AMD is stepping up to challenge Nvidia’s top graphics cards with the release of the RX 9070 XT and its non-XT variant. While gamers eagerly anticipate these GPUs hitting store shelves at their manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP), early listings suggest that some models could come with a hefty price increase—up to $250 more than expected.
This pricing issue mirrors Nvidia’s recent RTX 50-series launch, where GPUs hit the market well above their suggested price. Unfortunately, it seems AMD’s latest offerings might follow suit.
Early Listings Show Significant Markups
Although the RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 aren’t officially on sale yet, Best Buy has already listed several models, currently marked as “coming soon.”
The good news? Some versions of the cards will be available at MSRP, with the RX 9070 XT starting at $599 and the RX 9070 at $549. The bad news? Other models come with steep markups, making them far pricier than anticipated.
For example, the XFX Mercury AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT OC—an overclocked, white-colored edition—is priced at $849, a staggering $250 over MSRP. Similarly, the RX 9070 non-XT has models listed as high as $669, which, while a smaller jump, still represents a significant price hike.
Will AMD Maintain Competitive Pricing?
Unlike Nvidia, AMD doesn’t manufacture its own GPUs under a “Made By AMD” (MBA) program. Instead, it partners with third-party brands to ensure widespread availability. However, whether these partnerships will lead to a steady supply of affordable, MSRP-priced models remains uncertain.
Competitive pricing is crucial for AMD in its battle against Nvidia. At $599, the RX 9070 XT is an attractive alternative to Nvidia’s RTX 5070 Ti, which starts at $750. But if the price jumps to $850, it enters a completely different price bracket, making it much harder to justify over Nvidia’s offerings.
For now, gamers will have to wait and see whether AMD’s next-gen GPUs can remain affordable—or if price inflation will once again dominate the market.
