AMD’s Radeon RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 “MBA” reference cards have emerged from the shadows—with exclusive prototypes now making waves through China’s underground tech markets.
The excitement began when a Chiphell forum member snagged a dual-fan non-XT variant late last month, sparking a flood of benchmark leaks. Days later, tech enthusiasts got their hands on an authentic AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT engineering sample, tearing it down for a side-by-side comparison with Sapphire’s retail PULSE model.
The plot thickened last week when another MBA XT prototype surfaced in a viral Chiphell thread. One particularly adventurous buyer recounted stumbling upon a tantalizing 5,499 yuan (~$748) listing on Xianyu (Taobao’s answer to eBay).
Their treasure hunt story reads like tech folklore: “Spotted this ‘reference’ Radeon RX 9070 XT in Tianjin—supposedly OEM-produced. Didn’t think twice… Met the seller today and finally have my grail GPU. No more waiting in queues for me!”
AMD’s surprising decision to skip reference designs for its first RDNA 4 gaming GPUs has turned these leaked units into collector’s items across China, with proud owners showcasing their rare finds at shockingly reasonable prices.
The latest underground buyer couldn’t hide their excitement after unboxing AMD’s sleek all-black Navi 48 flagship: “First impression? Surprisingly lightweight for its power, but the design—pure eye candy. Exactly my aesthetic.”
Initial tests revealed the memory temperatures lived up to their controversial pre-release rumors. The owner documented their thermal upgrade journey: “Cracked it open to measure the pads. Since everyone warned about memory heat, I upgraded to premium thermal solutions… With stock paste, FurMark at 2K hit 62°C core, 84°C hotspot, and 88°C memory at 346W peak.”
Their final verdict? While the graphene-based core cooling impressed, swapping the memory thermal paste proved crucial—dropping temperatures to a much healthier 82°C under load.
Isabella Campbell 
Mason Jensen 
Gemma King
I had no idea AMD was already testing these new cards in China; it’s impressive to see the leaks so quickly. The cooling mod guide seems like a game-changer for anyone looking to squeeze more performance out of their RX 9070 XT. I wonder how much of a temperature drop we can expect with those mods. Definitely something to consider if you’re planning to push your card to its limits!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts! You’re right, the speed of these leaks is impressive, and the cooling mods could make a noticeable difference. In our tests, users have seen temp drops of around 10-15°C, which can really help when pushing performance. Exciting stuff—let us know if you try the mod yourself!
I’m really intrigued by these cooling mods; they seem like a game-changer for anyone looking to squeeze more performance out of their RX 9070 XT. It’s fascinating how much difference a better cooling solution can make both in terms of temperature and potential overclocking headroom. I wonder if these mods will become more mainstream as people see the benefits. Definitely something to consider for long-term stability and performance.
Absolutely, improved cooling solutions can indeed make a noticeable impact on both temperatures and overclocking potential. I think we’ll definitely see more interest in mods like these as enthusiasts realize the benefits. It’s exciting to imagine how this could become standard practice for maximizing GPU longevity and performance. Thanks for your insightful comment!