The wait for the RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT is starting to feel somewhat excruciating. That’s probably because we’ve already seen Intel and Nvidia launch their new generations of GPUs, while AMD is taking a little extra time. It has already been explained that part of this is because it wants to optimize the software stack and ensure optimal FSR 4 on launch.

We already knew that the new cards would be available to buy in March, and now AMD CEO Lisa Su has narrowed that down to “early March” in a recent Q4 2024 earnings call. There’s more to the story here though, as there is some interesting language that suggests the new Radeon GPUs aren’t quite as mid-range as we initially expected.

RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT are set to deliver “high-quality 4K gaming”

AMD has just released its fourth-quarter and full-year financial results for 2024. Let’s not dig too deep into that just now though – instead, a quote from Lisa Su caught our attention for a few different reasons:

“In Gaming Graphics, revenue declined year-over-year, as we accelerated channel sellout in preparation for the launch of our next-gen Radeon 9000 series GPUs. Our focus with this generation is to address the highest volume portion of the enthusiast gaming market with our new RDNA 4 architecture. RDNA 4 delivers significantly better ray tracing performance and add support for AI-powered upscaling technology that will bring high-quality 4K gaming to mainstream players when the first Radeon 9070 series GPUs go on sale in early March.”

Lisa Su, AMD CEO (source: VideoCardz)

First of all, it’s nice to see an early March release. This could give AMD enough time to challenge Nvidia’s market share, despite launching its new GPUs the other month after them. Stock levels for the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 have been woefully low, with some retailers revealing you could be waiting up to 20 weeks for availability. Rumors have been circulating that AMD is gearing up for a press conference on the RX 9000 series at the end of February.

Secondly, the fact that AMD is targeting the “enthusiast gaming market” is an interesting choice of words, especially since we typically mid-range cards referred to as ‘mainstream’ or ‘performance-tier’. This could point to better-than-expected performance from the RX 9070 series GPUs, especially considering making people expect Nvidia to have no high-end competition.

The promise of “high quality 4K gaming” for “mainstream players,” perhaps teasing a competitive price tag, has us looking forward to the 9070 series more than ever. Do note that this looks to be achieved with help from AMD’s latest FSR 4 technology as AMD mentions its “AI-powered upscaling technology” will be an integral part of the RDNA 4 GPU architecture. On top of that, FSR 4 will be exclusive to the RX 9000 series. Lastly, RDNA 4 will deliver “better ray tracing performance” in an effort to close the gap to Nvidia.

About the Author

Jack Goodall

At PC Guide, Jack is mostly responsible for reporting on hardware deals. He also specializes in monitors, TVs, and headsets and can be found putting his findings together in a review or best-of guide.