Despite the ongoing uncertainty surrounding next-gen graphics cards, ASRock has recently unveiled two intriguing AMD GPUs. The ASRock RX 7900 XTX Passive and the RX 7900 XT Passive are among AMD’s most powerful consumer graphics cards, distinguished by their unique feature of being completely fanless, relying solely on passive cooling.
These cards, unlike the typical RX 7000 series models, do not have any fans, resulting in a sleeker and more compact design. Equipped with a grooved vapor chamber heatsink, the heat is efficiently transferred to aluminum cooling fins. The power connector has also been strategically placed on the edge of the PCB for improved cable management.
ASRock markets these GPUs as ideal for accelerated computing, with slightly lower specs compared to their air-cooled counterparts due to the passive cooling system. Despite this, the performance trade-off is minimal, maintaining high clock speeds and memory specifications.
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While the release date and pricing of ASRock’s Passive GPUs are still unknown, they are likely to appeal to specific audiences rather than the general consumer. These fanless cards could find utility in scenarios requiring high performance, such as AI workloads or multi-GPU setups in server environments, where adequate cooling is assured. In a standard gaming setup, the challenge of cooling a card with a 355-watt TDP, like the 7900 XTX, may prove to be a hindrance.