −445%	200−210 +445%
Grand Theft Auto V	37 −330%	159 +330%
PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS	170−180 −0.6%	170−180 +0.6%
Red Dead Redemption 2	21 −343%	90−95 +343%
World of Tanks	150−160 −244%	500−550 +244%

1440p
Ultra Preset

Battlefield 5	45−50 −93.3%	85−90 +93.3%
Counter-Strike 2	18−20 −553%	124 +553%
Cyberpunk 2077	18−20 −239%	61 +239%
Far Cry 5	60−65 −154%	160−170 +154%
Forza Horizon 4	55−60 −460%	325 +460%
Metro Exodus	50 −182%	141 +182%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt	30−35 −438%	170−180 +438%
Valorant	55−60 −485%	300−350 +485%

4K
High Preset

Counter-Strike 2	18−20 −163%	50 +163%
Dota 2	36 −386%	175 +386%
Elden Ring	16−18 −559%	110−120 +559%
Grand Theft Auto V	36 −386%	175 +386%
Metro Exodus	15 −480%	87 +480%
PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS	70 −199%	200−210 +199%
Red Dead Redemption 2	14−16 −357%	60−65 +357%
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt	36 −386%	175 +386%

4K
Ultra Preset

Battlefield 5	21−24 −296%	90−95 +296%
Counter-Strike 2	18−20 −411%	95−100 +411%
Cyberpunk 2077	7−8 −329%	30 +329%
Dota 2	88 −73.9%	153 +73.9%
Far Cry 5	27−30 −262%	100−110 +262%
Fortnite	28 −243%	95−100 +243%
Forza Horizon 4	30−35 −409%	173 +409%
Valorant	27−30 −618%	200−210 +618%

This is how RX 480 and RX 7900 XT compete in popular games:

RX 7900 XT is 166% faster in 1080p
RX 7900 XT is 158% faster in 1440p
RX 7900 XT is 151% faster in 4K

Here's the range of performance differences observed across popular games:

in World of Tanks, with 1080p resolution and the High Preset, the RX 480 is 2% faster.
in Metro Exodus, with 1080p resolution and the High Preset, the RX 7900 XT is 906% faster.

All in all, in popular games:

RX 480 is ahead in 1 test (2%)
RX 7900 XT is ahead in 62 tests (98%)

Pros & cons summary

Performance score	22.37	75.23
Recency	29 June 2016	3 November 2022
Maximum RAM amount	8 GB	20 GB
Chip lithography	14 nm	5 nm
Power consumption (TDP)	150 Watt	300 Watt

RX 480 has 100% lower power consumption.

RX 7900 XT, on the other hand, has a 236.3% higher aggregate performance score, an age advantage of 6 years, a 150% higher maximum VRAM amount, and a 180% more advanced lithography process.

The Radeon RX 7900 XT is our recommended choice as it beats the Radeon RX 480 in performance tests.

Should you still have questions concerning choice between the reviewed GPUs, ask them in Comments section, and we shall answer.