Jesper Berg
XFX is an AMD-only add-in board (AIB) partner manufacturer specializing in AMD Radeon graphics cards. For the RDNA 3 generation, with the first high-end GPUs launched in late 2022, XFX offers only an MBA (Made by AMD) reference model in addition to the Merc 310 RX 7900 XTX Black Edition. ‘Black Edition’ refers to the graphics card being overclocked out of the box, but there is no version without the overclock (OC).
As a comparatively no-frills model priced close to the reference model – but still with added features like an OC and extra 8-pin power connector – the Merc 310 is positioned to compete with 7900 XTX cards like the Asus TUF and ASRock Phantom Gaming.
Specifications
XFX Merc 310 Vs TUF Vs PG Vs Reference RX 7900 XTX
| Specifications | XFX Speedster Merc 310 RX 7900 XTX | Asus TUF RX 7900 XTX Gaming OC | ASRock RX 7900 XTX Phantom Gaming OC | AMD RX 7900 XTX Reference Model |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GPU | Navi 31 XTX | Navi 31 XTX | Navi 31 XTX | Navi 31 XTX |
| Shading Units | 6144 | 6144 | 6144 | 6144 |
| GPU Clock: Base/Game/Boost | 1855 MHz / 2455 MHz / 2615 MHz | 1855 MHz / 2455 MHz / 2615 MHz | 1855 MHz / 2455 MHz / 2615 MHz | 1855 MHz / 2300 MHz / 2500 MHz |
| FP32 Theoretical Performance | 64.3 TFLOPS | 64.3 TFLOPS | 64.3 TFLOPS | 61.4 TFLOPS |
| Dual BIOS | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Memory Configuration | 24 GB GDDR6 | 24 GB GDDR6 | 24 GB GDDR6 | 24 GB GDDR6 |
| Memory Clock (Effective) | 2500 MHz (20 Gbps) | 2500 MHz (20 Gbps) | 2500 MHz (20 Gbps) | 2500 MHz (20 Gbps) |
| Memory Bandwidth (Bus Width) | 960 GB/s (384-bit) | 960 GB/s (384-bit) | 960 GB/s (384-bit) | 960 GB/s (384-bit) |
| Outputs | 1x HDMI 2.1a 3x DisplayPort 2.1 | 1x HDMI 2.1a 3x DisplayPort 2.1 | 1x HDMI 2.1a 3x DisplayPort 2.1 | 1x HDMI 2.1a 2x DisplayPort 2.1 1x USB Type-C |
| TDP | 355 Watt | 355 Watt | 355 Watt | 355 Watt |
| Recommended Power Supply | 850 Watt | 850 Watt | 1000 Watt | 800 Watt |
| PCIe Power Connectors | 3x 8-pin | 3x 8-pin | 3x 8-pin | 2x 8-pin |
| Slots | 2.9-Slot | 3.6-Slot | 3-Slot | 2.5-Slot |
| Dimensions (Length/Width/Height) | 344 mm (13.5 in) 128 mm (6.2 in) 57 mm (2.2 in) | 353 mm (13.9 in) 158 mm (6.2 in) 73 mm (2.9 in) | 320 mm (12.6 in) 136 mm (5.4 in) 72 mm (2.8 in) | 287 mm (11.3 in) 110 mm (4.3 in) 51 mm (2 in) |
Although it is larger than the reference card, the XFX Merc 301 RX 7900 XTX is significantly smaller than the gigantic Asus TUF RX 7900 XTX. It is nevertheless a very large graphics card that requires three expansion slots and plenty of room length-wise in the case – especially when using the (often necessary) included support bracket. In other words, the XFX Merc 301 RX 7900 XTX will typically require at least a case in the ATX form factor, and if it has an HDD cage in the front, it should preferably be removable.
In other areas, the specifications are quite similar if not identical to key competitors like the TUF and Phantom gaming models, including levels of factory overclocking, with or without a separate OC BIOS activated. The so-called game clock, which is an expected average while actively running games, is 2455 MHz or about 7% higher compared to the reference model’s 2300 MHz. Actual OC capacity will vary from one individual GPU to the next, but out-of-the-box levels should be tried and tested to work.
What will also help with user overclocking is the Merc 310’s additional 8-pin power connector. This extra connector is not necessarily present on other inexpensive variants of the RX 7900 XTX like the PowerColor Hellhound or Gigabyte Gaming OC cards.
An extra power connector also theoretically adds up to 150 Watts of additional power drawn from the PSU, which may benefit overclocking but also add heat and noise on top of the higher power consumption. XFX recommends an 850 W PSU for the Merc 301 RX 7900 XTX, which is higher than AMD’s original 800 W PSU recommendation.
Cooling Solution
The XFX RX 7900 XTX Merc 310 Speedster cooler is similar to other XFX cards with the same branding. That includes the 7900 XT model, which is nearly identical, as well as previous-gen coolers seen in the Radeon RX 6000 lineup. As implied by the ‘Black Edition’ designation, the overall color theme is matte black with silvery highlights. The fan shroud and backplate are both made of metal. In terms of RGB elements, the XFX logo is illuminated (and addressable).
XFX highlights the main heatsink’s ‘staggered fin design’, which is said to improve airflow and heat dissipation while reducing noise. The main heatsink is connected via eight heat pipes to a vapor-chamber baseplate that covers the GPU itself as well as the VRAM chips.
A feature that the Merc 310 shares with most (but not all) Radeon RX 7900 XTX cards is a dual-BIOS setup. On top of the card is a small physical switch that lets you choose between higher performance (along with a higher power draw and more heat), and a silent mode that keeps clocks within the reference ranges. In terms of power delivery, the GPU comes with a 17-phase VRM rated at 70A each, plus three separate phases for the VRAM.
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