ASRock has launched its RDNA 4-based Radeon RX 9070 series graphics cards. Topped by the brand’s well-known Taichi, Steel Legend, and Challenger coolers, these cards should offer a wide range of prices to suit each user’s needs.
To begin with, ASRock is planning five models in total:
- AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT Taichi 16GB OC
- AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT Steel Legend 16GB
- AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT Steel Legend Dark 16GB
- AMD Radeon RX 9070 Steel Legend 16GB OC
- AMD Radeon RX 9070 Challenger 16GB
Taichi
Representing the brand’s high-end offering, Taichi will only be available with the RX 9070 XT GPU, powered by 16 100A power phases. It comes factory overclocked up to 3,100MHz boost and 2,570MHz game, making it 130MHz and 170MHz faster than AMD’s reference specs. A 7% uplift in its base clock – which is the frequency this GPU is expected to run at in games – is welcome, especially for users who don’t bother with overclocking. Though, it’ll all come down to how this translates to extra performance as to whether it’s worth the cost.
Cooling on Taichi is handled by a triple-slot triple-fan setup housing 100mm Striped Ring fans and eight heat pipes linked to a large fin stack. This should give it the best thermal handling of all ASRock RX 9070 XTs. Moreover, the counter-rotating central fan should help reduce turbulence and thus noise. The latter is also the only one featuring RGB lighting.
Another main difference between Taichi and the other cards is its 12V-2×6 power connector, just like Nvidia’s RTX 50 Series. That said don’t write this model off your list just yet. With AMD rating RX 9070 XT at 304W, possibly reaching near 350W through overclocking, 12V-2×6 should be well in its comfort zone and far from the 500W-ish causing issues on Nvidia’s cards. And yes, ASRock includes a 12V-2×6 to triple 8-pin adapter for those running older PSUs so you don’t need to upgrade.
Lastly, Taichi is also the only one boasting dual BIOS, giving you the choice between performance and quiet-oriented parameters. No doubt a premium design for those who require the best.
Steel Legend
Sitting a step below Taichi, Steel Legend is the go-to option for those who want a nice design at reasonable prices. It’s also the only range that lets you choose between a black or white model to suit your setup. Moreover, ASRock offers Steel Legend with both RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 GPUs, unlike the Taichi and Challenger designs.
Surprisingly, both the black and white RX 9070 XT Steel Legend use AMD’s reference 2,970MHz boost and 2,400MHz game clocks. On the contrary, RX 9070 Steel Legend comes overclocked to 2,700MHz boost and 2,210MHz game instead of the reference 2,520MHz and 2,070MHz.
Frequency aside, RX 9070 XT features a triple RGB fan cooler with seven heat pipes, whereas RX 9070 makes do with five heat pipes exclusive to a white design only. Understandable, since RX 9070 targets a much lower 220W TBP (Total Board Power). However, note that both versions come with a black PCB. Not a big deal, since the white card hides it below a backplate.
Challenger
Covering the brand’s mainstream offering, the Challenger design will only be available on RX 9070. With its simpler triple-fan and quad heat pipe cooler, this model won’t try to beat any records, opting instead for more efficient operation. This means you get AMD’s reference GPU specs with 2,520MHz boost and 2,070MHz game clocks. Same for RGB lighting, no fancy fans, just a small LED strip on the side.
That said, regardless of the model you choose you will still find AMD’s RDNA 4 architecture boasting 3rd Gen ray tracing cores, 2nd Gen AI accelerators, PCIe 5.0 connectivity, and FSR 4 AI upscaling, plus 16GB of VRAM. As for video outputs, all carry three DisplayPort 2.1a plus one HDMI 2.1b. Lastly, those who would like a stealthy build can disable lighting through a dedicated button on each card.
While ASRock didn’t share pricing for these models, based on the brand’s segmentation we expect the Challenger lineup to be the cheapest one coming at AMD’s RX 9070 XT’s $599 and RX 9070’s $549 MSRPs. Steel Legend comes a step ahead with its RGB-lit fans and white aesthetic. Lastly, Taichi will target those wanting the best cooler and overall build quality in addition to factory overclocking.
