AMD's new RDNA 4 graphics cards are launching with AI power for 4K and QHD gaming
AMD presented the first graphics cards of the RDNA 4 generation at CES 2025. However, the technical details of the RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 remain largely under wraps.
AMD is launching the new RDNA-4 generation with two mid-range graphics cards. The new architecture is manufactured by TSMC using the 4 nm process and, according to AMD, brings you three key improvements: optimized compute units for higher graphics performance, improved AI accelerators and increased ray tracing performance per compute unit.
The media engine also processes modern video formats such as H.264, HEVC and AV1 more efficiently. The first models will be launched on the market in the first quarter of 2025. Partners such as Asus, Gigabyte, and Sapphire have already announced custom designs.
Radeon RX 9070 XT as the new top model
The Radeon RX 9070 XT leads AMD's new RDNA-4 generation. The graphics card is based on the Navi-48 chip and comes with 16 GB of video memory. AMD positions the RX 9070 XT against Nvidia's GeForce RTX 4080 and optimizes it especially for 4K gaming and creative applications.
The most important features of the RX 9070 XT:
- Navi-48 chip in 4 nm production
- 16 GB VRAM
- Optimized for 4K gaming
- Supports FSR 4 with AI-based upscaling
- Improved ray tracing performance
The RX 9070 XT marks an important milestone for AMD. With the new RDNA 4 architecture, the manufacturer wants to offer you more performance, especially for ray tracing applications. The optimized compute units should work significantly more efficiently than in the previous generation.
Particularly exciting for content creators: the improved media engine now also supports AV1 encoding with higher quality. This means you can encode your streams and videos more efficiently without having to compromise on image quality.
Radeon RX 9070 for the upper mid-range
AMD's second model in the spotlight is the Radeon RX 9070. It also uses the Navi-48 chip with 16 GB of video memory and competes against the GeForce RTX 4070 Ti. AMD has optimized the card, especially for QHD gaming.
The most important features of the RX 9070:
- Same Navi-48 chip as XT model
- 16 GB video memory
- Focus on QHD gaming
- FSR 4 with AI upscaling
- More efficient media engine for content creation
With the RX 9070, AMD is deliberately targeting gamers who are looking for strong QHD performance without having to go straight for the XT model. The identical memory configuration of 16 GB VRAM makes the card particularly future-proof - you don't have to worry about not having enough video memory for upcoming games.
The focus on content creation is also interesting: the more efficient media engine of the RX 9070 supports the same features as the XT model. This makes the card ideal for streaming and video editing in the mid-price segment.
FSR 4 and new naming scheme
AMD jumps directly from RX 7000 to RX 9000 and thus adapts the naming scheme to the current Ryzen CPU generation. This makes the product range clearer for you and makes it easier to compare with the competition. AMD has already hinted at an RX 9060 series.
The new FSR 4 technology (FidelityFX Super Resolution) uses machine learning for the first time and promises you noticeable improvements, especially in 4K. FSR 4 is initially reserved for the RX 9070 series.
Unusual presentation causes confusion
The presentation irritated the media and viewers alike. In the 45-minute live keynote, AMD did not mention the new graphics cards at all. Instead, only presentation slides were released to the press under embargo. Accordingly, AMD's YouTube presentation has a lot of unhappy comments.
Exciting competition with Nvidia
The launch of the new Radeon cards coincides with Nvidia's presentation of the GeForce RTX 50 series. The competitor is also focusing heavily on AI features and improved ray tracing performance in its new models. Unlike AMD, however, Nvidia presented significantly more technical details and benchmarks at CES.
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