Now that AMD’s latest CPUs are here, it’s time for their GPUs to take the spotlight. In early 2025, we are rumored to see the release of the AMD Radeon RX 8000 GPU lineup: the series of GPUs set out to improve upon what the 7000-series has built. According to the leaks and rumors, the RDNA 4 graphics architecture looks to be a mid-range beast – exciting many fans on a modest budget.
As the tech community buzzes with excitement and speculation, we delve into the details surrounding the AMD Radeon RX 8000 release date rumors. On the flip side, We also have the Nvidia RTX 50-series release date rumors in one place, as well as the upcoming Intel 15th gen release date on the CPU side of things. Anyway, below we’re going through all the latest AMD Radeon RX 8000 GPU rumors over the potential release window, alleged specs, and supposed pricing from the latest sources.
AMD Radeon RX 8000 release date rumors
AMD is expected to unveil its RDNA 4 GPUs, the Radeon RX 8000 series, in Q1 of 2025 according to current rumors, with a reveal at CES 2025 in January next year. This timing would suggest that AMD plans to hit the market around the same time as Nvidia’s next-gen GPUs. Historically, AMD has been strategic with its launch windows to capture attention before its competitors, but the revelation that they may not release high-end GPUs this time around places them in different markets.
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Looking back, AMD’s previous generation, the Radeon RX 7000 series, was first announced in November 2022, setting a pattern for late-year releases. Given this trend, we could speculate that AMD might target a similar timeframe within Q3 for the RX 8000 series, possibly aiming for a late August to early September launch However, this time has now passed without any word from AMD. Below showcases when previous release dates took place, per generation:
- Radeon RX 5000 series: July 7th, 2019
- Radeon RX 6000 series: November 18th, 2020
- Radeon RX 7000 series: December 13th, 2022
The anticipation for the Radeon RX 8000 series underscores AMD’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of GPU technology. As enthusiasts and gamers eagerly await official announcements, the release window also hints at AMD’s confidence in the RDNA 4 architecture’s ability to compete in the fiercely competitive GPU market.
AMD gaming GPU architecture roadmap
This has be known about for a while, but it looks like there are still on track to deliver RDNA 4 towards the end of 2024 as expected, a follow up to the Navi 3x architecture that became the RX 7000 series.
AMD Radeon RX 8000 series specs leaks
AMD has yet to disclose what the specs on the latest RX 8000 graphics cards will look like, so we’ll have to stick to rumors and leaks until now. We may hear more official news soon though, as AMD is kicking off Computex 2024 with the first official keynote, even if Nvidia is cutting ahead of them with their own plans.
AMD RDNA 4 rumored specs table
| Specs | AMD RDNA 4 (rumored) |
|---|---|
| Architecture | RDNA 4 |
| Process node | TSMC N4P |
| Chip | Navi 48, Navi 44, Navi 43 (?) |
| Memory type | 18 Gbps GDDR6 |
| Max bus width | 256-bit |
| Max clock speed | 3GHz-3.3GHz |
| Release date | Q3 2024 – Q1 2025 |
Memory
Fresh leaks about the specs of the RX 8000 have recently come to light – and it’s been the cause of some controversy. A recent post from Kepler on X has suggested that all next-gen RDNA 4 AMD cards will come with slower 18 Gbps GDDR6 memory, further pointing towards the notion of it being unlikely for there to be high-end cards in the 8000 lineup (via Videocardz). For comparison, both the 7900 XTX and 7900 XT offer 20Gbps, and the 7800XT has 19.5Gbps.
This might disappoint some fans, as it’s expected that mass production of GGDR7 will start around the end of this year – and what’s more, it’s also a potential that the RTX 50 series might debut with 28 Gbps GDDR7 memory, meaning AMD might have significantly missed the mark.
A big upgrade from RX 7000 series?
A core source of the rumored RDNA 4 specs intel is Tom from Moore’s Law Is Dead on YouTube. According to the channel, the architecture’s capabilities might match up with the speculations that the RX 8000 will be aimed at the mid-range sector. While this gives us a gist of what the series might potentially offer, we’re still clueless so far on many other key specs including AI accelerators and ray tracing accelerators. With more focus on the mid-range, this could spell a relatively minor upgrade as far as the flagship models go.
Further news is that AMD RDNA 4 Navi 48 die has allegedly been spotted in ROCm Patches which will supposedly power the RX 8000 series (via Wccftech). This source notes that the other die, Navi 44, was also mentioned in these patches. If we take what we know about the existing RX 7000 series with the Navi 31 (powering the RX 7900 XTX and RX 7900 XT) and the mid-range offerings based on the Navi 32 die powering RX 7800 XT and RX 7700 XT.
RDNA 4 architecture specs latest rumors
Regarding the two GPUs mentioned, the GFX1200 ID was previously associated with the Navi 41 SKU. However, rumors suggest AMD has canceled its high-end Navi 4X offerings, which were to utilize the Navi 4C die for a chipset-like design. Now, the focus appears to be on the high-end and mainstream segments, with a shift in strategy indicating that AMD no longer plans to use the top Navi x1 dies for its flagship offerings. Leakers from 2021 hinted that RDNA 4 would utilize a combination of TSMC’s 3nm and 5nm processes. Given RDNA 3’s implementation of the 5nm process and the unveiling of the 3nm node, it’s anticipated that AMD would not release a new GPU SKU without incorporating this advanced 3nm process technology in the next generation.
