AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE vs AMD Steam Machine GPU Comparison

AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE and AMD Steam Machine GPU represent two distinct interpretations of RDNA 3.0, one aimed at broad desktop compatibility and the other optimized for a fixed console form factor. The recorded data shows a substantial performance gulf between them, driven by differences in chip size, memory configuration, and power envelope. The RX 7900 GRE, built on the larger Navi 31 die, delivers a much higher average benchmark score, while the Steam Machine GPU, based on the smaller Navi 33, is positioned for a more power-conscious environment. The following analysis breaks down the head-to-head results, architectural differences, and practical use cases based solely on the database measurements.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database contains no directly paired head-to-head benchmark entries for these two GPUs. However, the average benchmark score for the RX 7900 GRE is recorded as 32456, while the Steam Machine GPU has an average benchmark score of 0, indicating no completed test runs in the database. This absence of direct comparison data means the analysis relies on the individual benchmark scores and the percentile rankings for the RX 7900 GRE.

For the RX 7900 GRE, the recorded scores show a strong showing across modern and legacy APIs. In 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12, it scores 4814. Its Geekbench OpenCL score is 175758, and its Geekbench Vulkan score is 99850. Passmark results show a G3D score of 27089 and a GPU Compute score of 15016. Legacy DirectX tests show scores of 139 for DirectX 10, 300 for DirectX 11, 107 for DirectX 12, and 310 for DirectX 9. The G2D score is 1180.

The RX 7900 GRE sits in the 77th percentile of all GPUs in the database. Its nearest rivals, based on average score, are the AMD FirePro S10000 (average score 32388, delta of 0.2%), the AMD FirePro S9300 X2 (average score 32540, delta of -0.3%), the AMD Radeon RX 590 GME (average score 32601, delta of -0.4%), and the AMD Radeon Pro 570X (average score 32176, delta of 0.9%). These rivals are all within a 0.9% margin of the RX 7900 GRE's average score, indicating a tightly clustered performance tier where the RX 7900 GRE sits near the middle.

Given the Steam Machine GPU has no recorded benchmark scores, its percentile rank of 50 is a default placement, not a result of measured performance. The data indicates that the RX 7900 GRE is the only one of the two with measurable performance in the database, and its scores are significantly higher than what the Steam Machine GPU's hardware specifications would suggest, based on the architectural differences detailed below.

Architecture Differences

The two GPUs share the RDNA 3.0 architecture but are built on different process nodes and with vastly different silicon. The RX 7900 GRE uses the Navi 31 chip, codenamed Plum Bonito, fabricated on a 5 nm process at TSMC. The Steam Machine GPU uses the Navi 33 chip, codenamed Hotpink Bonefish, fabricated on a 6 nm process, also at TSMC. This node difference is significant: the RX 7900 GRE packs 57,700 million transistors onto a 529 mm² die, yielding a transistor density of 109.1 million transistors per square millimeter. The Steam Machine GPU has 13,300 million transistors on a 204 mm² die, for a density of 65.2 million per square millimeter.

Clock speeds differ markedly. The RX 7900 GRE has a base clock of 1287 MHz, a boost clock of 2245 MHz, and a game clock of 1880 MHz. The Steam Machine GPU has a higher base clock of 1720 MHz and a higher boost clock of 2450 MHz, with a game clock of 2250 MHz. Despite the higher clocks, the Steam Machine GPU's smaller chip limits its overall throughput.

Memory configurations are a major divider. The RX 7900 GRE uses 16 GB of GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus, providing 576.0 GB/s of bandwidth. The Steam Machine GPU uses 8 GB of GDDR6 on a 128-bit bus, providing 288.0 GB/s of bandwidth. Both run memory at 2250 MHz with 18 Gbps effective speed, but the narrower bus halves the Steam Machine GPU's bandwidth.

