XFX's new GPUs with swappable fans go up for sale — RX 7900 XTX start at $999 and RX 7800 XT at $549
'MagAir' models will likely be available globally, with the 'Phoenix Nirvana' model exclusive in China.
XFX has introduced the MagAir series of Radeon RX 7900 XTX and Radeon RX 7800 XT, among the best graphics cards. The novelty of the MagAir series is the swappable fans. XFX recently showed off the Phoenix Nirvana series, which is exclusively available in China.
The Mercury MagAir Radeon RX 7900 XTX (RX-79XMAIRB9), with a core and boost clock of 1,885 MHz and 2,615 MHz, respectively, is currently retailing for $999.99 at Newegg. It costs $80 more than the regular Speedster Merc310 Radeon RX 7900 XTX at $919.99, which features similar specifications (1,900 MHz and 2,615 MHz).
Meanwhile, the QickSilver MagAir Radeon RX 7800 XT is available in black (RX-78TMAIRF9) or white (RX-78TMAIRW9) colors. Regardless of the presentation, the graphics card costs $549.99. The MagAir models sell for $30 more than the Speedster QICK319 Radeon RX 7800 XT, which retails for $519.99.
XFX hasn't uploaded the product pages for the MagAir series yet, so we don't have all the details on the new Radeon graphics cards. Based on earlier reports, the XFX Phoenix Nirvana's Radeon RX 7900 XTX uses a Honeywell PTM7950 phase-change thermal pad with a 3.5-inch vast vapor chamber and eight 6mm heat pipes. Though not confirmed or mentioned in retail listings, the Mercury MagAir Radeon RX 7900 XTX may have the same cooling system. In any case, we'll know once XFX lists the respective SKUs on its website.
The answer to 'Is the premium worth the swappable fans?' will vary depending on the user's needs and perhaps near-future pricing and performance. At the time of writing, none of the retailers have listed any fans to purchase for the MagAir series. But suppose XFX uses this phase-change thermal material in the Mercury MagAir Radeon RX 7900 XTX, which shows a noticeable cooling performance difference. In that case, potential buyers might be tempted to shortlist this variant instead. The MagAir models were initially scheduled for a June 18 release so that Newegg may have jumped the gun.
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Roshan Ashraf Shaikh has been in the Indian PC hardware community since the early 2000s and has been building PCs, contributing to many Indian tech forums, & blogs. He operated Hardware BBQ for 11 years and wrote news for eTeknix & TweakTown before joining Tom's Hardware team. Besides tech, he is interested in fighting games, movies, anime, and mechanical watches.