AMD Radeon RX 570
AMD Radeon RX 570 in 2025: Budget Warrior or Obsolete Option?
Overview of capabilities, performance, and relevance for modern tasks.
1. Architecture and Key Features
Polaris Architecture: A Time-Tested Foundation
The AMD Radeon RX 570, released in 2017, is based on the Polaris architecture (GCN 4.0 series). Despite its age, the card remains popular in the budget segment in 2025 due to its balance of price and performance. The manufacturing process is 14 nm, which lags behind current 6 nm and 5 nm chips but ensures low production costs.
Unique Features
- FidelityFX: AMD's toolkit for graphic enhancements (contrast sharpness, upscaling). Supports FSR (FidelityFX Super Resolution) 1.0, but the lack of FSR 2.0/3.0 limits the quality of upscaling.
- Lack of Hardware Ray Tracing: Ray tracing is not supported; it relies on purely software solutions via drivers, which sharply reduces FPS.
- FreeSync: Compatibility with monitors supporting adaptive sync technology.
2. Memory: Modest but Practical
Type and Size
The RX 570 features either 4 GB or 8 GB of GDDR5 memory (not GDDR6!), which seems modest in 2025. For gaming at Full HD (1080p), 4 GB is sufficient at medium settings, but modern titles like Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty or Starfield may require more video memory, leading to lag.
Bandwidth
With a 256-bit bus and 7 GHz memory frequency, it offers 224 GB/s. This is adequate for less demanding tasks, but high-resolution textures can create "bottlenecks."
3. Gaming Performance: What to Expect in 2025?
Full HD (1080p)
- CS2: 90–110 FPS on high settings.
- Fortnite: 50–60 FPS (medium settings, FSR 1.0).
- Hogwarts Legacy: 30–40 FPS (low settings).
1440p and 4K
The card is not designed for QHD and 4K. In lighter projects (like Rocket League), stable 60 FPS at 1440p with FSR is achievable, but in AAA games, resolution must be lowered to 720–900p.
Ray Tracing
The lack of hardware support makes ray tracing unavailable. Software emulations (like through Proton on Linux) drop FPS to 10–15 frames, which is unacceptable.
4. Professional Tasks: Not the Best Choice
Video Editing and Rendering
In programs like DaVinci Resolve or Premiere Pro, the RX 570 can handle 1080p editing, but rendering 4K will take 2–3 times longer than on modern GPUs.
3D Modeling
Blender and Maya work through OpenCL, but the absence of specialized cores (like those in RDNA 3) limits speed. Good for learning, but not for professional work.
Scientific Computing
Support for OpenCL allows the card to be used for simple computations, but efficiency is lower compared to NVIDIA with CUDA.
5. Power Consumption and Heat Generation
TDP and Power Requirements
The RX 570 has a TDP of 150 W. A power supply of 450 W is needed (500 W with an 80+ Bronze certification is recommended).
Cooling and Case
Reference models are somewhat noisy (sound level up to 40 dB). An optimal choice is a case with 2–3 fans (intake at the front, exhaust at the back). For compact PCs, versions with dual-slot coolers are suitable, but avoid SFF cases without ventilation.
6. Comparison with Competitors
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Super
- Pros: Low power consumption (100 W), supports DLSS 1.0.
- Cons: 4 GB GDDR6, priced at $170–200 (new models).
AMD Radeon RX 6600
- Pros: RDNA 2 architecture, 8 GB GDDR6, FSR 3.0 support.
- Cons: Starting price of $250.
Conclusion: The RX 570 only wins on price ($120–150 for new leftovers) but lags in performance and features.
7. Practical Tips
Power Supply
- Minimum: 450 W (Corsair CX450, EVGA 500 BR).
- Recommended: Modular PSUs of 500–550 W for future upgrades.
Compatibility
- PCIe 3.0 x16 (compatible with 4.0 and 5.0, but no speed increase).
- Update drivers through AMD Adrenalin: the latest versions of 2025 are optimized for Windows 11 23H2.
Notes
- Avoid builds with Ryzen 7/Ryzen 9 processors — the GPU will become a "weak link."
- For Linux: use amdgpu drivers with kernel 6.5+ for better stability.
8. Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Low price ($120–150).
- Sufficient for 60 FPS in 1080p (games up to 2022).
- Reliability and long lifespan.
Cons:
- High power consumption.
- No support for ray tracing and FSR 3.0.
- Limited video memory for modern projects.
9. Final Conclusion: Who is the RX 570 Suitable For?
This graphics card is a choice for:
- Budget Gamers: If you play DotA 2, CS2, or indie projects.
- Old PC Owners: Upgrade without replacing the PSU and motherboard.
- Temporary Solution: While saving for an RX 7600 or RTX 4060.
Do Not Get the RX 570 if:
- You need Ray Tracing or 1440p/4K.
- You are engaged in professional rendering.
- You want "future-proofing" — 4 GB VRAM is already insufficient.
Alternative: Consider a used RX 580 8 GB ($80–100) or a new Intel Arc A580 ($180) for a better balance.
In 2025, the Radeon RX 570 is a prime example of a "workhorse" for less demanding tasks. It won't surprise with performance, but it allows saving without completely giving up gaming.