Compute resources are heavily skewed toward the RX 7900 GRE. It has 5120 shading units, 320 texture mapping units (TMUs), 160 render output units (ROPs), and 80 ray tracing cores. The Steam Machine GPU has 1792 shading units, 112 TMUs, 64 ROPs, and 28 ray tracing cores. This translates to a pixel rate of 359.2 GPixel/s and a texture rate of 718.4 GTexel/s for the RX 7900 GRE, versus 156.8 GPixel/s and 274.4 GTexel/s for the Steam Machine GPU.

The FP32 compute figures confirm the gap: the RX 7900 GRE delivers 45.98 TFLOPS, while the Steam Machine GPU delivers 17.56 TFLOPS. The FP16 rates differ in ratio: the RX 7900 GRE achieves 91.96 TFLOPS with a 2:1 ratio, while the Steam Machine GPU achieves 17.56 TFLOPS with a 1:1 ratio, meaning it does not double FP16 throughput.

Power and physical requirements are also distinct. The RX 7900 GRE has a TDP of 260 W, requires a 600 W suggested PSU, uses dual-slot cooling, and needs two 8-pin power connectors. The Steam Machine GPU has a TDP of 110 W, uses no power connectors (presumably soldered or integrated), and has no suggested PSU or bus interface listed. The RX 7900 GRE measures 276 mm in length, 110 mm in height, and 51 mm in width. The Steam Machine GPU is smaller, at 156 mm by 152 mm by 162 mm, reflecting its console-oriented design.

Both support DirectX 12 Ultimate (12_2), OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4. Display outputs differ: the RX 7900 GRE has 1x HDMI 2.1a, 2x DisplayPort 2.1, and 1x USB Type-C. The Steam Machine GPU has 1x HDMI 2.1a and 1x DisplayPort 2.1.

Where Each One Wins

The RX 7900 GRE wins on every measurable performance metric in the database. Its FP32 compute of 45.98 TFLOPS is more than 2.6 times the Steam Machine GPU's 17.56 TFLOPS. Its memory bandwidth of 576.0 GB/s is exactly double the Steam Machine GPU's 288.0 GB/s. Its pixel rate of 359.2 GPixel/s is about 2.3 times higher than 156.8 GPixel/s, and its texture rate of 718.4 GTexel/s is about 2.6 times higher than 274.4 GTexel/s.

The RX 7900 GRE also has twice the memory capacity (16 GB vs 8 GB) and a wider bus (256-bit vs 128-bit), which directly benefits high-resolution texture loading and large dataset handling. Its shading unit count of 5120 versus 1792 and ROP count of 160 versus 64 show a clear advantage in rasterization and pixel throughput.

The Steam Machine GPU wins in power efficiency and physical footprint, though the database does not provide a measured efficiency ratio. Its TDP of 110 W is less than half the RX 7900 GRE's 260 W. Its dimensions (156 mm length) are substantially shorter than the RX 7900 GRE (276 mm length), and it requires no external power connectors. Its higher base clock (1720 MHz) and boost clock (2450 MHz) show it can reach higher frequencies, but the smaller chip and reduced resources limit the actual output.

In terms of benchmark presence, the RX 7900 GRE has a recorded average score of 32456 and sits in the 77th percentile. The Steam Machine GPU has no recorded benchmarks, so it cannot claim any performance wins from the data.

The Verdict

For a desktop PC builder, the RX 7900 GRE is the clear choice based on the data. Its average benchmark score of 32456 places it in the 77th percentile, and its compute, memory, and rasterization specifications are all significantly higher than the Steam Machine GPU. The 16 GB memory capacity and 576.0 GB/s bandwidth make it suitable for demanding workloads that would strain a 8 GB, 288.0 GB/s configuration. Its 45.98 TFLOPS FP32 performance is in a different class from the Steam Machine GPU's 17.56 TFLOPS.

