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ASRock announced two passively cooled Radeon RX 7900 graphics cards on July 26, 2024: the RX 7900 XTX Passive with 24GB of memory and the RX 7900 XT Passive with 20GB. Their design replaces an onboard cooler fan with a vapor-chamber heatsink and aluminum fins, but ASRock did not publish noise or thermal test results, or specify the airflow the cards need inside a PC. “Passive” therefore describes the card’s cooling design—not a guarantee that a complete system can run silently.
What ASRock announced
ASRock calls the cards its first passive-series graphics cards. Both use the corresponding Radeon RX 7900 XTX or RX 7900 XT GPU and feature a vapor-chamber heatsink, aluminum cooling fins with V-shaped cuts, and a metal backplate. The company also says each card has a single horizontal 12V-2×6 power connector. ASRock’s announcement describes the connector layout as easier to work with when installing multiple cards because it reduces the number of power cords.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
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ASRock Radeon RX 7900 XTX Phantom Gaming 24GB OC Graphics Card, 2615 MHz Boost Clock, 24GB GDDR6,... | $1,129.99 | Buy on Amazon |
ASRock positions the models as options for system integrators and says they support multi-GPU collaborative computing. That describes the intended use; it does not establish compatibility with every chassis, motherboard, power supply, or workload. ASRock also notes that specifications may change without notice.
How the two models compare
| Model | GPU tier | Memory | Reported game clock / boost clock |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASRock Radeon RX 7900 XTX Passive | Radeon RX 7900 XTX | 24GB | 2,270MHz / up to 2,500MHz, as reported by HotHardware on July 26, 2024 |
| ASRock Radeon RX 7900 XT Passive | Radeon RX 7900 XT | 20GB | 2,025MHz / up to 2,395MHz, as reported by HotHardware on July 26, 2024 |
The clock figures come from HotHardware’s same-day coverage, not a thermal or performance test of the Passive cards. The announcement does not provide board dimensions, measured temperatures, noise figures, or a required airflow specification.
#1 Best Overall
- Flagship Gaming Performance, AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX GPU with 2615 MHz boost clock and 24GB GDDR6 memory for elite 4K gaming
- Advanced RDNA 3 Architecture, 96 compute units with RT+AI accelerators and 96MB AMD Infinity Cache technology
- Premium Cooling Solution, Phantom Gaming 3X Cooling System with Striped Ring Fans and reinforced metal frame
- High-Speed Memory, 24GB GDDR6 on 384-bit memory bus delivers exceptional bandwidth for 4K gaming and content creation
- Silent Operation, 0dB Silent Cooling technology ensures zero fan noise during low-intensity tasks
Does “passively cooled” mean silent?
The cards are described as using heatsinks and fins rather than an onboard cooler fan. That can remove the graphics card’s own fan noise, but it does not show that the rest of a PC can operate without fans. The documentation available in the announcement and same-day coverage does not state the airflow needed to cool either card, so a quiet-system build would need to account for the particular case, other components, and airflow plan rather than assume the heatsink alone is sufficient.
Likewise, there is no published Passive-model test establishing gaming temperatures, sustained clock behavior, or noise under load. The Radeon RX 7900 XTX and XT specifications describe the underlying GPU series; they are not test results for ASRock’s passive boards.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Power figures and price context
AMD’s November 2022 launch information listed typical board power of 355W for the original RX 7900 XTX and 300W for the original RX 7900 XT. Those are original series figures, not measurements of ASRock’s Passive versions. AMD’s same launch announcement gave suggested prices of $999 for the XTX and $899 for the XT; these historical GPU-series launch prices are not prices for ASRock’s Passive cards. AMD’s launch announcement also said the original series would begin availability on December 13, 2022, through AMD and board partners.
ASRock’s July 2024 release does not give a price or availability date for either Passive SKU, and HotHardware likewise noted that those details were absent. It does not establish current stock or an Amazon listing. If checking retailers, match the exact “RX 7900 XTX Passive 24GB” or “RX 7900 XT Passive 20GB” model; the fan-cooled Phantom Gaming cards are different products.
Quick Recap
What to verify for a workstation or quiet build
- Airflow and case fit: Confirm the exact card dimensions and cooling requirements with the vendor or system integrator; they are not specified in the announcement.
- Power and cabling: Check the final board specification and power-supply guidance. ASRock identifies a horizontal 12V-2×6 connector, but the announcement does not provide a complete power-supply recommendation.
- Multi-GPU compatibility: Treat ASRock’s collaborative-computing and integrator positioning as a stated use case, then verify spacing, motherboard support, workload software, and cooling for the specific system.
- Retail identity: Verify the full Passive model name and current listing details rather than relying on a price or availability claim for another RX 7900 variant.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
