Nvidia may be widely considered the king of the GPU industry, but some customers may prefer to look for alternatives. Nvidia’s flagship RTX 5090 is incredible, but surely there must be a cheaper option? Well, China tried to fill this niche – and, unfortunately, it failed from the start.
Recently, Chinese company Lisuan Tech launched the LX 7G100. Some of the marketing for the local graphics card claimed that it could compete with an RTX 4060, a last-generation but reliable component. However, according to 潮玩客, a reviewer of BiliBili, these claims are grossly exaggerated. After conducting extensive testing, which involved running various games at different settings on a powerful custom gaming rig, they concluded that the LX 7G100 was barely a match for Nvidia’s RTX 3060. Even aging GPUs like the AMD Radeon RX 6600
Now, that’s not to say the LX 7G100 burned out trying to play graphically intensive games or anything. The GPU’s marketing promised support for games like “Baldur’s Gate 3” and “Black Myth: Wukong,” as well as the component bundled on that front. However, this came at the cost of lower performance, stutters, poor frame rate, and a complete lack of ray tracing – a feature built into even the weakest RTX GPU. While Lisuan Tech can improve its cards with time, technology, and patches, the company has done itself a disservice by surpassing the capabilities of the LX 7G100.
Too expensive and over-promised?
Buying computer components often means walking a tightrope: how much are you willing to spend on performance and what are you willing to sacrifice to meet your budget? A poorly performing GPU can fill a niche if sold for a pittance – but someone forgot to let the folks at Lisuan Tech know that.
Although the LX 7G100 has several issues in terms of performance, the GPU’s biggest problem is its price. Currently, Lisuan Tech sells its card for $485, which doesn’t seem too expensive in today’s GPU market; RTX 5090s currently cost between $3,499.99 and $3,999.99 at retailers such as Micro Center. However, you can buy GPUs that vastly eclipse the LX 7G100 for around the same price. For example, the ASUS Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 TUF costs $469.99 at Micro Center, and you can also purchase an ASUS AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT for $449.99.
As it stands, the LX 7G100 could be the new holder of the “worst value for money graphics card” title. Or at least, if Lisuan Tech wasn’t so convinced that the LX 7G100 would be a success, the company would have made 1,000 “Founders Edition” units retailing for around $500. If the rumors of Nvidia bringing back the RTX 3060 are true, Lisuan Tech will have its work cut out to prove that the company can deliver on its promises.
