Sapphire Nitro+ VEGA 64 Graphics Card Review

Final Thoughts

Price

Right now, the Sapphire Nitro+ AMD Radeon RX VEGA 64 is available for around £630, which is pretty decent value. I still see the reference card hitting £650+ right now, no doubt due to their popularity with the mining community. That’s still about £100 more than a 1070 Ti, which is tough, but if the market can breathe for just five minutes, hopefully, retailers can get the stock to price it more competitively. Some retailers are currently listing this card for well over £700, so beware of the scammers!

Overview

I must admit that I am thoroughly impressed with the new Sapphire card. I expected it to be the greatest AMD card I have ever reviewed, and it was, without a single doubt. It delivered benchmarks that blew any other AMD card out of the water and thrashed any of the other AMD VEGA cards we’ve tested to date.

1080 Killer?

The card certainly has what it takes to go toe to toe with the Nvidia GTX 1080 when it comes to gaming performance. While it’s just a fraction slower in terms of average frame rate, it does maintain better minimum frame rates too, so that’s something to consider. I know many people are loyal to the red or green team. If you’re loyal to the red or just looking for an alternative to the 1070 Ti or 1080, then this is the way to go.

For and Against

There are so many variables with this card. Firstly, it uses a lot of power to achieve its results compared to Nvidia. If power consumption is important to you, it’s worth keeping that in mind. However, with Radeon Chill, you can greatly reduce that to only render to your target frame rate. The cooler is freaking huge, and I mean HUGE! The advantage here is that it runs cooler and quieter than a lot of high-end cards, and if that’s something you’re seeking, it has plenty to offer.

Added Value

Great gaming performance is plentiful here, however, you get more for your money too. The inclusion of that freaking sweet looking lighting system is certainly a nice addition. However, other Radeon technologies such as FreeSync, Xconnect, HDR, Frame Rate Target, Relive and more, all add up. Sapphire technologies like the high-end chokes, fuse protection, removable fans, and passive cooling are also welcome additions.

Pros

• Great for high-resolution gaming
• Ideal for high framerate gaming
• Powerful and quiet cooling
• Passive cooling below 55c
• Fastest AMD card we’ve ever tested
• LED/RGB lighting
• FreeSync, Radeon Chill, etc
• Stunning aesthetics
• Class-leading build quality

Cons

• High retail price due to high consumer demand

Neutral

• Power requirements are high, but that’s par for the course with AMD