In almost every aspect, the performance of the AMD RX 7800 XT is deemed to be on par with its predecessor, the AMD RX 6800 XT, which was released almost three years ago (source). This raises the question: what has the industry been doing during this time? Surprisingly, even Nvidia’s recent GPU releases failed to outperform their two-year-old predecessors (source).
However, one notable difference lies in the price. Back when the RX 6800 XT debuted three years ago, it was priced at $649, which, when adjusted for inflation, amounts to $762 in today’s money. The reason why the current reviews of the RX 7800 XT are quite favorable, including our own, is that AMD is defying the trend of inflation by offering a product at a lower price point (source).
It is worth noting that this is not just standard economic inflation, but also a self-inflicted one. In November of last year, it was argued that GPUs had become more inflated in price than the general inflation rate itself. Nvidia priced its new flagship GPU 71.5% higher than the previous one, while AMD increased the price of its flagship GPU by 38.5% (source). Meanwhile, general inflation only rose by 16% during the same period.
Perhaps Nvidia and AMD assumed that GPU buyers had become accustomed to price increases. During the peak of the pandemic, the street price for the AMD RX 6800 XT even exceeded $1,500. However, those days are now a thing of the past, as GPU prices have returned to more reasonable levels over a year ago (source).
As a result of these price fluctuations, it appeared that both companies were providing consumers with less value for their money. However, AMD has now introduced a generation of GPU performance that costs less than its predecessor, a refreshing change in the industry (source).
Overall, while the performance of the AMD RX 7800 XT may be comparable to the previous generation, its affordable price makes it a more appealing option for consumers. The industry as a whole has faced challenges in delivering significant performance improvements over the years, but with AMD’s decision to offer a more reasonably priced product, it provides customers with a worthwhile upgrade option. Whether this signals a shift in the industry’s approach to pricing remains to be seen, but for now, AMD’s move is a welcome change for consumers.
