AMD has finally revealed its new Navi 10 graphics cards, with both the RX 5700 and RX 5700 XT being announced during E3 2019. These new GPUs have a clear aim to disrupt the market when they launch on their July 7 release date, going head-to-head with Nvidia’s new RTX offerings. With a promising price to performance ratio, offering plenty of bang for one’s buck, it’s understandable why PC gamers would choose to go with an AMD card to power the next generation of games. But which new AMD graphics card should you choose? In an AMD RX 5700 vs 5700 XT matchup, which card is the best? Here’s what you need to know about the differences between the XT and non-XT versions, and whether that XT version is worth it.
AMD RX 5700 vs 5700 XT | The differences
5700 vs 5700 XT price difference
The differences between the AMD RX 5700 and the RX 5700 XT come down to more than just a couple of letters. Gamers often link AMD to good value, so let’s begin with the difference in price, and what you can get for the extra cash.
- AMD RX 5700
- $379 (Recommended)
- AMD RX 5700 XT
- $449 (Recommended)
The AMD RX 5700 price comes in at $379, with performance that aims to match or exceed that of the Nvidia RTX 2060. For $449 — that’s an increase of $70 — you can get the AMD RX 5700 XT, whose performance targets to match or beat that of the Nvidia RTX 2070.
5700 vs 5700 XT specs
Powered by the new RDNA architecture, both of the new Navi 10 GPUs boast some impressive “next-gen” specs. These upgrades allow for more cores and higher clocks, while also keeping costs down with the use of GDDR6 memory instead of HBM2.
- AMD RX 5700
- 2,304 cores
- Base: 1465 MHz
- Boost: 1725 MHz
- 8 GB GDDR6
- Memory Speed: 14 Gbps
- AMD RX 5700 XT
- 2,560 cores
- Base: 1605 MHz
- Boost: 1905 MHz
- 8 GB GDDR6
- Memory Speed: 14 Gbps
As expected, the extra $70 for the XT version gets you the extra cores and faster clock speed. However, both models feature 8 GB GDDR6, which is great to see for users who are considering higher resolutions or more intensive games, as well as futureproofing your system.
AMD RX 5700 vs 5700 XT | Is the XT version worth it?
While they share the same number, “5700,” there is a significant difference to be seen when carrying out an AMD RX 5700 vs 5700 XT showdown.
At the time of writing — and this is via AMD’s own testing and reports, so take the information with a huge grain of salt — the RX 5700 offers performance that is comparable to the Nvidia RTX 2060. The RX 5700 XT, on the other hand, matches up nicely to the RTX 2070.
Is the XT version worth it? Well, for $70 extra, the performance increase claimed by AMD certainly looks like good value. If you’re on a tighter budget where every dollar matters, then the non-XT version might be better for you.
It’s also worth mentioning how the AMD RX 5700 and 5700 XT July 7 release date should also cause price drops further down the stack, with older cards like the 570, 580, and even 590 being hit with some reductions. And, of course, there’s also the potential Nvidia response, with SUPER cards being teased and leaked.
AMD RX 5700 vs 5700 XT vs 5700 XT 50th Anniversary
What if I were to tell you that there is a third RX 5700 card? Well, there is! The AMD RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary is a special edition GPU aimed at the more hardcore AMD fans. It swapped the red accent for a gold trim.
Thankfully, the price isn’t too ridiculous, coming in at $499 (a $50 increase over the standard 5700 XT price). This potentially hints at wide availability, as limited edition products like this would usually have a significantly higher price tag.
Here’s how the specs look with the AMD 5700 XT 50th Anniversary card included:
- AMD RX 5700
- 2,304 cores
- Base: 1465 MHz
- Boost: 1725 MHz
- 8 GB GDDR6
- Memory Speed: 14 Gbps
- AMD RX 5700 XT
- 2,560 cores
- Base: 1605 MHz
- Boost: 1905 MHz
- 8 GB GDDR6
- Memory Speed: 14 Gbps
- AMD RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary
- 2,560 cores
- Base: 1680 MHz
- Boost: 1980 MHz
- 8 GB GDDR6
- Memory Speed: 14 Gbps
There isn’t yet any information about the AMD RX 5700 XT 50th Anniversary release date, nor any mention of availability.
With the other 5700 cards launching July 7, you would hope that AMD would also be launching the 50th Anniversary edition at around the same time, as the biggest fans likely won’t want to be kept waiting!