Team Red’s commitment to open source and its close relationship with the Linux community often leads to leaks of its graphics cards. Notably, recent LLVM patch notes explicitly mention new targets for GFX1200 and GFX1201, indicating these are for AMD GPUs. This is the first appearance of GFX12 references, logically pointing to the new RDNA 4 GPUs, considering GFX11 referred to RDNA 3. Critical components have been upgraded in the latest patches: ATHUB to version 4.1, LSDMA to version 7.0, IH to version 7.0, and HDP also to version 7.0. These IP blocks are essential for the operation of a graphics processor, in this case, presumably an RDNA 4-based family. However, difficulties with complex multi-chip designs, such as AMD’s RDNA 4, have been reported by some.
Rumors are not confirmed
Remember to take rumors and predictions with a pinch of salt. Until confirmed by AMD, nobody will know for certain.
AMD Radeon RX 8000 – Price predictions
The pricing for the AMD Radeon RX 8000 series is expected to be higher than the RX 7000 series. This increase is partly due to TSMC raising the price of its 3nm wafer process by a significant 22%, equating to a cost difference of over $1000 from 2022 to 2023. When production costs rise, retail prices typically follow. AMD’s only recourse to mitigate these increased costs is to cut expenses elsewhere, but this is challenging in a field where research and development (R&D) is crucial. It seems the likely area for cost-cutting lies in software. This approach is evident with FSR 3, which was delayed until the end of 2023 and launched with support for only 3-4 games. Such a move suggests AMD is trying to balance its investment in technology advancements with the need to keep the final product prices as competitive as possible.
Given these dynamics, consumers can expect the AMD Radeon RX 8000 GPUs to come with a price premium over their predecessors. However, the extent of this increase will ultimately depend on how AMD manages its production costs and the competitive landscape at the time of release. How much will you be willing to pay for the AMD RX 8000 series?
Will the AMD Radeon RX 8000 series be high-end?
Multiple sources suggest the AMD Radeon RX 8000 series may not include high-end models, focusing instead on the mid-range market. This shift comes amid significant layoffs and talent departures within the AMD Radeon division, reflecting perhaps dissatisfaction with the performance of RX 7000 and RDNA 3 in the executive sphere. News that Radeon GPU sales have fallen seems to back up this notion as they shift focus away from competing with Nvidia at the high end.
Despite implementing an MCM architecture, advanced process technology, contained power consumption, and FSR 3, AMD has struggled to compete with Nvidia in the high-end segment. The RX 7900 XT and 7900 XTX prices had to be significantly reduced to compete with Nvidia’s RTX 4070 Ti and 4080, not to mention the even more powerful RTX 4090. Nvidia’s RTX 4000 SUPER series further pressured AMD’s Navi 31 and 32, highlighting the challenges AMD faces in the high-end GPU market and suggesting a strategic pivot to focus on the mid-range segment where it has seen more success.
Will RDNA 4 have good ray tracing performance?
It’s no secret that AMD has always lagged behind Nvidia when it comes to providing the best ray tracing performance to date. As such, we don’t think that they are going to surpass their rivals in this respect, though they get closer to with each generation. As of now, there isn’t much information out there but speculation points towards improvements of around 25% over the existing RX 7000 series according to RedGamingTech. This more than likely won’t be enough to take on Nvidia.
Will RDNA 4 be a big upgrade from RDNA 3?
RDNA 4 will for certain provide an upgrade to the architecture, but it may not be as big as some people may have hoped. As far as improvements go though, AMD look to be focusing on catching up on ray tracing as we’ve detailed above – so that’s a big plus. However, the biggest changes may have to wait until RDNA 5 as RDNA 4 is said to be more like a ‘bug fix’ to the current 7000 series (RDNA 3). This rumor from well-known leaker wjm47196 was discussed in this forum post.
Final thoughts
In conclusion, Nvidia’s stronghold in the high-end GPU market has forced AMD to reconsider its approach. The AMD Radeon RX 8000 release date rumors and leaks suggesting AMD’s shift away from the high-end segment are disappointing but not entirely surprising. The performance gap between AMD’s RX 7900 XTX and Nvidia’s 4090, along with the 7900’s struggle against the 4080 in certain cases, highlights the challenges AMD faces at the top end of the market.
Focusing on strengthening their position in the mid-range market, where they have traditionally performed well, appears to be a strategic move for AMD. By leveraging the RDNA 4 architecture, AMD is poised to introduce some of the best mid-range GPUs on the market. This shift underscores AMD’s commitment to delivering value and performance where it matters most to a broad segment of consumers. As we await the official launch of the Radeon RX 8000 series, expectations are high for AMD to redefine excellence in the mid-range GPU space, offering compelling options to gamers and PC enthusiasts alike.
