ASRock Radeon RX 9070 Challenger specifications and in-depth review

ASRock Radeon RX 9070 Challenger

Manufacturer: ASRock

The ASRock Radeon RX 9070 Challenger is a high-performance graphics card designed for gamers and professionals alike. With a base GPU clock speed of 1330 MHz and 16GB of GDDR6 VRAM, this card offers a strong foundation for demanding tasks such as gaming and content creation.

Key features include a maximum memory bandwidth of 644.6 GB/s and support for technologies like DirectX 12 Ultimate and ray tracing. Additionally, the RX 9070 Challenger supports multi-display setups and comes with one HDMI 2.1b port and three DisplayPorts, ensuring versatile connectivity options for users.

Pros
  • Supports DirectX 12 Ultimate and ray tracing for advanced gaming features.
  • Has 16GB of GDDR6 VRAM, offering ample memory for demanding applications.
  • Can support up to four displays for multi-monitor setups.
  • Equipped with a high maximum memory bandwidth of 644.6 GB/s, enhancing data transfer speeds.
  • Built with PCIe 5.0 support for faster communication with compatible systems.
Cons
  • Does not support DLSS or XeSS for additional upscaling benefits.
  • Lacks USB-C, DVI, and mini DisplayPort outputs, limiting display connection options.
  • No air-water cooling support, requiring adequate airflow for thermal management.
Who is this for?

The ASRock Radeon RX 9070 Challenger is ideal for gamers and professionals who require high-performance graphics. With support for DirectX 12 Ultimate and ray tracing, it offers cutting-edge visual fidelity for modern games and content creation. The large 16GB of GDDR6 VRAM and high memory bandwidth of 644.6 GB/s make it well-suited for demanding applications, including 4K gaming, VR experiences, and multi-display setups, supporting up to four monitors.

Who is this NOT for?

This graphics card may not be the best choice for users who prioritize ultra-high-end AI-based upscaling, as it does not support DLSS or XeSS. Additionally, the lack of USB-C and other versatile display outputs such as DVI or mini DisplayPort could limit compatibility with certain display setups. Those looking for advanced cooling solutions may also find the absence of air-water cooling support a drawback in thermally demanding environments.

Performance:

GPU clock speed 1330 MHz
GPU turbo 2520 MHz
pixel rate 322.6 GPixel/s
floating-point performance 36.13 TFLOPS
texture rate 564.5 GTexels/s
GPU memory speed 2518 MHz
shading units 3584
texture mapping units (TMUs) 224
render output units (ROPs) 128
Has Double Precision Floating Point (DPFP)

The performance of the ASRock Radeon RX 9070 Challenger is driven by its strong specs, including a base GPU clock speed of 1330 MHz and a turbo boost up to 2520 MHz. It boasts a substantial floating-point performance of 36.13 TFLOPS and an impressive pixel rate of 322.6 GPixel/s. The card also features a high texture rate of 564.5 GTexels/s, supported by 3584 shading units and 224 texture mapping units (TMUs). Additionally, it is equipped with 128 render output units (ROPs) and supports double precision floating point (DPFP), making it a robust option for demanding tasks.

Memory:

effective memory speed 20000 MHz
maximum memory bandwidth 644.6 GB/s
VRAM 16GB
GDDR version GDDR6
memory bus width 256-bit
Supports ECC memory

The ASRock Radeon RX 9070 Challenger is equipped with 16GB of GDDR6 VRAM, offering ample memory for demanding applications. With an effective memory speed of 20000 MHz and a high memory bandwidth of 644.6 GB/s, it ensures smooth performance even in memory-intensive tasks. The 256-bit memory bus width further enhances data transfer capabilities, while support for ECC memory ensures greater stability and reliability.

Features:

DirectX version DirectX 12 Ultimate
OpenGL version 4.6
OpenCL version 2.2
Supports multi-display technology
supports ray tracing
Supports 3D
supports DLSS
has FSR4
has XeSS (XMX)
AMD SAM / Intel Resizable BAR AMD SAM
has LHR
has RGB lighting
supported displays 4

The ASRock Radeon RX 9070 Challenger offers a variety of advanced features to enhance your gaming and multitasking experience. It supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, ray tracing, and stereoscopic 3D, ensuring that you can enjoy the latest graphics technologies. Additionally, it supports multi-display setups, allowing up to four connected monitors, and features RGB lighting for a customizable visual experience. For further graphical improvements, it includes AMD FSR4 support, although it does not support DLSS or XeSS.

Ports:

has an HDMI output
HDMI ports 1
HDMI version HDMI 2.1b
DisplayPort outputs 3
USB-C ports 0
DVI outputs 0
mini DisplayPort outputs 0

The ASRock Radeon RX 9070 Challenger provides a versatile range of ports for connectivity. It includes one HDMI 2.1b port and three DisplayPort outputs, ensuring compatibility with a wide variety of monitors. However, it does not feature any USB-C, DVI, or mini DisplayPort outputs, offering a more streamlined set of display connections.

General info:

GPU architecture RDNA 4.0
release date March 2025
Thermal Design Power (TDP) 220W
PCI Express (PCIe) version 5
semiconductor size 5 nm
number of transistors 53900 million
Has air-water cooling
width 290 mm
height 123 mm

The ASRock Radeon RX 9070 Challenger is powered by the RDNA 4.0 GPU architecture and built on a 5nm semiconductor process, ensuring high efficiency and performance. With a Thermal Design Power (TDP) of 220W, it is designed to handle demanding workloads. The card supports PCIe 5.0, providing fast data transfer rates, and contains 53.9 billion transistors. Its dimensions are 290 mm in width and 123 mm in height, but it does not include air-water cooling support.

Final Verdict

The ASRock Radeon RX 9070 Challenger is a solid choice for gamers and professionals seeking strong performance in demanding tasks. With its 16GB of GDDR6 VRAM and support for cutting-edge features like DirectX 12 Ultimate and ray tracing, it excels in modern gaming and multi-display setups. While it lacks support for DLSS and certain display outputs, its high memory bandwidth and PCIe 5.0 compatibility make it a reliable option for high-performance computing. Overall, it's a capable and feature-rich graphics card for users prioritizing top-tier visual experiences and multitasking capabilities.

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