The Steam Machine GPU, with its 110 W TDP and compact size, is designed for a fixed console environment where power and space are constrained. Its lack of benchmark scores in the database means its actual performance is unverified, but its specifications indicate a much lower ceiling. Users who need a general-purpose desktop GPU should select the RX 7900 GRE. Users who are building or servicing a console-style system with strict power limits would be the only candidates for the Steam Machine GPU, but the lack of measured performance data makes a direct recommendation impossible.

The launch MSRP for the RX 7900 GRE is 549 USD. The Steam Machine GPU has no launch MSRP listed.

FAQ

Q: Which GPU has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE has an average benchmark score of 32456. The AMD Steam Machine GPU has an average benchmark score of 0, meaning no benchmark data is recorded for it in the database.

Q: How much faster is the RX 7900 GRE in FP32 compute?

A: The RX 7900 GRE delivers 45.98 TFLOPS FP32, while the Steam Machine GPU delivers 17.56 TFLOPS FP32. This makes the RX 7900 GRE approximately 2.6 times faster in raw FP32 throughput.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference between the two?

A: The RX 7900 GRE has a memory bandwidth of 576.0 GB/s, while the Steam Machine GPU has a bandwidth of 288.0 GB/s. The RX 7900 GRE has exactly double the bandwidth.

Q: Do both GPUs use the same architecture?

A: Yes, both use the RDNA 3.0 architecture. However, the RX 7900 GRE is built on a 5 nm process with the Navi 31 chip, while the Steam Machine GPU is built on a 6 nm process with the Navi 33 chip.

Q: Which GPU has more ray tracing cores?

A: The RX 7900 GRE has 80 ray tracing cores. The Steam Machine GPU has 28 ray tracing cores.

Q: What is the TDP of each GPU?

A: The RX 7900 GRE has a TDP of 260 W. The Steam Machine GPU has a TDP of 110 W.

Specification Differences

The following specifications differ between the AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE and the AMD Steam Machine GPU:

• Chip: Navi 31 vs Navi 33
• Codename: Plum Bonito vs Hotpink Bonefish
• Generation: Navi III (RX 7000) vs Console GPU (Valve)
• Process Node: 5 nm vs 6 nm
• Transistors: 57,700 million vs 13,300 million
• Die Size: 529 mm² vs 204 mm²
• Transistor Density: 109.1M / mm² vs 65.2M / mm²
• Base Clock: 1287 MHz vs 1720 MHz
• Boost Clock: 2245 MHz vs 2450 MHz
• Game Clock: 1880 MHz vs 2250 MHz
• Memory Size: 16 GB vs 8 GB
• Memory Bus Width: 256 bit vs 128 bit
• Memory Bandwidth: 576.0 GB/s vs 288.0 GB/s
• Shading Units: 5120 vs 1792
• TMUs: 320 vs 112
• ROPs: 160 vs 64
• Ray Tracing Cores: 80 vs 28
• Pixel Rate: 359.2 GPixel/s vs 156.8 GPixel/s
• Texture Rate: 718.4 GTexel/s vs 274.4 GTexel/s
• FP32: 45.98 TFLOPS vs 17.56 TFLOPS
• FP16: 91.96 TFLOPS (2:1) vs 17.56 TFLOPS (1:1)
• TDP: 260 W vs 110 W
• Power Connectors: 2x 8-pin vs None
• Suggested PSU: 600 W vs null
• Bus Interface: PCIe 4.0 x16 vs null
• Display Outputs: 1x HDMI 2.1a, 2x DisplayPort 2.1, 1x USB Type-C vs 1x HDMI 2.1a, 1x DisplayPort 2.1
• Dimensions: 276 mm x 110 mm x 51 mm vs 156 mm x 152 mm x 162 mm
• Release Date: 2023-07-26 vs 2026-06-28
• Launch MSRP: 549 USD vs null
• Percentile vs All GPUs: 77 vs 50
• Average Benchmark Score: 32456 vs 0