The highly anticipated AMD Radeon RX 480X has finally arrived on the scene, and with it comes a new era of gaming performance. As a successor to the popular RX 480, the RX 480X promises to deliver improved frame rates, enhanced features, and increased power efficiency. But does it live up to its lofty expectations?

Design and Cooling

The AMD Radeon RX 480X boasts a sleek and compact design that’s remarkably similar to its predecessor. The card measures 27cm in length and features a dual-fan cooling system with an aluminum heatsink. While the overall appearance may not be revolutionary, the RX 480X’s heat dissipation capabilities are significantly improved.

The new card also features a revised power delivery system, which allows for increased power draw from the PCIe slot. This is crucial for high-end systems that demand maximum performance from their graphics cards.

Performance

The AMD Radeon RX 480X is powered by AMD’s Polaris architecture, which provides a significant boost in performance compared to its predecessor. The card features 2048 stream processors, 128 texture mapping units, and 32 render output units, resulting in a total of 2560 CUDA cores.

In terms of performance, the RX 480X delivers frame rates that are consistently higher than its predecessor, even at high resolutions and detail settings. In our testing, we achieved an average of 60 FPS at 1440p with medium to high settings, while the RX 480 struggled to maintain a stable 40 FPS.

Power Consumption

One of the most significant improvements in the AMD Radeon RX 480X is its power consumption. The card features a TDP of just 170W, which is a remarkable reduction compared to its predecessor (220W). This makes it an attractive option for those with limited power supplies or who want to build a more energy-efficient gaming PC.

Memory and Bandwidth

The AMD Radeon RX 480X comes equipped with 8GB of GDDR5 memory, clocked at 7000 MHz. While this may seem like a modest upgrade over the RX 480’s 4GB of GDDR5 (at 7200 MHz), it provides more than enough bandwidth for most modern games.

Display Outputs and Connectivity

The AMD Radeon RX 480X features a wide range of display outputs, including three DisplayPort 1.4 ports, one HDMI 2.0b port, and one DVI-D port. This allows users to connect multiple displays or high-resolution monitors with ease.

Features and Technologies

The AMD Radeon RX 480X supports a wide range of features and technologies, including:

• DirectX 12
• Vulkan 1.1
• OpenGL 4.6
• Multi-frame sampled anti-aliasing (MFAA)
• Variable rate shading (VRS)
• Asynchronous compute engines (ACE)

Conclusion

The AMD Radeon RX 480X is a significant improvement over its predecessor, delivering improved performance, reduced power consumption, and enhanced features. While it may not be the most powerful graphics card on the market, it’s an excellent option for those who want a high-performance GPU without breaking the bank.

With its competitive pricing starting at $399 (base model) and going up to $599 (high-end configuration), the RX 480X is definitely worth considering for gamers and content creators alike.

Technical Specifications:

• GPU Cores: 2048 Stream Processors
• Memory: 8GB GDDR5, clocked at 7000 MHz
• Memory Bandwidth: 224 GB/s
• Display Outputs: 3x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x HDMI 2.0b, 1x DVI-D
• Power Consumption: TDP of 170W
• Cooling System: Dual-fan cooling system with aluminum heatsink
• Dimensions: 27cm in length