AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX vs NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 Comparison

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX decisively outperforms the NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 in nearly every benchmark, securing 9 of 10 head-to-head wins. However, the single loss is significant: the Quadro RTX 4000 leads by 32.3% in Geekbench OpenCL, a workload where NVIDIA’s compute architecture remains dominant. For rasterized gaming and most DirectX titles, the RX 7900 XTX is the clear choice, delivering margins from 53.7% to 265.2%. For OpenCL compute tasks, the Quadro RTX 4000 holds a distinct advantage, making the decision contingent on the specific application.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX is the overwhelming victor in DirectX-based workloads. In PassMark DirectX 11, it scores 356 versus 128, a 178.1% lead. DirectX 12 shows a 151.9% advantage (131 vs 52), and even legacy DirectX 9 and DirectX 10 benchmarks favor AMD by 61% and 53.7%, respectively. The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test is the most dramatic, with the RX 7900 XTX scoring 6841 against 1873 — a 265.2% margin. This pattern indicates that the RDNA 3.0 architecture excels in modern gaming APIs, where raw shading throughput and memory bandwidth dominate.

Beyond gaming, the RX 7900 XTX wins in compute-oriented PassMark tests. Its G3D score of 31238 is 106.6% higher than the Quadro’s 15117, and its GPU compute score of 17689 is 186.4% above 6176. The Vulkan benchmark also goes to AMD, with 85612 vs 78844, an 8.6% edge. Even in 2D performance, the RX 7900 XTX leads with 1267 vs 846, a 49.8% difference. Across the board, AMD’s card is faster wherever memory bandwidth or pixel throughput matters.

The NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 wins exactly one test: Geekbench OpenCL, where it scores 74540 versus 50465. This 32.3% margin is substantial and points to a specialized strength in OpenCL-accelerated compute, likely benefiting from Tensor Core integration and Turing’s optimized execution paths. For users running OpenCL-based rendering, simulation, or scientific workloads, this single win makes the Quadro a compelling option despite losing everywhere else. The data suggests this is not a general-purpose advantage but a focused one.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap is generational. The RX 7900 XTX uses the Navi 31 chip on TSMC’s 5 nm process, packing 57,700 million transistors into a 529 mm² die. The Quadro RTX 4000 uses the TU104 chip on a 12 nm process, with 13,600 million transistors on a 545 mm² die. This results in a transistor density of 109.1M per mm² for AMD versus 25.0M per mm² for NVIDIA — a 4.4x difference in integration efficiency. The RX 7900 XTX belongs to the RDNA 3.0 architecture (codenamed Plum Bonito), while the Quadro uses Turing, a predecessor generation.

Core configuration diverges sharply. The RX 7900 XTX has 6144 shading units, 384 TMUs, and 192 ROPs, alongside 96 ray tracing cores. The Quadro RTX 4000 has 2304 shading units, 144 TMUs, and 64 ROPs, with 36 ray tracing cores. Critically, the Quadro includes 288 Tensor Cores, which the RX 7900 XTX lacks entirely. This explains the OpenCL advantage: Tensor Cores accelerate AI and compute workloads that rely on mixed-precision operations. AMD counters with higher raw throughput: 61.39 TFLOPS FP32 versus 7.119 TFLOPS, and 122.8 TFLOPS FP16 versus 14.24 TFLOPS.

Clock speeds and memory systems amplify the divide. The RX 7900 XTX boosts to 2498 MHz with a base of 1929 MHz, while the Quadro boosts to 1545 MHz from a 1005 MHz base. Memory favors AMD absolutely: 24 GB of GDDR6 on a 384-bit bus delivers 960.0 GB/s, compared to 8 GB on a 256-bit bus at 416.0 GB/s. Both support DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulkan 1.4, but the RX 7900 XTX uses PCIe 4.0 x16 versus the Quadro’s PCIe 3.0 x16. Power draw reflects the performance gap, with the RX 7900 XTX rated at 355 W versus 160 W for the Quadro.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test is the largest single victory for AMD. The RX 7900 XTX scores 6841, while the Quadro RTX 4000 scores 1873, yielding a 265.2% delta. This test stresses modern DX12 rendering, and AMD’s 24 GB of memory bandwidth at 960.0 GB/s provides a massive throughput advantage over 416.0 GB/s. The result is not close — it is a generational gap expressed through frame-level performance.

PassMark GPU Compute shows a similar story. AMD’s 17689 score is 186.4% higher than 6176. This test measures raw computational throughput, where the RX 7900 XTX’s 61.39 TFLOPS overwhelms the Quadro’s 7.119 TFLOPS. PassMark DirectX 11 follows with a 178.1% lead (356 vs 128), and DirectX 12 is close behind at 151.9% (131 vs 52). These margins confirm that AMD’s advantage scales with workload intensity, not just peak theoretical output.

