Is the RX 7800 XT worth it?

If you want to know if the RX 7800 XT is actually worth it, then you’re in the right place.

You’d be forgiven for muting your excitement these days when yet another graphics card is launched. Moore’s Law is well and truly dead – gone are the days when you could expect a massive performance uplift from the previous generation for a reasonable price. The flurry of launches from Nvidia, introducing their 40-series from the past year is certainly enough to make you think twice before splashing out up to a grand on a graphics card.

So, here we are with a graphics card launched from AMD with the RDNA 3, FSR 3.0 and a super desirable 16GB of GDDR6 VRAM. Below we’ll take you through the key factors that should influence whether the RX 7800 XT is worth it. If you’ve decided it is, then check out where to buy the RX 7800 XT.

Is the AMD RX 7800 XT cost worth it?

One of the most influential factors for people these days is cost. So the RX 7800 XT is launching with an MSRP of $499. Not only should that earn it a spot amongst the best GPUs under $500, but the reluctant approval of many AMD loyalists. Compared to its predecessor, the RX 6800 XT, the RX 7800 XT is launching for around $200 less. The upgrades of RDNA 3 architecture, faster VRAM and improved power efficiency certainly make the RX 7800 XT promising.

• XFX Speedster MERC319 RX 7800 XT Black Graphics Card
• PowerColor Red Devil AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT
• Sapphire Pulse AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT

Generally speaking, the reception to the RX 7800 price has been good. While it could be thanks to Nvidia for setting the bar so low, the $499 price tag of the RX 7800 XT is reasonable. The free Premium edition of Starfield should also be factored in here.

Is the AMD RX 7800 XT performance worth it?

The benchmarks for the RX 7800 XT are promising, delivering a good 1080p and 1440p performance. Anyone rocking a card older than the previous gen will find the RX 7800 XT provides enough uplift in performance for the card to be worth it. When Gamers Nexus benchmarked the card for Starfield at 1080p with high settings, the RX 7800 XT delivered an average FPS of 93.7, while the EVGA GTX1080 Ti averaged 34.5 FPS. Similarly, WePC’ RX 7700 review concludes that the RX 7800 XT delivers enough of a performance uplift to make the RX 7800 XT worth it.

The RX 7800 XT can reach game clock speed of 2124MHz and up to a 2430MHz boost clock which is pretty decent. Compared to its predecessor, the RX 6800 XT, that hovers round a 2250MHz boost. You’re also getting a more efficient graphics card, and something that could theoretically get faster with future driver updates.

Is the RX 7800 XT worth it for Starfield?

Alongside performance, the RX 7800 XT looks like one of the best cards for Starfield if you want to go current-gen. AMD’s partnership with Bethesda Studios means that the game is especially optimized toward AMD exclusive features like FSR. The RX 7800 XT also earns you a free premium edition of Starfield, worth $100. Just so we’re clear, the Premium Edition of Starfield gets you the following:

• Starfield Base Game
• Shattered Space Story Expansion (upon release)
• Constellation Skin Pack: Equinox Laser Rifle, Spacesuit, Helmet and Boost Pack
• Access to Starfield Digital Artbook & Original Soundtrack

Final word

Overall, we’d argue that the RX 7800 XT might just be worth it for the free premium edition of Starfield you’re getting. With its impressive specifications, the GPU will see you into brilliant gameplay in 1440p and even 4K resolution. For a more detailed breakdown, take a look at our test of whether the RX 7800 XT is a good choice for gaming.