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Every time I go looking for a decent priced GPU in 2025, I always run into the RX 7800 XT. It's one of the only mid-range cards I've spotted recently that's not astronomically more than MSRP, and while it'll naturally fall short compared to the RX 9070 and RTX 5070, it's still packs a decent punch for under $600. Oh, and did I mention it comes with Monster Hunter Wilds right now? Yep.
The AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT I'd specifically grab right now is the XFX SWFT 210, largely because it's going for $520.56 at Amazon. It's still just over $20 more than MSRP, but since other custom models are sitting just under $900 at Newegg, it's safe to say this best graphics card contender is still priced sensibly.
Normally, I would advise holding out for RX 9070 XT stock or opting for the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070, but if I'm being real, neither option is viable right now. Shortages are once again plaguing the PC gaming scene and have effectively postponed the next-generation of GPUs. It's for that reason that I can still recommend the AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT with my full chest, as even if it can't quite boost fps to the same level as new mid-rangers, those might as well not exist if they're unobtainable.
As for what to expect from the RX 7800 XT performance-wise, here's some insights. During testing, the RDNA 3 card performed admirably handling Returnal with ultra 4K settings enabled, hitting a 60fps average. Sony's PC port is pretty taxing, so seeing the card hit that sweet spot was reassuring. It also pulled nice moves in Hitman 3 with the same settings applied, managing around 116fps, which isn't remotely shabby.
If you prefer to turn on fancy ray tracing options, the RX 7800 XT can pull off fancy lighting by either stepping things back to 1440p (the resolution it's probably better suited to) or by using FSR and Fluid Motion Frames, AMD's take on Frame Generation. Unlike with Nvidia GPUs, you can actually switch on the red team's FG techniques in any game at a driver level, which will give you a nice boost if in outings less reliant on low latency.
It'd be pretty hilarious if the RX 7800 XT didn't meet Monster Hunter Wilds system requirements since it's bundled with the GPU, but it thankfully does so comfortably. Capcom recommends using an 8GB card like the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060, and AMD's mid-range contender more than meets the mark with 16GB GDDR6 VRAM. You might need to fiddle with a few settings if you want to play at 4K without much compromise, but you'll ultimately end up with an experience that looks great and runs at a more than acceptable frame rate.
I'll be keeping a close eye on the GPU availability situation throughout 2025, and I'll no doubt recommend more cards like the RX 7800 XT if they're available. Since RTX 5080 stock has been a bust since launch and the RTX 5090 might as well be a unicorn, I personally believe the best approach is to embrace whatever is actually obtainable for as near MSRP as possible, rather than tormenting yourself with GPUs that practically don't exist.
Planning a full rig revamp? Swing by the best CPU for gaming and the best gaming RAM for recommended components. Alternatively, take a peek at the best Alienware gaming PC builds for out of this world Aurora machines.
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