Boxing match in the mid-range: AMD pits the Radeon RX 9060 XT against the RTX 5060 Ti, outcome uncertain

What has long trickled through the usual channels as an inconspicuous leak is slowly becoming more tangible: AMD is preparing its next attack on the upper mid-range with the Radeon RX 9060 XT – and without any big show, but with a portion of tactical calculation. Navi 44 is the name of the chip on which the whole thing is based, and if you look at the information currently available, it becomes clear that this is not about prestige, but about market share.

2048 shader units, 128-bit bus and clock speed up to the limit

The reported technical data doesn’t read very spectacular at first: 2048 stream processors, half as many as the RX 9070 XT. Plus a 128-bit memory interface, as is usual in this performance class. The memory expansion is expected to be 8 GB and 16 GB GDDR6 – exactly what NVIDIA is also planning for the RTX 5060 Ti, albeit with GDDR7. An advantage for NVIDIA in theory, but only if the surcharge does not affect the street price too much. The clock rate will be exciting: 2620 MHz game clock, 3230 MHz boost – and custom models are even expected to hit the 3.3 GHz mark. This is ambitious, but the trend was already evident in the RX 9700/XT) models. It remains to be seen whether the company is relying on finer manufacturing or simply on the improved efficiency of the Navi-44 die. Incidentally, the latter is said to have a larger package area than Navi 24 (RDNA 2), which at least suggests a somewhat more powerful substructure.

Performance class clearly defined: upper mid-range with high standards

The Radeon RX 9060 XT is clearly aimed at the 1080p gamer segment, who perhaps want a little more performance without having to enter the price range above the 500 euro mark. The direct opponent is obvious: NVIDIA’s RTX 5060 Ti, which will be launched tomorrow. Gigabyte has already listed various custom models – both in the gaming and gaming OC versions, each with 8 or 16 GB. A sign that the launch is imminent. And as both competitors are largely similar in terms of features, it will probably ultimately come down to a question of price. AMD is likely to position itself below NVIDIA’s 399 or 499 US dollars (depending on the VRAM expansion). A tried-and-tested move that already worked well with the RX 7600 – even if demand in 2024 remained rather modest.

No feature fireworks – and that’s a good thing

Anyone looking forward to spectacular new technologies is likely to be disappointed. Ray tracing performance? Probably marginally improved. AI accelerator? Not a thing. Upscaling with FSR 3? Yes, but on the software side, i.e. for all RDNA GPUs. AMD remains true to itself here: it concentrates on what it is good at – solid raster performance at a halfway reasonable price. That may not be sexy, but it does the job. And that’s more than you can say for some competitors who throw AI labels around while the GPU underneath barely knows what to do.

Relevance for the market: AMD plays the mainstream game

If AMD wants to regain some relevance with the RX 9060 XT, it won’t be through unique technical features, but through availability, pricing and efficiency. And this is where things could get interesting. Because if AMD doesn’t clearly break the 200-watt mark with Navi 44, but at the same time plays in the 3060 Ti or even 5060 Ti range, you would have a viable product. Not for enthusiasts, but for the vast majority of users who don’t want to spend four-figure sums on a graphics card.

Down-to-earth instead of ground-breaking

The Radeon RX 9060 XT is not a flagship project – it is a workhorse for ambitious beginners. No architectural revolution, no technological bombast, but a pragmatically tailored mid-range card with well thought-out features and realistic performance targets. The boost clock above 3 GHz is a nice treat, but not a game changer. If the price is right – and with AMD this is traditionally a question of timing – the RX 9060 XT could be exactly what many gamers need: a modern GPU without unnecessary gimmicks, but with enough power for the latest games. Provided you don’t go overboard with the RRP. Everything else remains to be seen – at the latest at Computex, when the cards are literally on the table.

Source: Videocardz