RTX 9070 stock is holding out much better than Nvidia's entire RTX 50-series, but MSRP models are now largely out of stock. I am still seeing some GPUs spring back to life intermitted, which is probably the result of cancelled orders and other changes of mind, so it's well worth refreshing listings at Newegg and Best Buy for updates.
The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT is set to become AMD's latest best graphics card contender, but it's not what I'd describe as a premium GPU. Don't get me wrong, $600 is still a hearty investment, but it's not designed to take on the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 or Nvidia's monstrous RTX 5090 flagship. Instead, it'll be jumping in the ring with the GeForce RTX 5070 Ti while the vanilla RX 9070 tries to distract you from RTX 5070 stock when it becomes available again.
Those of you looking for RX 9070 stock might want to immediately jump on options like this SAPPHIRE PULSE Radeon model for $549 at Newegg. I've saw that specific version come back twice since 9am, and I reckon it's the card you're most likely to get today at MSRP.
March 6, 09:39am ET - RX 9070 stock is starting to dwindle, but the situation isn't anywhere near as grim as the RTX 5070 launch. If you keep an eye on MSRP models coming back into stock, there's a good chance you'll be able to grab one today, and it feels like some players are changing their mind after the initial launch hype. Simply put, don't write off GPUs just because they're unavailable right now, as supplies are changing by the minute.
Where to buy RX 9070 series GPUs in the US
Where to buy RTX 5070 in the UK
Where to buy RX 9070 series graphics cards: FAQ
How much are RX 9070 series graphics cards
The AMD Radeon RX 9070 prices start at $549, while the higher spec RX 9070 XT comes in at $599. That MSRP won't apply to every custom model, but there should be a variety of models for under $600 at launch if you're not interested in fancier cooling, RGB lighting, and other extras.
When is the RX 9070 series release date?
RX 9070 series graphics cards will officially arrive on March 6, meaning you'll be able to head to a retailer and buy one of the RDNA 4 GPUs on that date. There should be a wide selection of models by the likes of Asus, Gigabyte, and ASRock available on the day, provided that stock can withstand demand.
Should you buy an RX 9070 series graphics card?
I'll be looking to put both the RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT to the test before making any solid recommendations, but AMD's mid-range RDNA 4 options could be worth considering. Not only are they aiming to provide 4K performance for under $600, but the red team claims the duo will rival the new RTX 5070 Ti and RTX 5070 when it comes to "performance per dollar."
There are a few stand-out differences between AMD's RDNA 4 GPUs and Nvidia's Blackwell cards. For starters, the latter comes armed with faster 16GB GDDR7 VRAM modules, whereas the RX 9070 models stick with older 16GB GDDR6 memory. Whether this will have a huge impact on frame rates remains to be seen, but it does play a role in keeping Radeon prices lower this generation.
The other biggie is that the RX 9070 XT is $150 less than the RTX 5070 Ti. While you'd think that'd put the Radeon card in a lower class, AMD claims that the graphics card can practically match the Blackwell model's native 4K and ray tracing-enabled benchmarks, with the base XT coming in at just 2% slower. Switch that card out for a custom overclocked model, and the component giant says it's 2% faster, but this is based on in-house results across 30 games.
It's a little too early for me to say whether you should buy an RX 9070 series graphics card over an RTX 5070 series GPU. However, I will be looking to test both options side by side and declare a mid-range champion, so I'll keep you updated with my own independent benchmarks and overall impressions. What I will say is that I'm keen to see how AI upscaling tools like DLSS 4 and AMD FSR 4 change the experience at hand, especially since Nvidia is keen for features like Multi-Frame Generation to become intrinsic to the PC gaming experience.
Looking for more graphics cards? Check out where to buy the RTX 5080 and where to buy the RTX 5090 for premium 4K options. You'll also want to peek at the best CPUs for gaming if you're building a rig from scratch.