The Quadro’s sole win, Geekbench OpenCL, is notable for its magnitude. At 74540 vs 50465, NVIDIA leads by 32.3%. This is the only benchmark where the Quadro’s Tensor Cores and Turing compute scheduling outperform AMD’s RDNA 3.0. It suggests that OpenCL-optimized applications — common in professional rendering and scientific computing — are tuned for NVIDIA’s execution model. The Vulkan test is closer, with AMD winning 85612 vs 78844 (8.6%), indicating that Vulkan’s lower-level access mitigates NVIDIA’s compute advantage but does not eliminate it.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX | NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 |

|---|---|---|

| Process Node | 5 nm | 12 nm |

| Transistors | 57,700 million | 13,600 million |

| Die Size | 529 mm² | 545 mm² |

| Transistor Density | 109.1M / mm² | 25.0M / mm² |

| Base Clock | 1929 MHz | 1005 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 2498 MHz | 1545 MHz |

| Memory Size | 24 GB | 8 GB |

| Memory Bus | 384 bit | 256 bit |

| Memory Bandwidth | 960.0 GB/s | 416.0 GB/s |

| Shading Units | 6144 | 2304 |

| TMUs | 384 | 144 |

| ROPs | 192 | 64 |

| Ray Tracing Cores | 96 | 36 |

| Tensor Cores | None | 288 |

| FP32 Performance | 61.39 TFLOPS | 7.119 TFLOPS |

| FP16 Performance | 122.8 TFLOPS | 14.24 TFLOPS |

| TDP | 355 W | 160 W |

| Slot Width | Dual-slot | Single-slot |

| Power Connectors | 2x 8-pin | 1x 8-pin |

| Suggested PSU | 750 W | 450 W |

| Bus Interface | PCIe 4.0 x16 | PCIe 3.0 x16 |

| Display Outputs | 1x HDMI 2.1a, 2x DisplayPort 2.1, 1x USB Type-C | 3x DisplayPort 1.4a, 1x USB Type-C |

| Release Date | 2022-11-02 | 2018-11-12 |

FAQ

Q: Which card wins more benchmarks?

A: The AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX wins 9 of 10 head-to-head tests. The NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 wins only Geekbench OpenCL.

Q: Is the Quadro RTX 4000 better for any specific workload?

A: Yes, for OpenCL compute tasks. The Quadro scores 74540 in Geekbench OpenCL versus 50465 for the RX 7900 XTX, a 32.3% advantage. This is the only benchmark where NVIDIA leads.

Q: How large is the gaming performance gap?

A: In DirectX-based tests, the RX 7900 XTX leads by 53.7% (DirectX 10), 61% (DirectX 9), 151.9% (DirectX 12), and 178.1% (DirectX 11). The 3DMark Steel Nomad DX12 test shows a 265.2% margin.

Q: What explains the RX 7900 XTX’s memory advantage?

A: The RX 7900 XTX has 24 GB of GDDR6 on a 384-bit bus, delivering 960.0 GB/s. The Quadro RTX 4000 has 8 GB on a 256-bit bus at 416.0 GB/s. This 544 GB/s difference directly impacts bandwidth-bound workloads.

Q: Does the Quadro RTX 4000 have any unique hardware?

A: Yes, it includes 288 Tensor Cores. The RX 7900 XTX has no Tensor Cores. This likely contributes to the Quadro’s OpenCL performance advantage.

Q: Which card has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The RX 7900 XTX averages 19410 across all benchmarks, while the Quadro RTX 4000 averages 17789. The RX 7900 XTX also sits at the 64th percentile of all GPUs versus 61st for the Quadro.

The Verdict

Choose the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX for nearly every application. It wins 9 of 10 benchmarks, with margins exceeding 100% in DirectX 11, DirectX 12, PassMark G3D, GPU compute, and 3DMark Steel Nomad. Its 24 GB of memory and 960.0 GB/s bandwidth make it superior for modern gaming and high-resolution workloads. The 5 nm process and 61.39 TFLOPS of FP32 performance are generations ahead of the Quadro’s 12 nm design and 7.119 TFLOPS. For any DirectX, Vulkan, or general compute task, the data is unambiguous: the RX 7900 XTX is the faster card.

Choose the NVIDIA Quadro RTX 4000 only for OpenCL-specific workloads. Its 74540 Geekbench OpenCL score outpaces the RX 7900 XTX by 32.3%, a clear signal that Turing’s Tensor Cores (288 of them) and compute scheduling excel in this environment. The Quadro also draws less power (160 W vs 355 W) and fits in a single slot, which may matter for dense workstation builds. However, its 8 GB memory capacity and 416.0 GB/s bandwidth are limiting factors. This card wins one test; the RX 7900 XTX wins the other nine. The verdict is simple: unless your application is exclusively OpenCL-based, the AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX is the superior choice.