AMD Radeon RX 9070 BIOS Mod Unlocks XT-Level Performance Through Higher Clocks and Power

A custom BIOS modification has pushed AMD’s Radeon RX 9070 Non-XT graphics card beyond its stock limits—outperforming the reference RX 9070 XT model, thanks to increased clock speeds and total graphics power (TGP).

Originally reported by PCGamesHardware, a forum member known as Gurdi successfully flashed the RX 9070 Non-XT GPU with the BIOS from the ASUS PRIME RX 9070 XT. While the two cards are built on the same Navi 48 GPU architecture, they are configured differently at the firmware level, with the XT variant offering more active cores and higher performance out of the box.

Despite those locked-out cores, flashing the XT BIOS onto the Non-XT variant has proven to be a powerful workaround. Below are the performance differences before and after the vBIOS flash:

• RX 9070 Non-XT (Stock BIOS): 2140–2610 MHz @ 220W

• RX 9070 Non-XT (XT BIOS): 2480–3030 MHz @ 317W

The user conducted testing using the ASUS PRIME RX 9070 GPU. Once flashed, the card ran at clock speeds approaching 3.1 GHz with a significantly higher 317W TGP—up from the original 2.6 GHz cap and 220W limit. Although the physical core count remains unchanged (as disabled cores are fused off at the silicon level), the elevated frequency alone resulted in the modded RX 9070 outperforming the stock RX 9070 XT in several synthetic benchmarks.

Interestingly, while the XT version of the ASUS PRIME card includes three 8-pin power connectors, the Non-XT version only features two 8-pin connectors—yet it still manages to deliver enough power post-mod for stable operation at higher performance levels.

Gurdi also reported that real-world gaming performance now edges out the reference RX 9070 XT, further validating the BIOS flash as a worthwhile upgrade for experienced users.

That said, BIOS flashing carries inherent risks and should be attempted only by those familiar with GPU firmware modifications. Improper flashing can render a GPU unusable, and users should proceed with caution. For those confident in their technical skills, the modified BIOS is publicly available via TechPowerUp.

Would you consider BIOS modding your GPU for a performance boost—or do you prefer to stick with stock settings for safety?