I'm currently looking to upgrade from my RTX 3070, paired with a Ryzen 7 5800X, and I'm torn between three specific graphics cards available in my area. My main priorities are silence and performance, as I really dislike coil whine and loud fans.
Here are the options I'm considering:
1. ASUS PRIME RTX 5070 (~€680 / $735)
2. XFX Speedster SWFT 319 RX 9070 XT (~€710 / $765)
3. ASRock RX 9070 XT Taichi (~€855 / $925)
I'm wondering if the entry-level XFX SWFT is quiet enough in terms of noise and thermals. Is the premium for the Taichi model justified for its quieter operation and 16GB memory? Or would it be safer to go with the 12GB RTX 5070 and save some cash?
4 Answers
I've heard that for older CPUs like the Ryzen 5800X, going for an AMD GPU can actually be beneficial—more VRAM, less driver overhead, and better memory sharing. I'm also using AM4 and went with the 9070XT instead of Nvidia. Personally, I'd go with the XFX because the price difference with the ASRock doesn't seem to justify the slight benefits.
I have to say, the Asus Prime cards are usually pretty loud. If you're after a silent experience, you'll likely need to look at the pricier options. The XFX variant should be decent in terms of noise, while the Taichi is likely to be quieter but doesn't seem worth the extra cost unless you're aiming for the quietest option. Plus, keep in mind that your current CPU might bottleneck the 9070XT unless you're gaming at 4K or something crazy like that.
Definitely, the XFX 9070XT is a great choice! It also looks really good for the price, so it's a solid pick if you want to balance aesthetics and performance.
From what I know, the XFX 9070XT models typically have good thermals and are reasonably quiet. The Taichi might be quieter and a bit faster, but I wouldn't spend the extra just for a slight noise reduction.
A tip: try undervolting and overclocking; it cools the GPU and really brings down the fan noise. If you're prioritizing silence, you can even lower the power limit, which for the 9070XT could reduce power draw by about 30% with only minimal performance loss.

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